I could see her eyes shine, and every word she said seemed to come straight from her heart.

How sad and pitiful she looked, and we felt for a moment just as we did when we were boys, and she used to come and persuade us to go on with our work and not grieve mother, and run the risk of a licking from father when he came home.
Her mare, Lowan, was close alongside of my horse, stepping along at her fast tearing walk, throwing up her head and snorting every now and then, but Aileen sat in her saddle better than some people can sit in a chair; she held the rein and whip together and kept her hand on mine till I spoke.
'We'll do all we can, Aileen dear, for you and poor mother, won't we, Jim ?' I felt soft and down-hearted then, if ever I did.

'But it's too late--too late! You'll see us now and then; but we can't stop at home quiet, nor work about here all the time as we used to do.

That day's gone.

Jim knows it as well as me.