I no name?" she answered, "A godly minister, Master Heatherthwayte,
gave thee the name of Cicely when he christened thee."

"I marvel who I am?" said Cis, gazing round her, as if the world were
all new to her.

"It does not matter," said Humfrey, "you are just the same to us, is
she not, mother?"

"She is our dear Heaven-sent child," said the mother tenderly.

"But thou art not my true mother, nor Humfrey nor Diccon my
brethren," she said, stretching out her hands like one in the dark.

"If I'm not your brother, Cis, I'll be your husband, and then you
will have a real right to be called Talbot. That's better than if
you were my sister, for then you would go away, I don't know where,
and now you will always be mine--mine--mine very own."

And as he gave Cis a hug in assurance of his intentions, his father,
who was uneasy about the matter, looked in again, and as Susan, with
tears in her eyes, pointed to the children, the good man said, "By my
faith, the boy has found the way to cut the knot--or rather to tie
it. What say you, dame? If we do not get a portion for him, we do
not have to give one with her, so it is as broad as it is long, and
she remains our dear child. Only listen, children, you are both old
enough to keep a secret. Not one word of all this matter is to be
breathed to any soul till I bid you."

"Not to Diccon," said Humfrey decidedly.