"It's his watch at the mill to-night." "Whose watch ?" demanded Joel.
Her face brightened.
"Father's.

He's back, mum." Joel caught himself in a whistle.
"He's very stiddy, Joel,--as stiddy as yoh." "I am very glad he has come back, Lois," said Mrs.Howth, gravely.
At every place where Lois had been that day she had told her bit of good news, and at every place it had been met with the same kindly smile and "I'm glad he's back, Lois." Yet Joe Yare, fresh from two years in the penitentiary, was not exactly the person whom society usually welcomes with open arms.

Lois had a vague suspicion of this, perhaps; for, as she hobbled along the path, she added to her own assurance of his "stiddiness" earnest explanations to Joel of how he had a place in the Croft Street woollen-mills, and how Dr.Knowles had said he was as ready a stoker as any in the furnace-rooms.
The sound of her weak, eager voice was silent presently, and nothing broke the solitary cold of the night..