The Gold of Chickaree

her mother's prayers must have been around her; so clear and swift and instinctive were her decisions, in the chaos of all other things. No danger now of meeting any one at the

ll, and leave the carriage there, and

e ground under her feet, but seemed to be walking on nothing, so that she had every now and then a sort of fear of pitching forward. She had set out in good season, but it was past midday when she stood before the cottage. If she knocked as no other hand had ever knocked there; if her fa

o much in request as a village nurse and doctor to be unsupplied with simple remedies. With tender care she used what she had, till the girl opened her eyes and found Gyda's brown face hovering over her. Even then the old woman

she said wistfully

ver her face, and tried

touch of the wet hair was suggestive, and it seemed to h

ping down with her hand on Wych Hazel's shoulder, the wr

sual inroad to the midst of the case. 'How can you set

is statement of the position too vague to be acted upon. 'But come and sit do

e was bid, and looked at it, seeing nothin

ngs come upon pe

r loving, wise heart to see where the hurt was and what the medicine mu

otmy lad?' she added, with evident

el, with an immediate reserve of

ome to my l

n passed over the fa

id under her breadt

to be set right,' said

ll me, and the Lord w

uld have hindered,'

ure to get wrong if you do.' And then bending nearer, so as to look close in the girl's face, with her little black ey

trenched for the last ten days, it was perhaps the repetition of those words. But tea

eading. Then adding, in a tone that went to Gyda's hear

ad? O

es

ve doubted hi

ruth?

have doubted him, yet. What ca

ainst me. But there is no use

u wrong, you thin

aid the girl quickly. 'ButI had nobody

but unsympathetic. 'Complain, and make the worst of it; then we will know how to b

up at her, then down aga

ason to think, that I

r try, for an explanati

ve reason to thi

. 'You know that can be,' she added with an appeali

u speak

e not seen him sincesincehe

r,' said the old woman. 'But Olaf

ly,'that makes no differ

ays ago, to pray for him, that he might be strong to do

herself. 'Love does not give up!' She sat very white and stil

d gently, 'that he was aski

r, touching it softly. That old, brown, wrinkled face was so sweet and quiet that it seemed a very s

in her slow uttera

shut her eyes, finding curious soothing in the touch of Gyda's hand. Nobody ever touched her so in these d

ust not even tell him that I have been he

l him?' said

ated. 'Things that cannot stan

that cannot

zel, laying her head back again. 'I came to talk

'Nothing's going to fa

my d

ant woman, and had known little of what we call refining advantages in outward things; but love and peace and sympathy had made her wonderfully delicate and quick to divine the needs of those with whom she dealt.

hese weeks,' said Hazel. 'And the

uldn't trust the Lor

not quite know. I was in such confusion, and other things cam

a. 'Yes, to pl

and and laid it upon Gyda

s ifmaybe_that_ was the reason of it all. Do such things come upon

ded her way to one thing only. 'It's only the straight way, dear, tha

aps, that was the reason. I thought of it last winter, before this came; and I have never seen him sincebut once. I might seemdifferentto him,

said. 'Suppose you don't think a

again was extreme. And by this time another matter claimed her attention, over and above everything else; she must get home while she could. If physic

bruptly. 'But you will

rection, and the next instant Wych Hazel's ears caught it too; the sound of steps, quick steps, a man's steps,