A DEBT OF GRATITUDE After dinner Festing walked across the fields to the farm.

It was raining and a cold wind swept the dale, but a fire burned in the room into which he was shown and the curtains were drawn.

Helen and Miss Jardine got up when he came in and put the rucksack on the table.
"I'm sorry I forgot this until I'd gone some distance," he said.

"Then I couldn't find anybody to send with it." "No doubt you wanted your dinner," Miss Jardine suggested.
Festing saw that she wore a different dress that looked rather large.
"No," he said, "it wasn't the dinner that stopped me.

Besides, it didn't strike me that--" "That I might need my clothes?
Well, I don't suppose it would strike you; but since you have come across in the rain, won't you stop ?" Festing found an old leather chair, and sitting down, looked about with a sense of satisfaction, for the fire was cheerful after the raw cold outside.