CHAPTER AJIT

SECOND COMING OF THE EGYPTIAN WOMAN

Oe gypsy had been passing the house, per-

haps on her way to Thrums for gossip, and
it was only curiosity, born suddenly of Gavin’s
cry, that made her enter. On finding herself in
unexpected company she retained hold of the
door, and to the amazed minister she seemed
for a moment to have stepped into the mud
house from his garden. Her eyes danced, how-
ever, as they recognised him, and then he hard-
ened. ‘“ This is no place for you,” he was saying
fiercely, when Nanny, too distraught to think,
fell crying at the Egyptian’s feet.

“They are taking me to the poorhouse,” she
sobbed ; “ dinna let them, dinna let them.”

The Egyptian’s arms clasped her, and the
Egyptian kissed a sallow cheek that had once
been as fair as yours, madam, who may read this
story. No one had caressed Nanny for many
years, but do you think she was too poor and old
to care for these young arms round her neck?
There are those who say that women cannot love
each other, but it is not true. Woman is not
undeveloped man, but something better, and
Gavin and the doctor knew it as they saw
Nanny clinging to her protector. When the
gypsy turned with flashing eyes to the two

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