The Story of Jessie

s trouble, but it was none the less deep for that. In fact, it was so deep

e wrongs his daughter's husband had done them all, and was full of remorse for his own hard-heartedness-as he called it now-in not having forgiven her at once when she ran away from her home. And more than all was he haunted by

walked, how the colour had faded from his hair and from the bright blue eyes, which had been such a noti

iving a miserable life with the weak, ne'er-do-well husband who had been the ruin of her happiness and theirs. Trouble left its mark on Patience too, she became gentler and quieter, she seemed to lose some of her strength

h her grandmother protested often that it was too much for Miss Grace to do, and declared that

nd by," she said laughingly-"that is if she wants to g

a smile; "she will have to support herself, of course, when

to live in the "White Cottage," and have the joy and honour of k

tory. She could darn and sew beautifully, make and mend, knit and patch, and read and write, cook a littl

to dust the bedrooms and the kitchen. Her grandmother would not let her do the harder work, such as scrubbing the floors or tables, though Jessie often longed to

erself too unwell to get up. She had been ailing for a week or two. "'Tis the damp and cold got into my bones," she had said, making light of it, "and they'll just have

on't feel fit for nothing. I'll stay in bed for a bit, that's the best way," and indeed she felt far too unwell to do

and alarmed, "and he says I must not be frightened if granny turns orange colour. Do y

ndice was no trifling illness for a woman of Patience's age, and the

h Mrs. Dawson had to keep her bed for some time, their greatest a

ll day long her busy feet and hands were going, never seeming to tire; and in her joy at seeing her grandmother getting well again, and her grandfather more happy,

dawned which, undreamed of, was to

is past and winter not so very far off. In the garden the chrysanthemums were covered with a fine show of buds, and Jessie looked at them eagerly

from Norton too, so grandfather took the train thither to do the shopping, and Jessie was left to sweep and scrub and polish to her heart's content. She and granp were up early on that important morning-indeed, there was little likelihood

and a piece of toast now," said her gr

e of the jelly Miss

n I'd like a slice of toast, but if you haven't I'll have a piece of dry bread.

mer who lived a little way from them

" said Jessie,

g as you have been. Why, there won't be anything left fo

t is singing. I'll hav

and by the time I come

granny, while I'm gon

ive mi

ight, child; I'll prom

rglar will break in he

"but I don't know about a burglar, I would have to run to

and coat," granny

ie, with just a shade of

ite chilly, and you have b

e stood for a moment and glanced along the road in each direction, just to make sure that there was no one near who would be likely to knock and disturb her grandmother before she got back again, but there was not a living creature in sight, th

wn this lane again, a man was standing at the end of it where it emerged on to the high road. He was standing looking down the lane very eagerly at firs

should feel frightened, but she did, and for a moment almost turned and ran back to the friendly shelter of Mrs. Maddock's

corner, she would race home as fast as her legs could carry her, and if she did spill some milk granny would forgive her when she knew how frightened she had been. But

" as Jessie screamed "help." "If you're quiet I shan't hurt you, but if you make a nois

Jessie, struggling t

ranny's waiting fo

an 'granny' has. I've been waiting hours

to N

s all

of frightening the man. "Oh, do let me go, please! gra

than ever she has. You shall bring

sobbed

s all

me," Jessie wondered, loo

anybody about just yet, they are all to market, or off somewhere. I took

ease let me go. What do you w

ant, yourself

surprise, wondering

ramp only, though a par

t into her heart, caus

and a dread of she

ng, scarcely able to form her words, so f

robbed of you for five years! Natural enough, isn't it, that

and granny's ill, and-and they've taken care of me all this time, and now I

t to! I think it's a pity they haven't brought you up better, and taught you your duty to yo

lf with dismay; "don't take me away!-pl

to spare you all the trouble of saying 'good-bye,' but on second thoughts I'll go in and explain a bit to the old woman, so hurry along and lead the way. I don't want any n

her best to obey her father's command, a wild hope springing up in her heart

d happened. The kettle has boiled over and over until the fire must be nearly put out." But she had scarcely finished speaking before Jessie dashed u

to take me away! Oh, granny, what shall I do! Save m

n what it all meant, heavy footsteps mounted the stairs quickly, and she s

to carry on when your dear grandmother is ill! Do you want to make he

little moan alone escaping her

hter, and I've come to fetch her. You've had her for five years, and now

o right-you deserte

yours, and I've every right to her. I didn't desert her, and you can't prove I did, and I guess if we went to law about it, it

tunned by this new aspect of affairs. "You knew

d my wife keeps a lodging-house, and wants some one to help her, some one strong and healthy, like Jessie here, and I've come for her. I didn't see the fun of paying a girl, when we could get a better one for nothing; and I came for her t

gly. They could think of no one within a mile or two, except Mrs. Maddock and her little maid, and how could

you," said her father curtly, "look sharp and ge

the least realizing what she was doing. When, though, she came to her little shelf of books, to a box Miss Grace had given her, a work-basket her grandfather and grandmother had bought her on her birthday, and a picture which had been Miss Barley's pr

her on her eighth birthday, and she treasured it dearly; it had her mother's name and her

look around her beloved little room again, crept a

voice, "till I come home again, and-and kiss granp for me, and-oh, granny, gran

raction of their misery lessened by prolonging it, and before Jessie had finished sobbing

, it's one I used to favour a good bit," with a meaning little laugh, "and if I haven't forgot my way all these years, and they haven'