said to Catherine: "You see, I'll always hev
to love yeh. An' yeh'll not git cross with
me; I'm not goin' to be in th' way." And
Catherine had told him, with tears in her
eyes, that his love could never be but a com-
fort to any woman. And these words, which
the poor fellow had in no sense mistaken,
comforted him always, became part of his
joy as he rode there, under those piercing
stars, to look after her little ones. He found
them sleeping in their bunks, the baby tight
in Kitty's arms, the little boy above them in
the upper bunk, with his hand in the long
hair of his brown spaniel. Waite softly
kissed each of them, so Kitty, who was half
waking, told her mother afterwards, and
then, bethinking him that Catherine might
not be able to return in time for their break-
fast, found the milk and bread, and set it for
them on the table. Catherine had been
writing, and her unfinished letter lay open
beside the ink. He took up the pen and
wrote,

"The childdren was all asleep at twelv.

"J. W."


He had not more than got on his pony