"I'm going to ask Jacob about him. Jacob would like to pleasure him again if he could."
"I hope so, I'm sure, Jeremy being your brother and my son. But I've got my ideas in that matter. Now you'd best to go home. The dark's coming down and I've talked enough."
"Would you like some of our goats' milk? It's wonderful rich in cream. It's often done me good."
"Yes," said Mrs. Huxam. "I should like some of your goats' milk, if you can spare it."
Margery and Auna set out for home, the child richer by a shilling from her grandfather.
"I cheered him up about grandmother," she said, "because if she was very ill, she wouldn't have been so interested in the Kings of Israel, would she?"
Her mother speculated with amusement on Mrs. Huxam's view of Jeremy's character, and thought how Judith must have regarded such a spirit in another man. She was in a good temper and glad that she had not grumbled. Her nature was built to bend before the blast and she was always quick to react to any improvement in her circumstances. She considered, whether, after all, it might not be better to speak of the recent past to Jacob himself, and resolved that she would be guided by his future attitude. If he remained under the cloud, she would endeavour to dispel it; but she trusted that in a few days he might emerge.
They brought good news, for Auna now produced in triumph a telegram which Barlow Huxam himself had taken off the wires and entrusted to her, while Margery was with her mother. The child had not told Margery, but now produced the treasure for her father.
The Red House terriers had taken two first prizes. Auna begged to be allowed to keep the telegram and add it to her treasures.
"It will be the greatest of all," she said, "and it's signed 'Peter,' so it must be true."