smoothing down the widow's hair as her head rested on

his breast.

For some time Mrs. Varley suffered the boy to fondle

her in silence, while her breast laboured with anxious

dread.

"Tell me all," she said at last, recovering a little.

"Did Jim see--Dick?"

"No," answered the boy. "He looked at all the

bodies, but did not find his; so he sent me over here to

tell ye that p'r'aps he's escaped."