The woman might have escaped notice, perhaps, had not a cry
proceeded from the bundle. Tom had of late heard so many cries in his
heart, that his ear readily lent itself to one from outside. He came
up to the woman, therefore, at once and said, "You have a little one
wrapped in that, haven't you? Is it hungry? If it is, here is some
milk."
At first the woman did not raise her head. It was hidden in the shawl
which covered the infant, so the miller repeated his question. Then
the woman looked up, and the eyes which met Tom's were those of Anne
Grey. She knew Tom at once, but it was with no smile of pleasure that
she greeted him. Her words, too, when they came, were hard and cold.
She only said, "So, Tom Lecky, you see what I have come to; rejoice in
it!"
"Does the little one want food?" Tom asked again, without noticing in
any way the words or the tone of the woman.
"And if it does?" said Anne, with a bitter little laugh.
"Why, if it does, I'm ready to give it some," said Tom, passing his
coat-sleeve before his eyes for a moment. Then removing it suddenly he
smiled into the woman's face--an April sort of smile, which scarcely
knows whether to cloud over or to beam out with full warmth--and said,
"And if you want anything I can give, it is yours for the taking."
The woman burst into tears, and the child, which was scarcely more than
a baby, cried to bear her company. It was then that little Dot came
forward and took the shawled bundle in her own baby arms, and commenced
to feed it from the milk-can.
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