“Oh, ma’am, you are too good! Whatever shall I do to repay your kindness!” exclaimed the grateful creature, with eyes full of tears, as she lifted Hetty’s hand and pressed it to her lips.
“Do just as she tells you, Mrs. Longman. And say to your son that we should be pleased to have him remain here with you until after Christmas. He shall be most cordially welcome to us all,” added Mr. Campbell.
“God bless you, sir, for your great kindness; for indeed it will be a great joy to me to have my boy under the very same roof with me for a few days, now that he has come back,” said Elspeth, her wintry face in an April aspect of smiles and tears.
“And, of course, it is a delight to us to be able to contribute to your happiness, you know,” said Mr. Campbell cheerily.
Elspeth dropped her old-fashioned courtesy and went out.
And very soon the three remaining in the parlor heard the mother and her son going down the passage to the rear dining-room that was behind the study.
Hetty and Jennie took their needlework, and Mr. Campbell picked up the morning paper, which no one had had time to look at all day long, and began to read to them items of news.
So an hour passed.
The reunited mother and son lingered long in the dining-room, but at length they came out and entered the parlor.
Longman went at once up to Mr. Campbell and said: