"Yes, to Norton." "That's all right." "He'll be home soon," retorted Jessie, in the vain hope of frightening the man. "Oh, do let me go, please! granny is ill, and waiting for me to take her her dinner." "I've waited longer for my dinner than ever she has. You shall bring me mine instead. In bed, is she?" "Yes," sobbed Jessie. "That's all right." "Oh, would no one ever come," Jessie wondered, looking frantically about her. The man read her thoughts and actions. "No, it isn't likely there'll be anybody about just yet, they are all to market, or off somewhere. I took care to choose my time well. Is your grandfather coming home by train?" "Yes," sobbed Jessie. "Oh, _please_ let me go. What do you want? I haven't got any money--" "It's _you_ I want, yourself, Jessie Lang." Jessie looked up in surprise, wondering how he knew her name. She had thought him a tramp only, though a particularly horrible one. Now a deeper fear crept into her heart, causing her to feel sick and faint with alarm, and a dread of she hardly knew what. "Why do you want me?" she gasped, trembling, scarcely able to form her words, so furiously was her poor little heart beating. "Why do I want you? 'Cause I'm your own father, and I've been robbed of you for five years! Natural enough, isn't it, that a man should want his own child to come and look after him?" "But I've got to look after granny and granp," gasped Jessie, "they are old, and granny's ill, and--and they've taken care of me all this time, and now I've got to take care of them. I'm very sorry, but I can't look after you too." "Dear me!" muttered the man. "How polite we are! But whether you can or you can't, you've got to! I think it's a pity they haven't brought you up better, and taught you your duty to your father. Well, I can't be wasting any more time here. We've got a long journey before us." "Oh no, no!" cried Jessie, beside herself with dismay; "don't take me away!--_please_, please don't make me leave granny!" "Shut up that noise," interrupted her father roughly. "You've got to learn that I never stand whining and bellowing; and the sooner you learn it the better. Now I did mean to spare you all the trouble of saying 'good-bye,' but on second thoughts I'll go in and explain a bit to the old woman, so hurry along and lead the way. I don't want any nonsense about putting the police on my track to find you and bring you back, so it shall be all open and straight. You are mine by law, and I am going to stick to the law." Jessie was trembling so, she could scarcely drag her limbs along, but she did her best to obey her father's command, a wild hope springing up in her heart that if once she got within the shelter of home and granny, all would be well.