At length, about half-past ten, she rose from her sewing and prepared to go to bed.
At that very minute she heard a knock at her door.
“Who can be coming here at this hour?” she thought, with alarm.
Not long before a tramp had entered a house in the village during the night, and it occurred to her that this might be the same man or one of his confederates. She was alone and defenseless, and naturally she felt nervous.
“Who is there?” she asked, in a tremulous voice.
“It’s I, mother.”
There was something in that voice which sent a thrill through her veins, and wakened a glad hope in her heart.
No hesitating now! Hurriedly she opened the door, and uttered a glad cry of surprise as Tom entered.
“Oh, my boy, my boy! I thought I should never see you again!” she cried, as she clasped him to her bosom.
“A bad penny always turns up again,” said Tom, merrily.