Ralph sighed heavily. "It has been self all along with me. It was a good thing God did not let me succeed. How I have fought against my failure, what it has cost me to be here receiving all your kindness, knowing all about your success, you can never tell--never!" and for the first time in all her life Phebe saw tears rolling down his face. "Poor Ralph! I am grieved for you, dear!" "I know you are," taking hold of her hand and kissing it. "It has cost me a struggle to acknowledge that God has led me right. If I had been other than a bankrupt soul He could not have had mercy on me. He was obliged to bring me low. But I thank Him for it. You do forgive me the wrong I did you?" and he looked so wistfully at her. "Of course I do, a hundred times over," and she stooped to kiss him, her hot tears mingling with his. "Dear Phebe----" But strength had gone. With one hand clasping Phebe, and the other his boy, and with Nanna gently wiping the cold sweat from his brow, he passed to the other land. His last words were: "Phebe, come with--me!" But he had started on a journey he was obliged this time to take without her. CHAPTER XXVIII OLIVE LEAVES AND LAUREL LEAVES In a very few weeks after Ralph's death the whole affair of his return seemed but as a dream, so much had life resumed its old aspect for all in Phebe's household. But the calm was not to last long; there was first to be two big pieces of excitement, and then, as the young folks say in the old game of "Family Coach," a general "change" round. One glorious spring evening Jim Coates paid Mrs. Waring an unexpected visit. "I thought you were at Exton," exclaimed Phebe. She knew that Hugh Black had started work there on a very large scale, and that he had given Jim a good berth. "Yes, I was there; but I have come over specially to see you. I said to my mates, 'If there's anybody that can help us it's the Little Missis. And I mean to go and ask her, that I will.' So I've come." "Are you in trouble? You know I will do whatever I can for you." "I know you would, Mrs. Waring, I know you would. But, thank God, it's not anything that is specially _my_ trouble; it has to do with all the lads. They are threatening to come out on strike. They're just mad against Mr. Black, and I thought you might go and see him for us, he would listen to you. It would be no good me going; the lads say now that I'm afraid to open my mouth against him." "But I should not know what to say to him!" put in Phebe, feeling somewhat aghast at the new _rôle_ which was being thrust upon her. "I can soon tell you all about it, and then I know right well you'd know what to say--no one better. Mr. Black's got hisself into a kind of a corner. He's promised to have the work done by a certain date, and now he sees he can't do it. P'raps he got the job by making out he could do it quicker than others, I don't know about that: anyhow, he's in a fix, and the lads say he means us to get him out of it." "But how could you?"