“The next day began in the same manner. Towards noon, however, the outer door opened, and in came a puff of fresh cold air, and another visiter, who looked fresh, but not cold at all. It was a boy about thirteen or fourteen; healthy, ruddy, bright-eyed, well-dressed, and exceeding neat in his dress. He came in like one familiar with the place, and took note of all the unusual tokens about, as if he knew well what was usual and what was unusual. He looked at the cold chimney and scattered work; he went to the foot of the stairs and stood listening a moment; and then coming away from there, he loitered about the room, now going to the window and now to the chimney, evidently waiting. He had to wait a good while, but he waited. At last he had what he wanted; for, tired with being up-stairs, or wanting to gather some news from the outer world, Sue slowly came down the stairs and shewed her little face at the stairway door. And almost before it had time to change, the newcomer had called out,—
“And with an unknown light breaking all over her face, Sue exclaimed, joyously, ‘Roswald!—’ and springing across to him, laid her sweet lips to his with right good will.
“‘O you’ve got back!’ said Sue, with a gladsomeness it did, or would have done, any one’s heart good to hear.
“‘Here I am. Haven’t I been a long while away?’
“‘But what’s the matter here, Sue? what’s become of you all?’
“‘Why mother’s sick, you know,—she hasn’t got well yet; and father’s away.’
“‘He had to go to court—he had to be a juryman, to try Simon Ruffin.’
“‘Yesterday morning. And we hoped he would be able to get leave to come away, we wanted him so much; but he hasn’t been able to come.”
“‘He’s been away since yesterday morning. Who’s taking care of you?’
“‘Is there nobody in the house with you?’
“‘Nobody but mother. Father left wood enough all ready.’
“‘Oh, people send mother nice things—Mrs. Lucy sent her a whole pail of soup the other day.’
“‘Why, Roswald!—I mean a nice little tin pail, so big.’
“‘Mrs. Binch gave father a string of blue fish the other night; and since then I have made porridge.’
“‘Why, porridge is very good,’ said Sue, looking at him. But there was a change in his eye, and there came a glistening in hers; and then she threw suddenly her two arms round his neck and burst into a great fit of crying.