The old place never changes--nor you and my
mother!"
"Why should we?" asked Rachel softly.
And he kissed her again, with a strange feeling of the unreality of
everything human.
The servants were flocking out by this time. His mother's arms were
outstretched in welcome. There was something like a sob in Tom's
throat as he felt them clasped about his neck.
"My dear, dear boy--my only son! Thank God that you have come
safely through all threatened perils, and have come home to us
again!"
Tom held her close in his arms. He would not speak a word to dash
from her those fond hopes which she so plainly cherished. He would
not speak of the peril overshadowing him, which might at any moment
become imminent.
"It is good to be home, mother!" he said, and kissed her many
times.
The servants raised a cheer for the young Squire. Tom turned and
smiled at them, and spoke a few words of thanks. How familiar it
all was! How had he ever despised the love of the people round him,
and of those two faithful women who loved him so truly and so well?
"Dear mother," he said tenderly, "you are so much better to me than
ever I deserve; I will try to live to be a comfort to you some day.
I have given you little but sorrow and pain as yet.
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