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 blood i' their veins; but upon strangers—some o' whom have not—cared!"

"Ah, poor child, I did hurt ye!" cried Mistress Williams remorsefully. She followed Sally to the corner whither the girl had retreated in sudden passionate weeping. Tears were in the lady's eyes, too, as she bent and kissed the other. "Truly, I did not mean to hurt ye!" she apologized gently. "Indeed I did not!"

Sally dried her eyes. "I know ye did not," she answered. "And why I weep when I ha' such friends as ye and Mistress Ball, I know not. Mayhap," she stared off into space with brooding gaze, tis because I have known peace wi' you and do dread a return to what lay before!"

"Aye?" Mistress Williams watched her with quiet eyes, In which compassion lay deep.

"I mean," said Sally stormily, "I mean that, much as I do long to see Master Todd again, much as I long to know that he be safe and not dying, mayhap, upon some enemy prison ship—I could live forever, without one regret, an I never saw—Mistress Todd again!"

"Poor child!" murmured Mistress Williams, tucking up the riotous curls beneath Sally's cap as she spoke. She had forgotten her own anxieties in those of Sally's. But all at once the clamor of her little son broke out again. Ignored, he had fallen to placidly sucking his thumb. Now, however, sud-