Transcriber's note: Unusual and inconsistent spelling is as printed. [Illustration: "I'VE SAID I'LL PUT A STOP TO IT AND I'LL DO IT."] TWO SECRETS AND A MAN OF HIS WORD BY HESBA STRETTON AUTHOR OF "JESSICA'S FIRST PRAYER," "ALONE IN LONDON," "NO PLACE LIKE HOME," "THE CHRISTMAS CHILD," ETC. London THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY 4, BOUVERIE STREET AND 65 ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD BUTLER & TANNER THE SELWOOD PRINTING WORKS FROME, AND LONDON. STORIES BY HESBA STRETTON The Children of Cloverley | The King's Servants Enoch Roden's Training | Little Meg's Children Fern's Hollow | The Lord's Purse-Bearers In the Hollow of His Hand | Alone in London Pilgrim Street | Lost Gip A Thorny Path | Max Kromer Cassy | The Storm of Life The Crew of the "Dolphin" | Jessica's First Prayer Jessica's Mother | Under the Old Roof Left Alone | No Place Like Home THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY, 4 BOUVERIE STREET CONTENTS TWO SECRETS A MAN OF HIS WORD CHAP. I. HIS ONLY CHILD " II. "CAST OUT" " III. HIS GRANDSON " IV. HIS OWN WAY " V. A CRITICAL MOMENT " VI. A TRUE MAN TWO SECRETS AND A MAN OF HIS WORD TWO SECRETS [Illustration] ABOUT a stone's throw from the last house in the small country town of Armitage stood a cottage which had scarcely changed in aspect since it had been built two hundred years ago. The gambrel roof was high-pitched and closely thatched, with deep eaves, under which the swallows built their nests; the little elbow in the slope of the gable gave it a quaint look, as if the cottage had drawn a hood over its head. Along the top of the roof grew a row of purple flags, which contrasted well with the brown thatch and golden lichens. Casements, with small diamond windows, glistened in the light. A garden full of old-fashioned flowers ran down from the road to the little porch, which sheltered the door from rough weather, and made a pleasant and shady seat in the summer. It was certainly the most picturesque dwelling in the neighbourhood. "What is the name of your cottage?" asked an artist, who had just finished a sketch of it. "Oh! It hasn't any name, sir," answered Joanna Terry—"it's nothing; only our home."