In those dark days of her early widowhood Elinor received a letter from her husband's kinsman, Lord Baltimore. "I know your pride too well," he wrote, "to offer you any help; but you must not deny my right to provide for my godson. Money with me is scarce, but land is plenty, and I offer you in Cecil's name a grant of seven thousand acres in Maryland. It is covered with virgin forest. Like the old outlaw you must needs store your grain in caves and stable your horses and cattle under the trees; wherefore I shall counsel Cecil to name his manor _Robin Hood's Barn_. Should you be willing to remove thither, make up your mind speedily, for at the sailing of a ship now in harbor, our cousins the Brents start for the new world, and would rejoice to have you and Cecil in their keeping." Baltimore was right in foreseeing the struggle in Elinor's mind between pride and love for her child; but he was also right in predicting that love would triumph, and Elinor thanked him and Heaven daily for this asylum, where her boy could grow up safe from the temptations of London which had wrecked his father's life. As she bent over Cecil to-night, her heart was full of contending emotions. She and her boy were safely sheltered under the roof of her dear cousin, Mary Brent, Cecil would soon be old enough to take possession of the manor at Cecil Point, the future was apparently bright with promise; yet she was conscious of some unsatisfied hunger of the heart, and, deeper than that, of a sense of some impending grief; but she was a woman of shaken nerves easily sunk in melancholy. "Hark!" cried Cecil, suddenly pulling himself away from his mother's arms,--"I hear the sound of footsteps outside." At the same moment Mary Brent came slipping down the stairs. "Elinor," she said with a little nervousness, "Giles was expecting a friend to-night." "Ah?" said Elinor, indifferently. "Yes; 'tis a pity he was called to St. Mary's in such haste, for the friend comes on business." "Perchance he may tarry till Giles returns." "I hope so,--but, Elinor,--this business concerns thee." "_Me!_" "Ay, the new-comer is one who would fain have a lease of the manor at Cecil Point." "Robin Hood's Barn? Now, Mary, have I not told thee and Giles that I would hear of no such plan? I am a woman of affairs and can well manage till Cecil is old enough to take control. Another six months we shall rest under your roof,--then, dear cousin, we must be gone to our own." Mary Brent laid her hand upon the younger woman's arm. "Vex me not, Elinor," she said, "by speaking so. Let it be settled that this is your home. 'Tis not kind to talk of leaving me. Besides, you could not live upon your lands without an arm to protect you, stout enough for defence and for toil." "We will hire laborers." "Common laborers are not enough. There must be a man with head to direct as well as hands to work."