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of me is； there's worse behind。'
His mother gazed upon him in grieved suspense； and Sally went and
leant upon the bureau； listening for every sound； and sighing。
Suddenly she turned round； saying； 'Let them come； I don't care！
Philip； tell the worst； and take your time。'
'Well； then；' said the unhappy Phil； 'I am not the only one in this
mess。 Would to Heaven I were！ But'
'O； Phil！'
'I have a wife as destitute as I。'
'A wife？' said his mother。
'Unhappily！'
'A wife！ Yes； that is the way with sons！'
'And besides' said he。
'Besides！ O； Philip； surely'
'I have two little children。'
'Wife and children！' whispered Mrs。 Hall； sinking down confounded。
'Poor little things！' said Sally involuntarily。
His mother turned again to him。 'I suppose these helpless beings
are left in Australia？'
'No。 They are in England。'
'Well； I can only hope you've left them in a respectable place。'
'I have not left them at all。 They are herewithin a few yards of
us。 In short； they are in the stable。'
'Where？'
'In the stable。 I did not like to bring them indoors till I had
seen you； mother； and broken the bad news a bit to you。 They were
very tired； and are resting out there on some straw。'
Mrs。 Hall's fortitude visibly broke down。 She had been brought up
not without refinement； and was even more moved by such a collapse
of genteel aims as this than a substantial dairyman's widow would in
ordinary have been moved。 'Well； it must be borne；' she said； in a
low voice； with her hands tightly joined。 'A starving son； a
starving wife； starving children！ Let it be。 But why is this come
to us now； to…day； to…night？ Could no other misfortune happen to
helpless women than this； which will quite upset my poor girl's
chance of a happy life？ Why have you done us this wrong； Philip？
What respectable man will come here； and marry open…eyed into a
family of vagabonds？'
'Nonsense； mother！' said Sally vehemently； while her face flushed。
'Charley isn't the man to desert me。 But if he should be； and won't
marry me because Phil's come； let him go and marry elsewhere。 I
won't be ashamed of my own flesh and blood for any man in England
not I！' And then Sally turned away and burst into tears。
'Wait till you are twenty years older and you will tell a different
tale；' replied her mother。
The son stood up。 'Mother；' he said bitterly； 'as I have come； so I
will go。 All I ask of you is that you will allow me and mine to lie
in your stable to…night。 I give you my word that we'll be gone by
break of day； and trouble you no further！'
Mrs。 Hall； the mother； changed at that。 'O no；' she answered
hastily； 'never shall it be said that I sent any of my own family
from my door。 Bring 'em in； Philip； or take me out to them。'
'We will put 'em all into the large bedroom；' said Sally；
brightening； 'and make up a large fire。 Let's go and help them in；
and call Rebekah。' （Rebekah was the woman who assisted at the dairy
and housework； she lived in a cottage hard by with her husband； who
attended to the cows。）
Sally went to fetch a lantern from the back…kitchen； but her brother
said； 'You won't want a light。 I lit the lantern that was hanging
there。'
'What must we call your wife？' asked Mrs。 Hall。
'Helena；' said Philip。
With shawls over their heads they proceeded towards the back door。
'One minute before you go；' interrupted Philip。 'II haven't
confessed all。'
'Then Heaven help us！' said Mrs。 Hall； pushing to the door and
clasping her hands in calm despair。
'We passed through Evershead as we came；' he continued； 'and I just
looked in at the 〃Sow…and…Acorn〃 to see if old Mike still kept on
there as usual。 The carrier had come in from Sherton Abbas at that
moment； and guessing that I was bound for this placefor I think he
knew mehe asked me to bring on a dressmaker's parcel for Sally
that was marked 〃immediate。〃 My wife had walked on with the
children。 'Twas a flimsy parcel； and the paper was torn； and I
found on looking at it that it was a thick warm gown。 I didn't wish
you to see poor Helena in a shabby state。 I was ashamed that you
should'twas not what she was born to。 I untied the parcel in the
road； took it on to her where she was waiting in the Lower Barn； and
told her I had managed to get it for her； and that she was to ask no
question。 She； poor thing； must have supposed I obtained it on
trust； through having reached a place where I was known； for she put
it on gladly enough。 She has it on now。 Sally has other gowns； I
daresay。'
Sally looked at her mother； speechless。
'You have others； I daresay！' repeated Phil； with a sick man's
impatience。 'I thought to myself； 〃Better Sally cry than Helena
freeze。〃 Well； is the dress of great consequence？ 'Twas nothing
very ornamental； as far as I could see。'
'Nono； not of consequence；' returned Sally sadly； adding in a
gentle voice； 'You will not mind if I lend her another instead of
that one； will you？'
Philip's agitation at the confession had brought on another attack
of the cough； which seemed to shake him to pieces。 He was so
obviously unfit to sit in a chair that they helped him upstairs at
once； and having hastily given him a cordial and kindled the bedroom
fire； they descended to fetch their unhappy new relations。
CHAPTER III
It was with strange feelings that the girl and her mother； lately so
cheerful； passed out of the back door into the open air of the
barton； laden with hay scents and the herby breath of cows。 A fine
sleet had begun to fall； and they trotted across the yard quickly。
The stable…door was open； a light shone from itfrom the lantern
which always hung there； and which Philip had lighted； as he said。
Softly nearing the door； Mrs。 Hall pronounced the name 'Helena！'
There was no answer for the moment。 Looking in she was taken by
surprise。 Two people appeared before her。 For one； instead of the
drabbish woman she had expected； Mrs。 Hall saw a pale； dark…eyed；
ladylike creature； whose personality ruled her attire rather than
was ruled by it。 She was in a new and handsome gown； of course； and
an old bonnet。 She was standing up； agitated； her hand was held by
her companionnone else than Sally's affianced； Farmer Charles
Darton； upon whose fine figure the pale stranger's eyes were fixed；
as his were fixed upon her。 His other hand held the rein of his
horse； which was standing saddled as if just led in。
At sight of Mrs。 Hall they both turned； looking at her in a way
neither quite conscious nor unconscious； and without seeming to
recollect that words were necessary as a solution to the scene。 In
another moment Sally entered also； when Mr。 Darton dropped his
companion's hand； led the horse aside； and came to greet his
betrothed and Mrs。 Hall。
'Ah！' he said； smilingwith something like forced composure'this
is a roundabout way of arriving； you will say； my dear Mrs。 Hall。
But we lost our way； which made us late。 I saw a light here； and
led in my horse at oncemy friend Johns and my man have gone back
to the little inn with theirs； not to crowd you too much。 No sooner
had I entered than I saw that this lady had taken temporary shelter
hereand found I was intruding。'
'She is my daughter…in…law；' said Mrs。 Hall calmly。 'My son； too；
is in the house； but he has gone to bed unwell。'
Sally had stood staring wonderingly at the scene until this moment；
hardly recognizing Darton's shake of the hand。 The spell that bound
her was broken by her perceiving the two little children seated on a
heap of hay。 She suddenly went forward； spoke to them； and took one
on her arm and the other in her hand。
'And two children？' said Mr。 Darton； showing thus that he had not
been there long enough as yet to understand the situation。
'My grandchildren；' said Mrs。 Hall； with as much affected ease as
before。
Philip Hall's wife； in spite of this interruption to her first
rencounter； seemed scarcely so much affected by it as to feel any
one's presence in addition to Mr。 Darton's。 However； arousing
herself by a quick reflection； she threw a sudden critical glance of
her sad eyes upon Mrs。 Hall； and； apparently finding her
satisfactory； advanced to her in a meek initiative。 Then Sally and
the stranger spoke some friendly words to each other； and Sally went
on with the children into the house。 Mrs。 Hall and Helena followed；
and Mr。 Darton followed these； looking at Helena's dress and
outline； and listening to her voice like a man in a dream。
By the time the others reached the house Sally had already gone
upstairs with the tired children。 She rapped against the wall for
Rebekah to come in and help to attend to them； Rebekah's house being
a little 'spit…and…dab' cabin leaning against the substantial stone…
work of Mrs。 Hall's taller erection。 When she came a bed was made
up for the little ones； and some supper given to them。 On
descending the stairs after seeing this done Sally went to the
sitting…room。 Young Mrs。 Hall entered it just in advance of her；
having in the interim retired with her mother…in…law to take off her
bonnet； and otherwise make herself presentable。 Hence it was
evid