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diff --git a/old/ndstm10h.htm b/old/ndstm10h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..16c7733 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/ndstm10h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7070 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> + +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> +<title>Under the Storm</title> +</head> + +<body> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Under the Storm, by Charlotte M. Yonge +#36 in our series by Charlotte M. Yonge + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Under the Storm + +Author: Charlotte M. Yonge + +Release Date: July, 2004 [EBook #6006] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on October 15, 2002] +[Most recently updated May 8, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK UNDER THE STORM *** + + + + +This Project Gutenberg Ebook of Under the Storm: or Steadfast's Charge by +Charlotte M Yonge was prepared by Sandra Laythorpe laythorpe@btinternet.com. +A web page for Charlotte M Yonge will be found at www.menorot.com/cmyonge.htm. + + +</pre> + + +<center><h1>UNDER THE STORM:<br> +OR<br> +STEADFAST'S CHARGE</h1> +<h2>by<br> +CHARLOTTE M YONGE</h2> +<h3>Author of "The Heir of Redclyffe," &c.</h3> +<p> </p> +<h3>WITH SIX FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS</h3></center> + +<p align="center"><img src="underthestorm.jpg" alt="underthestorm"></p> + +<h3>CONTENTS.</h3> + +<blockquote> +<p><b>Chapter I.--The Trust<br> +Chapter II.--The Stragglers<br> +Chapter III.--Kirk Rapine<br> +Chapter IV.--The Good Cause<br> +Chapter V.--Desolation<br> +Chapter VI.--Left to Themselves<br> +Chapter VII.--The Hermit's Gulley<br> +Chapter VIII.--Stead in Possession<br> +Chapter IX.--Wintry Times<br> +Chapter X.--A Terrible Harvest Day<br> +Chapter XI.--The Fortunes of War<br> +Chapter XII.--Farewell to the Cavaliers<br> +Chapter XIII.--Godly Venn's Troop<br> +Chapter XIV.--The Question<br> +Chapter XV.--A Table of Love in the Wilderness<br> +Chapter XVI.--A Fair Offer<br> +Chapter XVII.--The Groom in Grey<br> +Chapter XVIII.--Jeph's Good Fortune<br> +Chapter XIX.--Patience<br> +Chapter XX.--Emlyn's Service<br> +Chapter XXI.--The Assault of the Cavern<br> +Chapter XXII.--Emlyn's Troth<br> +Chapter XXIII.--Fulfilment</b></p></blockquote> + +<h3>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.</h3> + +<blockquote> +<p><b>Farewell to the Cavaliers<br> +The Hiding of the Casket<br> +Stead Stirring the Porridge<br> +Finding of Emlyn<br> +Stead before the Roundheads<br> +Emlyn at Market</b></p></blockquote> + +<center><h2>UNDER THE STORM:<br> +OR<br> +STEADFAST'S CHARGE.</h2> +<p> </p> + +<h3>CHAPTER I.<br> +THE TRUST.</h3> + +<p>"I brought them here as to a sanctuary."<br> +SOUTHEY.</p></center> + +<p>Most of us have heard of the sad times in the middle of the seventeenth +century, when Englishmen were at war with one another and quiet villages became +battlefields.</p> + +<p>We hear a great deal about King and Parliament, great lords and able +generals, Cavaliers and Roundheads, but this story is to help us to think how it +must have gone in those times with quiet folk in cottages and farmhouses.</p> +<p>There had been peace in England for a great many years, ever since the end of +the wars of the Roses. So the towns did not want fortifications to keep out the +enemy, and their houses spread out beyond the old walls; and the country houses +had windows and doors large and wide open, with no thought of keeping out foes, +and farms and cottages were freely spread about everywhere, with their fields +round them.</p> + +<p>The farms were very small, mostly held by men who did all the work themselves +with the help of their families.</p> + +<p>Such a farm belonged to John Kenton of Elmwood. It lay at the head of a long +green lane, where the bushes overhead almost touched one another in the summer, +and the mud and mire were very deep in winter; but that mattered the less as +nothing on wheels went up or down it but the hay or harvest carts, creaking +under their load, and drawn by the old mare, with a cow to help her.</p> + +<p>Beyond lay a few small fields, and then a bit of open ground scattered with +gorse and thorn bushes, and much broken by ups and downs. There, one afternoon +on a big stone was seated Steadfast Kenton, a boy of fourteen, sturdy, perhaps +loutish, with an honest ruddy face under his leathern cap, a coarse smock frock +and stout gaiters. He was watching the fifteen sheep and lambs, the old goose +and gander and their nine children, the three cows, eight pigs, and the old +donkey which got their living there.</p> + +<p>From the top of the hill, beyond the cleft of the river Avon, he could see +the smoke and the church towers of the town of Bristol, and beyond it, the slime +of the water of the Bristol Channel; and nearer, on one side, the spire of +Elmwood Church looked up, and, on the other, the woods round Elmwood House, and +these ran out as it were, lengthening and narrowing into a wooded cleft or +gulley, Hermit's Gulley, which broke the side of the hill just below where +Steadfast stood, and had a little clear stream running along the bottom.</p> + +<p>Steadfast's little herd knew the time of day as well as if they all had +watches in their pockets, and they never failed to go down and have a drink at +the brook before going back to the farmyard.</p> + +<p>They did not need to be driven, but gathered into the rude steep path that +they and their kind had worn in the side of the ravine. Steadfast followed, +looking about him to judge how soon the nuts would be ripe, while his little +rough stiff-haired dog Toby poked about in search of rabbits or hedgehogs, or +the like sport.</p> + +<p>Steadfast liked that pathway home beside the stream, as boys do love running +water. Good stones could be got there, water rats might be chased, there were +strawberries on the banks which he gathered and threaded on stalks of grass for +his sisters, Patience and Jerusha. They used to come with him and have pleasant +games, but it was a long time since Patience had been able to come out, for in +the winter, a grievous trouble had come on the family. The good mother had died, +leaving a little baby of six weeks old, and Patience, who was only thirteen, had +to attend to everything at home, and take care of poor little sickly Benoni with +no one to help her but her little seven years old sister.</p> + +<p>The children's lives had been much less bright since that sad day; and +Steadfast seldom had much time for play. He knew he must get home as fast as he +could to help Patience in milking the cows, feeding the pigs and poultry, and +getting the supper, or some of the other things that his elder brother Jephthah +called wench-work and would not do.</p> + +<p>He could not, however, help looking up at the hole in the side of the steep +cliff, where one might climb up to such a delightful cave, in which he and +Patience had so often played on hot days. It had been their secret, and a kind +of palace to them. They had sat there as king and queen, had paved it with +stones from the brook, and had had many plans for the sports they would have +there this summer, little thinking that Patience would have been turned into a +grave, busy little housewife, instead of a merry, playful child.</p> + +<p>Toby looked up too, and began to bark. There was a rustling in the bushes +below the cave, and Steadfast, at first in dismay to see his secret delight +invaded, beheld between the mountain ash boughs and ivy, to his great surprise, +a square cap and black cassock tucked up, and then a bit of brown leathern coat, +which he knew full well. It was the Vicar, Master Holworth, and his father John +Kenton was Churchwarden, so it was no wonder to see him and the Parson together, +but what could bring them here--into Steadfast's cave? and with a dark lantern +too! They seemed as surprised, perhaps as vexed as he was, at the sight of him, +but his father said, "'Tis my lad, Steadfast, I'll answer for him."</p> + +<p>"And so will I," returned the clergyman. "Is anyone with you, +my boy?"</p> + +<p>"No, your reverence, no one save the beasts."</p> + +<p>"Then come up here," said his father. "Someone has been +playing here, I see."</p> + +<p>"Patience and I, father, last summer."</p> + +<p>"No one else?"</p> + +<p>"No, no one. We put those stones and those sticks when we made a fire +there last year, and no one has meddled with them since."</p> + +<p>"Thou and Patience," said Mr. Holworth thoughtfully. "Not +Jephthah nor the little maid?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir," replied Steadfast, "we would not let them know, +because we wanted a place to ourselves."</p> + +<p>For in truth the quiet ways and little arrangements of these two had often +been much disturbed by the rough elder brother who teased and laughed at them, +and by the troublesome little sister, who put her fingers into everything.</p> + +<p>The Vicar and the Churchwarden looked at one another, and John Kenton +muttered, "True as steel."</p> + +<p>"Your father answers for you, my boy," said the Vicar. "So we +will e'en let you know what we are about. I was told this morn by a sure hand +that the Parliament men, who now hold Bristol Castle, are coming to deal with +the village churches even as they have dealt with the minster and with St. +Mary's, Redcliffe."</p> + +<p>"A murrain on them!" muttered Kenton.</p> + +<p>"I wot that in their ignorance they do it," gently quoted the +Vicar. "But we would fain save from their hands the holy Chalice and paten +which came down to our Church from the ancient times--and which bearing on them, +as they do, the figure of the Crucifixion of our blessed Lord, would assuredly +provoke the zeal of the destroyers. Therefore have we placed them in this +casket, and your father devised hiding them within this cave, which he thought +was unknown to any save himself--"</p> + +<p>"Yea," said John, "my poor brother Will and I were wont to +play there when we herded the cattle on the hill. It was climbing yon ash tree +that stands out above that he got the fall that was the death of him at last. +I've never gone nigh the place with mine own good will since that day--nor knew +the children had done so--but methought 'twas a lonesome place and on mine own +land, where we might safest store the holy things till better times come +round."</p> + +<p>"And so I hope they will," said Mr. Holworth.</p> + +<p>"I hear good news of the King's cause in the north."</p> + +<p>Then they began to consult where to place the precious casket. They had +brought tinder and matches, and Steadfast, who knew the secrets of the cave even +better than his father, showed them a little hollow, far back, which would just +hold the chest, and being closed in front with a big stone, fast wedged in, was +never likely to be discovered readily.</p> + + +<p align="center"><img src="hidingcasket.jpg" alt="hidingcasket"></p> + + +<p>"This has been a hiding place already."</p> + +<p>"Methinks this has once been a chapel," said the clergyman +presently, pointing to some rude carvings--one something like a cross, and a +large stone that might have served as an altar.</p> + +<p>"Belike," said Kenton, "there's an old stone pile, a mere +hovel, down below, where my grandfather said he remembered an old monk, a +hermit, or some such gear--a Papist--as lived in hiding. He did no hurt, and was +a man from these parts, so none meddled with him, or gave notice to the Queen's +officers, and our folk at the farm sold his baskets at the town, and brought him +a barley loaf twice a week till he died, all alone in his hut. Very like he said +his mass here."</p> + +<p>John wondered to find that the minister thought this made the place more +suitable. The whole cavern was so low that the two men could hardly stand +upright in it, though it ran about twelve yards back. There were white limestone +drops like icicles hanging above from the roof; and bats, disturbed by the +light, came flying about the heads of their visitors, while streamers of ivy and +old man's beard hung over the mouth, and were displaced by the heads of the men.</p> + +<p>"None is like to find the spot," said John Kenton, as he tried to +replace the tangled branches that had been pushed aside.</p> + +<p>"God grant us happier days for bringing it forth," said the +clergyman.</p> + +<p>All three bared their heads, and Mr. Holworth uttered a few words of prayer +and blessing; then let John help him down the steep scramble and descent, and +looked up to see whether any sign of the cave could be detected from the edge of +the brook. Kenton shook his head reassuringly.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said Mr. Holworth, "it minds me that none ever found +again the holy Ark of the Covenant that King Josiah and the Prophet Jeremiah hid +in a cavern within Mount Pisgah! and our sins be many that have provoked this +judgment! Mayhap the boy will be the only one of us who will see these blessed +vessels restored to their Altar once more! He may have been sent hither to that +very end. Now, look you, Steadfast Kenton--Steadfast thou hast ever been, so far +as I have known thee, in nature as well as in name. Give me thy word that thou +wilt never give up the secret of yonder cavern to any save a lawfully ordained +minister of the church."</p> + +<p>"No doubt poor old Clerk North will be in distress about the loss," +said Kenton.</p> + +<p>"True, but he had best not be told. His mind is fast going, and he +cannot safely be trusted with such a mighty secret."</p> + +<p>"Patience knows the cavern," murmured Steadfast to his father.</p> + +<p>"Best have no womenfolk, nor young maids in such a matter," said +the Vicar.</p> + +<p>"My wench takes after her good mother," said John, "and I ever +found my secrets were safer in her breast than in mine own. Not that I would +have her told without need. But she might take little Rusha there, or make the +place known to others an she be not warned."</p> + +<p>"Steadfast must do as he sees occasion, with your counsel, Master +Kenton," said the Vicar. "It is a great trust we place in you, my son, +to be as it were in charge of the vessels of the sanctuary, and I would have thy +hand and word."</p> + +<p>"And," said his father, "though he be slower in speech than +some, your reverence may trust him."</p> + +<p>Steadfast gave his brown red hand, and with head bare said, "I promise, +after the minister and before God, never to give up that which lies within the +cave to any man, save a lawfully ordained minister of the Church."</p> +<p> </p> + + +<center><h3>CHAPTER II.<br> +THE STRAGGLERS.</h3> + +<p>"Trust me, I am exceedingly weary."<br> +SHAKESPEARE.</p></center> + +<p>John Kenton, though a Churchwarden, was, as has been said, a very small +farmer, and the homestead was no more than a substantial cottage, built of the +greystone of the country, with the upper story projecting a little, and reached +by an outside stair of stone. The farm yard, with the cowsheds, barn, and hay +stack were close in front, with only a narrow strip of garden between, for there +was not much heed paid to flowers, and few kitchen vegetables were grown in +those days, only a few potherbs round the door, and a sweet-brier bush by the +window.</p> + +<p>The cows had made their way home of their own accord, and Patience was +milking one of them already, while little Rusha held the baby, which was +swaddled up as tightly as a mummy, with only his arms free. He stretched them +out with a cry of gladness as he saw his father, and Kenton took the little +creature tenderly in his arms and held him up, while Steadfast hurried off to +fetch the milking stool and begin upon the other cow.</p> + +<p>"Is Jeph come home?" asked the father, and Rusha answered "No, +daddy, though he went ever so long ago, and said he would bring me a cake."</p> + +<p>Upon this Master Kenton handed little Benoni back to Rusha, not without some +sounds of fretfulness from the baby, but the pigs had to be shut up and fed, and +the other evening work of the farmyard done; and it was not till all this was +over, and Patience had disposed of the milk in the cool cellars, that the father +could take him again.</p> + +<p>Meantime Steadfast had brought up a bucket of water from the spring, and +after washing his own hands and face, set out the table with a very clean, +though coarse cloth, five brown bowls, three horn spoons and two wooden ones, +one drinking horn, a couple of red earthen cups and two small hooped ones of +wood, a brown pitcher of small ale, a big barley loaf, and a red crock, lined +with yellow glazing, into which Patience presently proceeded to pour from a +cauldron, where it had been simmering over the fire, a mess of broth thickened +with meal. This does not sound like good living, but the Kentons were fairly +well-to-do smock-frock farmers, and though in some houses there might be greater +plenty, there was not much more comfort beneath the ranks of the gentry in the +country.</p> + +<p>As for seats, the father's big wooden chair stood by the fire, and there was +a long settle, but only stools were used at the table, two being the same that +had served the milkers. Just as Rusha, at her father's sign, had uttered a short +Grace, there stood in the doorway a tall, stout, well-made lad of seventeen, +with a high-crowned wide-brimmed felt hat, a dark jerkin with sleeves, that, +like his breeches and gaiters, were of leather, and a belt across his shoulder +with a knife stuck in it.</p> + +<p>"Ha! Jeph," said Kenton, "always in time for meat, whatever +else you miss."</p> + +<p>"I could not help it, father," said Jephthah, "the red coats +were at their exercise!"</p> + +<p>"And thou couldst not get away from the gape-seed, eh! Come, sit down, +boy, and have at thy supper."</p> + +<p>"I wish I was one of them," said Jeph as he sat down.</p> + +<p>"And thou'dst soon wish thyself back again!" returned his father.</p> + +<p>"How much did you get for the fowls and eggs?" demanded Patience.</p> + +<p>Jephthah replied by producing a leathern bag, while Rusha cried out for her +cake, and from another pocket came, wrapped in his handkerchief, two or three +saffron buns which were greeted with such joy that his father had not the heart +to say much about wasting pence, though it appeared that the baker woman had +given them as part of her bargain for a couple of dozen of eggs, which Patience +declared ought to have brought two pence instead of only three halfpence.</p> + +<p>Jephthah, however, had far too much news to tell to heed her disappointment +as she counted the money. He declared that the price of eggs and butter would go +up gallantly, for more soldiers were daily expected to defend Bristol, and he +had further to tell of one of the captains preaching in the Minster, and the +market people flocking in to hear him. Jeph had been outside, for there was no +room within, but he had scrambled upon an old tombstone with a couple of other +lads, and through the broken window had seen the gentleman holding forth in his +hat and feather, buff coat and crimson scarf, and heard him call on all around +to be strong and hew down all their enemies, even dragging the false and +treacherous woman and her idols out to the horse gate and there smiting them +even to the death.</p> + +<p>"Who was the false woman?" asked Steadfast.</p> + +<p>"I wot not! There was something about Aholah, or some such name, but +just then a mischievous little jackanapes pulled me down by the leg, and I had +to thrash him for it, and by the time I had done, Dick, the butcher's lad, had +got my place and I heard no more."</p> + +<p>Whether the Captain meant Aholah or Athaliah, or alluded to Queen Henrietta +Maria, or to the English Church, Jeph's auditors never knew. The baby began to +cry, and Patience to feed him with the milk and water that had been warmed at +the fire; his father and the boys went out to finish the work for the night, +little Rusha running after them.</p> + +<p>Presently, she gave a cry and darted up to her father "The soldiers! the +soldiers!" and in fact three men with steel caps, buff coats, and musquets +slung by broad belts were coming into the yard.</p> + +<p>Kenton took up his little girl in his arms and went forward to meet them, but +he soon saw they did not look dangerous, they were dragging along as if very +tired and footsore and as if their weapons were a heavy weight.</p> + +<p>"It's the goodman," said the foremost, a red-faced, good-natured +looking fellow more like a hostler than a soldier, "have you seen Captain +Lundy's men pass this way?"</p> + +<p>"Not I!" said Kenton, "we lie out of the high road, you +see."</p> + +<p>"But I saw them, a couple of hours agone, marching into Bristol," +said Jephthah coming forward.</p> + +<p>"There now," said the man, "we did but stop at the sign of the +'Crab' the drinking of a pottle, and to bathe Jack's foot near there, and we +have never been able to catch them up again! How far off be Bristol?"</p> + +<p>"A matter of four mile across the ferry. You may see it from the hill +above."</p> + +<p>He looked stout enough though he gave a heavy sigh of weariness, and the +other two, who were mere youths, not much older than Jeph, seemed quite spent, +and heard of the additional four miles with dismay.</p> + +<p>"Heart alive, lads," said their comrade, "ye'll soon be in +good quarters, and mayhap the goodman here will give you a drink to carry ye on +a bit further for the Cause."</p> + +<p>"You are welcome to a draught for civility's sake," said Kenton, +making a sign to his sons, who ran off to the house, "but I'm a plain man, +and know nought about the Cause."</p> + +<p>"Well, Master," said the straggler, as he leant his back against +the barn, and his two companions sat down on the ground in the shelter, "I +have heard a lot about the Cause, but all I know is that my Lord of Essex sent +to call out five-and-twenty men from our parish, and the squire, he was in a +proper rage with being rated to pay ship money, so--as I had fallen out with my +master, mine host of the 'Griffin,' more fool I--I went with the young +gentleman, and a proper ass I was to do so."</p> + +<p>"Father said 'twas rank popery railing in the Communion table, when it +was so handy to sit on or to put one's hat on," added one of the youths +looking up. "So he was willing for me to go, and I thought I'd like to see +the world, but I'd fain be at home again."</p> + +<p>"So would not I," muttered the other lad.</p> + +<p>"No," said the ex-tapster humorously, "for thou knowst the +stocks be gaping for thee, Dick."</p> + +<p>By this time Jeph and Stead had returned with a jug of small beer, a horn +cup, and three hunches of the barley loaf. The men ate and drank, and then the +tapster returning hearty thanks, called the others on, observing that if they +did not make the best speed, they might miss their billet, and have to sleep in +the streets, if not become acquainted with the lash.</p> + +<p>On then unwillingly they dragged, as if one foot would hardly come after the +other.</p> + +<p>"Poor lads!" said Kenton, as he looked after them, "methinks +that's enough to take the taste for soldiering out of thy mouth, son Jeph."</p> + +<p>"A set of poor-spirited rogues," returned Jeph contemptuously, as +he nevertheless sauntered on so as to watch them down the lane.</p> + +<p>"Be they on the right side or the wrong, father?" asked Steadfast, +as he picked up the pitcher and the horn.</p> + +<p>"They be dead against our parson, lad," returned Kenton, "and +he says they be against the Church and the King, though they do take the King's +name, it don't look like the right side to be knocking out church windows, +eh?"</p> + +<p>"Nay!" said Steadfast, "but there's them as says the windows +be popish idols."</p> + +<p>"Never you mind 'em, lad, ye don't bow down to the glass, nor worship +it. Thy blessed mother would have put it to you better than I can, and she knew +the Bible from end to end, but says she 'God would have His worship for glory +and for beauty in the old times, why not now?'"</p> + +<p>John Kenton had an immense reverence for his late wife. She had been far more +educated than he, having been born and bred up in the household of one of those +gentlemen who held it as their duty to provide for the religious instruction of +their servants.</p> + +<p>She had been serving-woman to the lady, who in widowhood went to reside at +Bristol, and there during her marketings, honest John Kenton had won her by his +sterling qualities.</p> + +<p>Puritanism did not mean nonconformity in her days, and in fact everyone who +was earnest and scrupulous was apt to be termed a Puritan. Goodwife Kenton was +one of those pious and simple souls who drink in whatever is good in their +surroundings; and though the chaplain who had taught her in her youth would have +differed in controversy with Mr. Holworth, she never discovered their diversity, +nor saw more than that Elmwood Church had more decoration than the Castle +Chapel. Whatever was done by authority she thought was right, and she found good +reason for it in the Bible and Prayer-book her good lady had given her. She had +named her children after the prevailing custom of Puritans because she had heard +the chaplain object to what he considered unhallowed heathenish names, but she +had been heartily glad that they should be taught and catechised by the good +vicar. Happily for her, in her country home, she did not live to see the strife +brought into her own life.</p> + +<p>She had taught her children as much as she could. Her husband was willing, +but his old mother disapproved of learning in that station of life, and aided +and abetted her eldest grandson in his resistance, so that though she had died +when he was only eleven or twelve years old, Jephthah could do no more than just +make out the meaning of a printed sentence, whereas Steadfast and Patience could +both read easily, and did read whatever came in their way, though that was only +a broadside ballad now and then besides their mother's Bible and Prayer-book, +and one or two little black books.</p> + +<p>The three eldest had been confirmed, when the Bishop of Bath and Wells had +been in the neighbourhood. That was only a fortnight after their mother died, +and even Jeph was sad and subdued.</p> + +<p>Since that sad day when the good mother had blessed them for the last time, +there had been little time for anything. Patience had to be the busy little +housewife, and what she would have done without Steadfast she could not tell. +Jeph would never put a hand to what he called maids' work, but Stead would +sweep, or beat the butter, or draw the water, or chop wood, or hold the baby, +and was always ready to help her, even though it hindered him from ever going +out to fish, or play at base ball, or any of the other sports the village boys +loved.</p> + +<p>His quiet, thoughtful ways had earned his father's trust, though he was much +slower of speech and less ready than his elder brother, and looked heavy both in +countenance and figure beside Jeph, who was tall, slim, and full of activity and +animation. He had often made his mother uneasy by wild talk about going to sea, +and by consorting with the sailors at Bristol, which was their nearest town, +though on the other side of the Avon, and in a different county.</p> + +<p>It was there that the Elmwood people did their marketing, often leaving their +donkeys hobbled on their own side of the river, being ferried over and carrying +the goods themselves the latter part of the way.</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER III.<br> +KIRK RAPINE.</h3> + +<p>"When impious men held sway and wasted Church and shrine."<br> +LORD SELBORNE.</p></center> + +<p>Patience, in her tight little white cap, sat spinning by the door, rocking +the cradle with her foot, while Rusha sometimes built what she called houses +with stones, sometimes trotted to look down the lane to see whether father and +the lads were coming home from market.</p> + +<p>Presently she brought word, "Stead is coming. He is leading Whitefoot, +but I don't see father and Jeph."</p> + +<p>Patience jumped up to put her wheel out of the way, and soon she saw that it +was only Steadfast leading the old mare with the large crooks or panniers on +either side. She ran to meet him, and saw he looked rather pale and dazed.</p> + +<p>"What is it, Stead? Where's daddy?"</p> + +<p>"Gone up to Elmwood! They told us in town that some of the soldiers and +the folk of that sort were gone out to rabble cur church and our parson, and +father is Churchwarden, you know. So he said he must go to see what was doing. +And he bade me take Whitefoot home and give you the money," said Steadfast, +producing a bag which Patience took to keep for her father.</p> + +<p>She watched very anxiously, and so did Stead, while relieving Whitefoot of +her panniers and giving her a rub down before turning her out to get her supper.</p> + +<p>It was not long however before Kenton and Jeph both appeared, the one looking +sad, the other sulky. "Too late," Jeph muttered, "and father +won't let me go to see the sport."</p> + +<p>"Sport, d'ye call it?" said Kenton. "Aye, Stead, you may well +gape at what we have seen--our good parson with his feet tied to his stirrups on +a sorry nag, being hauled off to town like a common thief!"</p> + +<p>"Oh!" broke from the children, and Patience ventured to ask, +"But what for, father?"</p> + +<p>"They best know who did it," said the Churchwarden. "Something +they said of a scandalous minister, as though his had not ever been a godly life +and preaching. These be strange times, children, and for the life of me, I know +not what it all means. How now, Jeph, what art idling there for? There's the +waggon to be loaded for to-morrow with the faggots I promised Mistress +Lightfoot."</p> + +<p>Jeph moved away, murmuring something about fetching up the cows, to which his +father replied, "That was Steadfast's work, and it was not time yet."</p> + +<p>In fact Jeph was very curious to know what was going on in the village. If +there was any kind of uproar, why should not he have his part in it? It was just +like father to hinder him, and he had a great mind to neglect the faggots and go +off to the village. He was rather surprised, and a good deal vexed to see his +father walking along on the way to the pasture with Steadfast.</p> + +<p>It was for the sake of saying "Aye, boy, best not go near the sorry +sight! They would not let good Master Holworth speak with me; but I saw he meant +to warn me to keep aloof lest Tim Green or the like should remember as how I'm +Churchwarden."</p> + +<p>"Did they ask after those things?" inquired Steadfast in a lowered +voice.</p> + +<p>"I can't say. But on your life, lad, not a word of them!"</p> + +<p>After work was done for the evening, Jeph and Stead were too eager to know +what had happened to stay at home. They ran across the bit of moorland to the +village street and the grey church, whose odd-shaped steeple stood up among the +trees. Already they could see that the great west window was broken, all the +glass which bore the picture of the Last Judgment, and the Archangel Michael +weighing souls in the balance was gone!</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Tom Oates, leaping over two or three tombstones to get +to them. "'Twas rare sport, Jeph Kenton. Why were you not there too?"</p> +<p>"At Bristol with father," replied Jeph.</p> + +<p>"Worse luck for you. The red coat shot the big angel right in the eye, +and shivered him through, and we did the rest with stones. I sent one that +knocked the wing of him right off. You should have seen me, Stead! And old Clerk +North was running about crying all the time like a baby. He'll never whack us +over the head again!"</p> + +<p>"What was the good?" said Steadfast.</p> + +<p>"You never saw better sport," said the boys.</p> + +<p>And indeed, since, when once begun, destruction and mischief are apt to be +only too delightful to boys, they had thoroughly and thoughtlessly delighted in +knocking down the things they had been taught to respect. A figure of a knight +in a ruff kneeling on a tomb had had its head knocked off, and one of the lads +heaved the bits up to throw at the last fragment of glass in the window.</p> + +<p>"What do you do that for?" asked Stead.</p> + +<p>"'Tis worshipping of idols," said a somewhat graver lad. +"'Break down their idols,' the man in the black gown said, 'and burn their +graven images in the fire.'"</p> + +<p>"But we never worshipped them," said Stead.</p> + +<p>"Pious preacher said so," returned the youth, "and mighty +angered was he with the rails." (Jeph and Will were sparring with two +fragments of them.) "'Down with them,' he cried out, so as it would have +done your heart good to hear him."</p> + +<p>"And the parson is gone! There will be no hearing the catechism on +Sundays!" cried Ralph Wilkes, making a leap over the broken font.</p> + +<p>"Good luck for you, Ralph," cried the others. "You, that never +could tell how many commandments there be."</p> + +<p>"Put on your hat, Stead," called out another lad. "We've done +with all that now, and the parson is gone to prison for it."</p> + +<p>"No, no," shouted Tom Oates, "'twas for making away with the +Communion things."</p> + +<p>"I heard the red coat say they had a warrant against scandalous +ministers," declared Ralph Wilkes.</p> + +<p>"I heard the man with the pen and ink-horn ask for the popish vessels, +as he called them, and not a word would the parson say," said Oates.</p> + +<p>"I'd take my oath he has hid them somewheres," replied Jack Beard, +an ill-looking lad.</p> + +<p>"What a windfall they would be for him as found them!" observed +Wilkes.</p> + +<p>"I'd like to look over the parsonage house," said Jeph.</p> + +<p>"No use. Old dame housekeeper has locked herself in, as savage as a bear +with a sore head."</p> + +<p>"Besides, they did turn over all the parson's things and made a bonfire +of all his popish books. The little ones be dancing their rounds about it +still!"</p> + +<p>Stead had heard quite enough to make him very uneasy, and wish to get home +with his tidings to his father. There was a girl standing by with a baby in her +arms, and she asked:</p> + +<p>"What will they do to our minister?"</p> + +<p>"Put him in Little Ease for a scandalous minister," was the ready +answer. "But he <i>is</i> a good man. He gave us all broth when father had the +fever!"</p> + +<p>"And who will give granny and me our Sunday dinner?" said a little +boy.</p> + +<p>"But there'll be no more catechising. Hurrah!" cried Oates, +"hurrah!"</p> + +<p>"'Tis rank superstition, said the red coat, Hurrah!" and up went +their caps. "Halloa, Stead Kenton, not a word to say?"</p> + +<p>"He likes being catechised, standing as he does like a stuck pig, and +answering never a word," cried Jack.</p> + +<p>"I do," said Steadfast, "and why not?"</p> + +<p>"Parson's darling! Parson's darling!" shouted the boys. "A +malignant! Off with him." They had begun to hustle him, when Jeph threw +himself between and cried:</p> + +<p>"Hit Steadfast, and you must hit me first."</p> + +<p>"A match, a match!" they cried, "Jeph and Jack."</p> + +<p>Stead had no fears about Jeph conquering, but while the others stood round to +watch the boxing, he slipped away, with his heart perplexed and sad. He had +loved his minister, and he never guessed how much he cared for his church till +he saw it lying desolate, and these rude lads rejoicing in the havoc; while the +words rang in his ears, "And now they break down all the carved work +thereof with axes and with hammers."</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER IV.<br> +THE GOOD CAUSE.</h3> + +<p>"And their Psalter mourneth with them<br> +O'er the carvings and the grace,<br> +Which axe and hammer ruin<br> +In the fair and holy place."<br> +Bp. CLEVELAND COXE.</p></center> + +<p>When next John Kenton went into Bristol to market he tried to discover what +had become of Mr. Holworth, but could only make out something about his being +sent up to London with others of his sort to answer for being Baal worshippers! +Which, as he observed, he could not understand.</p> + +<p>There seemed likely to be no service at the church on Sunday, but John +thought himself bound to walk thither with his sons to see what was going on, +and they heard such a noise that they looked at each other in amazement. It was +not preaching, but shouting, laughing, screaming, stamping, and running. The +rude village children were playing at hide-and-seek, and Jenny Oates was hidden +in the pulpit. But at Master Kenton's loud "How now, youngsters" they +all were frightened, some ran out headlong, some sneaked out at the little north +door, and the place was quiet, but in sad confusion and desolation, the +altar-table overthrown, the glass of the windows lying in fragments on the +pavement, the benches kicked over.</p> + +<p>Kenton, with his boys' help, put what he could straight again, and then +somewhat to their surprise knelt down with bowed head, and said a prayer, for +they saw his lips moving. Then he locked up the church doors, for the keys had +been left in them, and slowly and sadly went away.</p> + +<p>"Thy mother would be sad to see this work," he said to Steadfast, +as he stopped by her grave. "They say 'tis done for religion's sake, but I +know not what to make of it."</p> + +<p>The old Parish Clerk, North, had had a stroke the night after the plunder of +the church, and lay a-dying and insensible. His wife gave his keys to Master +Kenton, and on the following Sunday there was a hue-and-cry for them, and Oates +the father, the cobbler, a meddling fellow, came down with a whole rabble of +boys after him to the farm to demand them. "A preacher had come out from +Bristol," he said, "a captain in the army, and he was calling for the +keys to get into the church and give them a godly discourse. It would be the +worse for Master Kenton if he did not give them up."</p> + +<p>John had just sat down in the porch in his clean Sunday smock with the baby +on his knee, and Rusha clinging about him waiting till Stead had cleaned himself +up, and was ready to read to them from the mother's books.</p> + +<p>When he understood Gates' message he slowly said, "I be in charge of the +keys for this here parish."</p> + +<p>"Come, come, Master Kenton, this wont do, give 'un up or you'll be made +to. Times are changed, and we don't want no parsons nor churchwardens now, nor +no such popery!"</p> + +<p>"I'm accountable to the vestry for the church," gravely said +Kenton. "I will come and see what is doing, and open the church if so be as +the parish require it."</p> + +<p>"Don't you see! The parish does--"</p> + +<p>"I don't call you the parish, Master Gates, nor them boys neither," +said Kenton, getting up however, and placing the little one in the cradle, as he +called out to Patience to keep back the dinner till his return. The two boys and +Rusha followed him to see what would happen.</p> + +<p>Long before they reached the churchyard they heard the sound of a powerful +voice, and presently they could see all the men and women of the parish as it +seemed, gathered about the lych gate, where, on the large stone on which coffins +were wont to be rested, stood a tall thin man, in a heavy broad-brimmed hat, +large bands, crimson scarf, and buff coat, who was in fiery and eager words +calling on all those around to awaken from the sleep of sloth and sin, break +their bonds and fight for freedom and truth. He waved his long sword as he spoke +and dared the armies of Satan to come on, and it was hard to tell which he +really meant, the forces of sin, or the armies of men whom he believed to be +fighting on the wrong side.</p> + +<p>Someone told him that the keys of the church were brought, but he heeded not +the interruption, except to thunder forth "What care I for your steeple +house! The Church of God is in the souls of the faithful. Is it not written 'The +kingdom of heaven is within you?' What, can ye not worship save between four +walls?" And then he went on with the utmost fervour and vehemence, calling +on all around to set themselves free from the chains that held them and to +strive even to the death.</p> + +<p>He meant all he said. He really believed he was teaching the only way of +righteousness, and so his words had a force that went home to people's hearts as +earnestness always does, and Jephthah, with tears in his eyes, began begging and +praying his father to let him go and fight for the good Cause.</p> +<p>"Aye, aye," said Kenton, "against the world, the flesh, and +the devil, and welcome, my son."</p> + +<p>"Then I'll go and enlist under Captain Venn," cried Jeph.</p> +<p>"Not so fast, my lad. What I gave you leave for was to fight with the +devil."</p> + +<p>"You said the good Cause!"</p> + +<p>"And can you tell me which be the good Cause?"</p> + +<p>"Why, this here, of course. Did not you hear the Captain's good words, +and see his long sword, and didn't they give five marks for Croppie's bull +calf?"</p> + +<p>"Fine words butter no parsnips," slowly responded Kenton.</p> + +<p>"But," put in Steadfast, "butter is risen twopence the +pound."</p> + +<p>"Very like," said Kenton, "but how can that be the good Cause +that strips the Churches and claps godly ministers into jail?"</p> + +<p>Jephthah thought he had an answer, but fathers in those times did not permit +themselves to be argued with.</p> + +<p>Prices began going up still higher, for the Cavaliers were reported to be on +their way to besiege Bristol, and the garrison wanted all the provisions they +could lay in, and paid well for them. When Kenton and his boys went down to +market, they found the old walls being strengthened with earth and stones, and +sentries watching at the gates, but as they brought in provisions, and were by +this time well known, no difficulty was made about admitting them.</p> + +<p>One day, however, as they were returning, they saw a cloud of dust in the +distance, and heard the sounds of drums and fifes playing a joyous tune. Kenton +drew the old mare behind the bank of a high hedge, and the boys watched eagerly +through the hawthorns.</p> + +<p>Presently they saw the Royal Standard of England, though indeed that did not +prove much, for both sides used it alike, but there were many lesser banners and +pennons of lords and knights, waving on the breeze, and as the Kentons peeped +down into the lane below they saw plumed hats, and shining corslets, and silken +scarves, and handsome horses, whose jingling accoutrements chimed in with the +tramp of their hoofs, and the notes of the music in front, while cheerful voices +and laughter could be heard all around.</p> + +<p>"Oh, father! these be gallant fellows," exclaimed Jephthah. +"Will you let me go with these?"</p> + +<p>Kenton laughed a little to himself. "Which is the good Cause, eh, son +Jeph?"</p> + +<p>He was, however, not at all easy about the state of things. "There is +like to be fighting," he said to Steadfast, as they were busy together +getting hay into the stable, "and that makes trouble even for quiet folks +that only want to be let alone. Now, look you here," and he pulled out a +canvas bag from the corner of the bin. "This has got pretty tolerably +weighty of late, and I doubt me if this be the safest place for it."</p> + +<p>Stead opened his eyes. The family all knew that the stable was used as the +deposit for money, though none of the young folks had been allowed to know +exactly where it was kept. There were no banks in those days, and careful people +had no choice but either to hoard and hide, or to lend their money to someone in +business.</p> + +<p>The farmer poured out a heap of the money, all silver and copper, but he did +not dare to wait to count it lest he should be interrupted. He tied up one +handful, chiefly of pence, in the same bag, and put the rest into a bit of old +sacking, saying, "You can get to the brook side, to the place you wot of, +better than I can, Stead. Take you this with you and put it along with the other +things, and then you will have something to fall back on in case of need. We'll +put the rest back where it was before, for it may come handy."</p> + +<p>So Steadfast, much gratified, as well he might be, at the confidence bestowed +on him by his father, took the bag with him under his smock when he went out +with the cows, and bestowed it in a cranny not far from that in which that more +precious trust resided.</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER V.<br> +DESOLATION.</h3> + +<p>"They shot him dead at the Nine Stonerig,<br> +Beside the headless Cross;<br> +And they left him lying in his blood,<br> +Upon the moor and moss."<br> +SURTEES.</p></center> + +<p>More and more soldiers might be seen coming down the roads towards the town, +not by any means always looking as gay as that first troop. Some of the feathers +were as draggled as the old cock's tail after a thunderstorm, some reduced even +to the quill, the coats looked threadbare, the scarves stained and frayed, the +horses lean and bony.</p> + +<p>There was no getting into the town now, and the growling thunder of a cannon +might now and then be heard. Jeph would have liked to spend all his time on the +hill-side where he could see the tents round the town, and watch bodies of +troops come out, looking as small as toy soldiers, and see the clouds of smoke, +sometimes the flashes, a moment or two before the report.</p> + +<p>He longed to go down and see the camp, taking a load of butter and eggs, but +the neighbours told his father that these troops were bad paymasters, and that +there were idle fellows lurking about who might take his wares without so much +as asking the price.</p> + +<p>However, Jeph grew suddenly eager to herd the cattle, because thus he had the +best chance of watching the long lines of soldiers drawn out from the camp, and +seeing the smoke of the guns, whose sound made poor Patience stay and tremble at +home, and hardly like to have her father out of her sight.</p> + +<p>There was worse coming. Jeph had been warned to keep his cattle well out of +sight from any of the roads, but when he could see the troops moving about he +could not recollect anything else, and one afternoon Croppie strayed into the +lane where the grass grew thick and rank, and the others followed her. Jeph had +turned her back and was close to the farmstead when he heard shouts and the +clattering of trappings. Half-a-dozen lean, hungry-looking troopers were +clanking down the lane, and one called out, "Ha! good luck! Just what we +want! Beef and forage. Turn about, young bumpkin, I say. Drive your cattle into +camp. For the King's service."</p> + +<p>"They are father's," sturdily replied Jeph, and called aloud for +"Father."</p> + +<p>He was answered with a rude shout of derision, and poor Croppie was pricked +with the sword's point to turn her away. Jeph was wild with passion, and struck +back the sword with his stick so unexpectedly that it flew out of the trooper's +hand. Of course, more than one stout man instantly seized the boy, amid howls of +rage; and one heavy blow had fallen on him, when Kenton dashed forward, +thrusting himself between his son, and the uplifted arm, and had begun to speak, +when, with the words "You will, you rebel dog?" a pistol shot was +fired.</p> + +<p>Jeph saw his father fall, but felt the grasp upon himself relax, and heard a +voice shouting, "How now, my men, what's this?"</p> + +<p>"He resisted the King's requisition, your Grace," said one of the +troopers, as a handsome lad galloped up.</p> + +<p>"King's requisition! Your own robbery. What have you done to the poor +man, you Schelm? See here, Rupert," he added, as another young man rode +hastily up.</p> + +<p>"Rascals! How often am I to tell you that this is not to be made a place +for your plunder and slaughter," thundered the new comer, rising in his +stirrups, and striking at the troopers with the flat of his sword, so that they +fell back with growls about "soldiers must live," and "curs of +peasants."</p> + +<p>The younger brother had leapt from his horse, and was trying to help Jephthah +raise poor Kenton's head, but it fell back helplessly, deaf to the screams of +"Father, father," with which Patience and Rusha had darted out, as a +cloud of smoke began to rise from the straw yard. Poor children, they screamed +again at what was before them. Rusha ran wildly away at sight of the soldiers, +but Patience, with the baby in her arms, came up. She did not see her father at +first, and only cried aloud to the gentlemen.</p> + +<p>"O sir, don't let them do it. If they take our cows, the babe will die. +He has no mother!"</p> + +<p>"They shall not, the villains! Brother, can nothing be done?" cried +the youth, with a face of grief and horror. And then there was a great +confusion.</p> + +<p>The two young officers were vehemently angry at sight of the fire, and +shouted fierce orders to the guard of soldiers who had accompanied them to +endeavour to extinguish it, themselves doing their best, and making the men +release Steadfast, whom they had seized upon as he was trying to trample out the +flame, kindled by a match from one of the soldiers who had scattered themselves +about the yard during the struggle with Jephthah.</p> + +<p>But either the fire was too strong, or the men did not exert themselves; it +was soon plain that the house could not be saved, and the elder remounted, +saying in German, "'Tis of no use, Maurice, we must not linger here."</p> + +<p>"And can nothing be done?" again asked Prince Maurice. "This +is as bad as in Germany itself."</p> + +<p>"You are new to the trade, Maurice. You will see many such sights, I +fear, ere we have done; though I hoped the English nature was more kindly."</p> + +<p>Then using the word of command, sending his aides-de-camp, and with much +shouting and calling, Prince Rupert got the troop together again, very sulky at +being baulked of their plunder. They were all made to go out of the farm yard, +and ride away before him, and then the two princes halted where the poor +children, scarce knowing that their home was burning behind them, were gathered +round their father, Patience stroking his face, Steadfast chafing his hands, +Jephthah standing with folded arms, and a terrible look of grief and wrath on +his face.</p> + +<p>"Is there no hope?" asked Prince Maurice, sorrowfully.</p> + +<p>"He is dead. That's all," muttered Jeph between his clenched teeth.</p> + +<p>"Mark," said Prince Rupert, "this mischance is by no command +of the King or mine. The fellow shall be brought to justice if you can swear to +him."</p> + +<p>"I would have hindered it, if I could," said the other prince, in +much slower, and more imperfect English. "It grieves me much. My purse has +little, but here it is."</p> + +<p>He dropped it on the ground while setting spurs to his horse to follow his +brother.</p> + +<p>And thus the poor children were left at first in a sort of numb dismay after +the shock, not even feeling that a heavy shower had begun to fall, till the +baby, whom Patience had laid on the grass, set up a shriek.</p> + +<p>Then she snatched him up, and burst into a bitter cry herself--wailing +"father was dead, and he would die," in broken words. Steadfast then +laid a hand on her, and said "He won't die, Patience, I see Croppie there, +I'll get some milk. Take him."</p> + +<p>There were only smoking walls, but the fire was burning down under the rain, +and had not touched the stable, the wind being the other way. "Take him +there," the boy said.</p> + +<p>"But father--we can't leave him."</p> + +<p>Without more words Jephthah and Steadfast took the still form between them +and bore it into the stable, the baby screaming with hunger all the time, so +that Jephthah hotly said--</p> + +<p>"Stop that! I can't bear it."</p> + +<p>Steadfast then said he would milk the cow if Jeph would run to the next +cottage and get help. People would come when they knew the soldiers were gone.</p> + +<p>There was nothing but Steadfast's leathern cap to hold the milk, and he felt +as if his fingers had no strength to draw it; but when he had brought his sister +enough to quiet little Ben, she recollected Rusha, and besought him to find her. +She could hardly sit still and feed the little one while she heard his voice +shouting in vain for the child, and all the time she was starting with the fancy +that she saw her father move, or heard a rustling in the straw where her +brothers had laid him.</p> + +<p>And when little Ben was satisfied, she was almost rent asunder between her +unwillingness to leave unwatched all that was left of her father, still with +that vain hopeless hope that he might revive, all could not have been over in +such a moment, and her terrible anxiety about her little sister. Could she have +run back into the burning house? Or could those dreadful soldiers have killed +her too?</p> + +<p>Steadfast presently came back, having found some of the startled cattle and +driven them in, but no Rusha. Patience was sure she could find her, and giving +the baby to Steadfast ran out in the rain and smouldering smoke calling her; all +in vain. Then she heard voices and feet, and in a fresh fright was about to turn +again, when she knew Jephthah's call. He had the child in his arms. He had been +coming back from the village with some neighbours, when they saw the poor little +thing, crouched like a hare in her form under a bush. No sooner did she hear +them, than like a hare, she started up to run away; but stumbling over the root +of a tree, she fell and lay, too much frightened even to scream till her brother +picked her up.</p> + +<p>Kind motherly arms were about the poor girls. Old Goody Grace, who had been +with them through their mother's illness, had hobbled up on hearing the terrible +news. She looked like a witch, with a tall hat, short cloak, and nose and chin +nearly meeting, but all Elmwood loved and trusted her, and the feeling of utter +terror and helplessness almost vanished when she kissed and grieved over the +orphans, and took the direction of things. She straightened and composed poor +John Kenton's limbs, and gave what comfort she could by assuring the children +that the passage must have been well nigh without pain. "And if ever there +was a good man fit to be taken suddenly, it was he," she added. "He be +in a happier place than this has been to him since your good mother was +took."</p> + +<p>Several of the men had accompanied her, and after some consultation, it was +decided that the burial had better take place that very night, even though there +was no time to make a coffin.</p> + +<p>"Many an honest man will be in that same case," said Harry Blane, +the smith, "if they come to blows down there."</p> + +<p>"And He to Whom he is gone will not ask whether he lies in a coffin, or +has the prayers said over him," added Goody, "though 'tis pity on him +too, for he always was a man for churches and parsons and prayers."</p> + +<p>"Vain husks, said the pious captain," put in Oates.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Harry Blane, "those could hardly be vain husks +that made John Kenton what he was. Would that the good old times were back +again; when a sackless man could not be shot down at his own door for nothing at +all."</p> + +<p>Reverently and carefully John Kenton's body was borne to the churchyard, +where he was laid in the grave beside his much loved wife. No knell was rung: +Elmwood, lying far away over the hill side in the narrow wooded valley with the +river between it and the camp, had not yet been visited by any of the Royalist +army, but a midnight toll might have attracted the attention of some of the +lawless stragglers. Nor did anyone feel capable of uttering a prayer aloud, and +thus the only sound at that strange sad funeral was the low boom of a midnight +gun fired in the beleaguered city.</p> + +<p>Then Patience with Rusha and the baby were taken home by kind old Goody +Grace, while the smith called the two lads into his house.</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER VI.<br> +LEFT TO THEMSELVES.</h3> + +<p>"One look he cast upon the bier,<br> +Dashed from his eye the gathering tear,<br> +Then, like the high bred colt when freed<br> +First he essays his fire and speed,<br> +He vanished---"<br> +SCOTT.</p></center> + +<p>Steadfast was worn and wearied out with grief and slept heavily, knowing at +first that his brother was tossing about a good deal, but soon losing all +perception, and not waking till on that summer morning the sun had made some +progress in the sky.</p> + +<p>Then he came to the sad recollection of the last dreadful day, and knew that +he was lying on Master Blane's kitchen floor. He picked himself up, and at the +same moment heard Jephthah calling him from the outside.</p> + +<p>"Stead," he said, "I am going!"</p> + +<p>"Going!" said poor Stead, half asleep.</p> + +<p>"Yes. I shall never rest till I have had a shot at those barbarous +German princes and the rest of the villains. My father's blood cries to me from +the ground for vengeance."</p> + +<p>"Would father have said like that?" said the boy, bewildered, but +conscious of something defective, though these were Bible words.</p> + +<p>"That's not the point! Captain Venn called every man to take the sword +and hew down the wicked, and slay the ungodly and the murderers. I will!" +cried Jeph, "none shall withhold me."</p> + +<p>He had caught more phrases from these fiery preachers than he himself knew, +and they broke forth in this time of excitement.</p> + +<p>"But, Jeph, what is to become of us? The girls, and the little one! You +are the only one of us who can do a man's work."</p> + +<p>"I could not keep you together!" said Jeph. "Our house burnt +by those accursed sons of Belial, all broken up, and only a lubber like you to +help! No, Goody Grace or some one will take in the girls for what's left of the +stock, and you can soon find a place--a strong fellow like you; Master Blane +might take you and make a smith of you, if you be not too slow and clumsy."</p> + +<p>"But Jeph--"</p> + +<p>"Withhold me not. Is it not written--"</p> + +<p>"I wish you would not say is it not written," broke in Stead, +"I know it is, but you don't say it right."</p> + +<p>"Because you are yet in darkness," said Jeph, contemptuously. +"Hold your tongue. I must be off at once. Market folk can get into the town +by the low lane out there, away from the camp of the spoilers, early in the +morning, and I must hasten to enlist under Captain Venn. No, don't call the +wenches, they would but strive to daunt my spirit in the holy work of vengeance +on the bloodthirsty, and I can't abide tears and whining. See here, I found this +in the corn bin. I'm poor father's heir. You won't want money, and I shall; so I +shall take it, but I'll come back and make all your fortunes when I am a captain +or a colonel. I wonder this is not more. We got a heap of late. Maybe father hid +it somewhere else, but 'tis no use seeking now. If you light upon it you are +welcome to do what you will with it. Fare thee well, Steadfast. Do the best you +can for the wenches, but a call is laid on me! I have vowed to avenge the blood +that was shed."</p> + +<p>He strode off into the steep woodland path that clothed the hill side, and +Steadfast looked after him, and felt more utterly deserted than before. Then he +looked up to the sky, and tried to remember what was the promise to the +fatherless children. That made him wonder whether the Bible and Prayer-book had +been burnt, and then his morning's duty of providing milk for the little ones' +breakfast pressed upon him. He took up a pail of Mrs. Blane's which he thought +he might borrow and went off in search of the cows. So, murmuring the Lord's +Prayer as he walked, and making the resolution not to be dragged away from his +trust in the cavern, nor to forsake his little sister--he heard the lowing of +the cows as he went over the hill, and found them standing at the gate of the +fold yard, waiting to be eased of their milk. Poor creatures, they seemed so +glad to welcome him that it was the first thing that brought tears to his eyes, +and they came with such a rush that he had much ado to keep them from dropping +into the pail as he leant his head against Croppie's ruddy side.</p> + +<p>There was a little smouldering smoke; but the rain had checked the fire, and +though the roof of the house was gone and it looked frightfully dreary and +wretched, the walls were still standing and the pigs were grunting about the +place. However, Steadfast did not stop to see what was left within, as he knew +Ben would be crying for food, but he carried his foaming pail back to Goody +Grace's as fast as he could, after turning out the cows on the common, not even +stopping to count the sheep that were straggling about.</p> + +<p>His sisters were watching anxiously from the door of Goody Grace's hovel, and +eagerly cried out "Where's Jeph?"</p> + +<p>Then he had to tell them that Jeph was gone for a soldier, to have his +revenge for his father's death.</p> + +<p>"Jeph gone too!" said poor Patience, looking pale. "Oh, what +shall we ever do?"</p> + +<p>"He did not think of that, I'll warrant, the selfish fellow," said +Goody Grace. "That's the way with lads, nought but themselves."</p> + +<p>"It was because of what they did to poor father," replied Stead.</p> + +<p>"And if he, or the folks he is gone to, call that the Christian +religion, 'tis more than I do!" rejoined the old woman. "I wish I had +met him, I'd have given him a bit of my mind about going off to his revenge, as +he calls it, without ever a thought what was to become of his own flesh and +blood here."</p> + +<p>"He did say I might go to service (not that I shall), and that some one +would take you in for the cattle's sake."</p> + +<p>"O don't do that, Stead," cried Patience, "don't let us +part!" He had only just time to answer, "No such thing," for +people were coming about them by this time, one after another emerging from the +cottages that stood around the village green. The women were all hotly angry +with Jeph for going off and leaving his young brothers and sisters to shift for +themselves.</p> + +<p>"He was ever an idle fellow," said one, "always running after +the soldiers and only wanting an excuse."</p> + +<p>"Best thing he could do for himself or them," growled old Green.</p> + +<p>"Eh! What, Gaffer Green! To go off without a word or saying by your +leave to his poor little sister before his good father be cold in his +grave," exclaimed a whole clamour of voices.</p> + +<p>"Belike he knew what a clack of women's tongues there would be, and +would fain be out of it," replied the old man shrewdly.</p> + +<p>It was a clamour that oppressed poor Patience and made her feel sick with +sorrow and noise. Everybody meant to be very kind and pitiful, but there was a +great deal too much of it, and they felt quite bewildered by the offers made +them. Farmer Mill's wife, of Elmwood Cross, two miles off, was reported by her +sister to want a stout girl to help her, but there was no chance of her taking +Rusha or the baby as well as Patience. Goody Grace could not undertake the care +of Ben unless she could have Patience, because she was so often called away from +home, nor could she support them without the cows. Smith Blane might have taken +Stead, but his wife would not hear of being troubled with Rusha. And Dame Oates +might endure Rusha for the sake of a useful girl like Patience, but certainly +not the baby. It was an utter Babel and confusion, and in the midst of it all, +Patience crept up to her brother who stood all the time like a stock, and said +"Oh! Stead, I cannot give up Ben to anyone. Cannot we all keep +together?"</p> + +<p>"Hush, Patty! That's what I mean to do, if you will stand by me," +he whispered, "wait till all the clack is over."</p> + +<p>And there he waited with Patience by his side while the parish seemed to be +endlessly striving over them. If one woman seemed about to make a proposal, +half-a-dozen more fell on her and vowed that the poor orphans would be starved +and overworked; till she turned on the foremost with "And hadn't your poor +prentice lad to go before the justices to shew the weals on his back?" +"Aye, Joan Stubbs, and what are you speaking up for but to get the poor +children's sheep? Hey, you now, Stead Kenton--Lack-a-day, where be they?"</p> + +<p>For while the dispute was at its loudest and hottest, Stead had taken Rusha +by the hand, made a sign to Patience, and the four deserted children had quietly +gone away together into the copsewood that led to the little glen where the +brook ran, and where was the cave that Steadfast looked on as his special +charge. Rusha, frightened by the loud voices and angry gestures, had begun to +cry, and beg she might not be given to anyone, but stay with her Patty and +Stead.</p> + +<p>"And so you shall, my pretty," said Steadfast, sitting down on the +stump of a tree, and taking her on his knee, while Toby nuzzled up to them.</p> + +<p>"Then you think we can go on keeping ourselves, and not letting them +part us," said Patience, earnestly. If I have done the house work all this +time, and we have the fields, and all the beasts. We have only lost the house, +and I could never bear to live there again," she added, with a shudder.</p> + +<p>"No," said Steadfast, "it is too near the road while these +savage fellows are about. Besides--" and there he checked himself and +added, "I'll tell you, Patty. Do you remember the old stone cot down there +in the wood?"</p> + +<p>"Where the old hermit lived in the blind Popish times?"</p> + +<p>"Aye. We'll live there. No soldiers will ever find us out there, +Patty."</p> + +<p>"Oh! oh! that is good," said Patience. "We shall like that, +shan't we, Rusha?"</p> + +<p>"And," added Steadfast, "there is an old cowshed against the +rock down there, where we could harbour the beasts, for 'tis them that the +soldiers are most after."</p> + +<p>"Let us go down to it at once," cried the girl, joyfully.</p> + +<p>But Steadfast thought it would be wiser to go first to the ruins of their +home; before, as he said, anyone else did so, to see what could be saved +therefrom.</p> + +<p>Patience shrank from the spectacle, and Rusha hung upon her, saying the +soldiers would be there, and beginning to cry. At that moment, however, Tom +Gates' voice came near shouting for "Stead! Stead Kenton!"</p> + +<p>"Come on, Stead. You'll be prentice-lad to Dick Stiggins the tailor, if +so be you bring Whitefoot and the geese for your fee; and Goodman Bold will have +the big wench; and Goody Grace will make shift with the little ones, provided +she has the kine!"</p> + +<p>"We don't mean to be beholden to none of them," said Steadfast, +sturdily, with his hands in his pockets. "We mean to keep what belongs to +us, and work for ourselves."</p> + +<p>"And God will help us," Patience added softly.</p> + +<p>"Ho, ho!" cried Tom, and proud of having found them, he ran before +them back to the village green, and roared out, "Here they be! And they say +as how they don't want none of you, but will keep themselves. Ha! ha!"</p> + +<p>Anyone who saw those four young orphans would not have thought their trying +to keep themselves a laughing matter; and the village folk, who had been just +before so unwilling to undertake them, now began scolding and blaming them for +their folly and ingratitude.</p> + +<p>Nothing indeed makes people so angry as when a kindness which has cost them a +great effort turns out not to be wanted.</p> + +<p>"Look for nothing from us," cried Dame Bold. "I'd have made a +good housewife of you, you ungrateful hussy, and now you may thank yourself, if +you come to begging, I shall have nothing for you."</p> + +<p>"Beggary and rags," repeated the tailor. "Aye, aye; 'tis all +very fine strolling about after the sheep with your hands in your pockets in +summer weather, but you'll sing another song in winter time, and be sorry you +did not know when you had a good offer."</p> + +<p>"The babe will die as sure as 'tis born," added Jean Oates.</p> + +<p>"If they be not all slain by the mad Prince's troopers up in that place +by the roadside," said another.</p> + +<p>Blacksmith Blane and Goody Grace were in the meantime asking the children +what they meant to do, and Stead told them in a few words. Goody Grace shook her +head over little Ben, but Blane declared that after all it might be the best +thing they could do to keep their land and beasts together. Ten to one that +foolish lad Jephthah would come back with his tail between his legs, and though +it would serve him right, what would they do if all were broken up? Then he +slapped Stead on the back, called him a sensible, steady lad, and promised +always to be his friend.</p> + +<p>Moreover he gave up his morning's work to come with the children to their +homestead, and see what could be saved. It was a real kindness, not only because +his protection made Patience much less afraid to go near the place, and his +strong arm would be a great help to them, but because he was parish constable +and had authority to drive away the rough lads whom they found already hanging +about the ruins, and who had frightened Patience's poor cat up into the ash +tree.</p> + +<p>The boys and two curs were dancing round the tree, and one boy was stripping +off his smock to climb up and throw poor pussy down among them when Master +Blane's angry shout and flourished staff put them all to flight, and Patience +and Rusha began to coax the cat to come down to them.</p> + +<p>Hunting her had had one good effect, it had occupied the boys and prevented +them from carrying anything off. The stable was safe. What had been burnt was +the hay rick, whence the flames had climbed to the house. The roof had fallen +in, and the walls and chimney stood up blackened and dismal, but there was a +good deal of stone about the house, the roof was of shingle, and the heavy fall, +together with the pouring rain, had done much to choke the fire, so that when +Blane began to throw aside the charred bits of beams and of the upper floor, +more proved to be unburnt, or at least only singed, than could have been +expected.</p> + +<p>The great black iron pot still hung in the chimney with the very meal and +kail broth that Patience had been boiling in it, and Rusha's little stool stood +by the hearth. Then the great chest, or ark as Patience called it, where all the +Sunday clothes were kept, had been crushed in and the upper things singed, but +all below was safe. The beds and bedding were gone; but then the best bed had +been only a box in the wall with an open side, and the others only chaff or +straw stuffed into a sack.</p> + +<p>Patience's crocks, trenchers, and cups were gone too, all except one horn +mug; but two knives and some spoons were extracted from the ashes. Furniture was +much more scanty everywhere than now. There was not much to lose, and of that +they had lost less than they had feared.</p> + +<p>"And see here, Stead," said Patience joyfully holding up a lesser +box kept within the other.</p> + +<p>It contained her mother's Bible and Prayer-book. The covers were turned up, a +little warped by the heat, and some of the corners of the leaves were browned, +but otherwise they were unhurt.</p> + +<p>"I was in hopes 'twas the money box," said Blane.</p> + +<p>"Jeph has got the bag," said Patience.</p> + +<p>"More shame for him," growled their friend. Steadfast did not think +it necessary to say that was not all the hoard.</p> + +<p>Another thing about which Patience was very anxious was the meal chest. With +much difficulty they reached it. It had been broken in by the fall of the roof, +and some of the contents were scattered, but enough was gathered up in a pail +fetched from the stable to last for some little time. There were some eggs +likewise in the nests, and altogether Goodman Blane allowed that, if the young +Kentons could take care of themselves, and keep things together, they had +decided for the best; if they could, that was to say. And he helped them to +carry their heavier things to the glen. He wanted to see if it were fit for +their habitation, but Steadfast was almost sorry to show anyone the way, in +spite of his trust and gratitude to the blacksmith.</p> + +<p>However, of course, it was not possible to keep this strange hiding-place a +secret, so he led the way by the path the cattle had trodden out through the +brushwood to the open space where they drank, and where stood the hermit's hut, +a dreary looking den built of big stones, and with rough slates covering it. +There was a kind of hole for the doorway, and another for the smoke to get out +at. Blane whistled with dismay at the sight of it, and told Stead he could not +take the children to such a place.</p> + +<p>"We will get it better," said Stead.</p> + +<p>"That we will," returned Patience, who felt anything better than +being separated from her brother.</p> + +<p>"It is weather-tight," added Stead, "and when it is cleaned +out you will see!"</p> + +<p>"And the soldiers will never find it," added Patience.</p> + +<p>"There is something in that," said Blane. "But at any rate, +though it be summer, you can never sleep there to-night."</p> + +<p>"The girls cannot," said Stead, "but I shall, to look after +things."</p> + +<p>These were long days, and by the evening many of the remnants of household +stuff had been brought, the cows and Whitefoot had been tied up in their +dilapidated shed, with all the hay Stead could gather together to make them feel +at home. There was a hollow under the rock where he hoped to keep the pigs, but +neither they nor the sheep could be brought in at present. They must take their +chance, the sheep on the moor, the pigs grubbing about the ruins of the +farmyard. The soldiers must be too busy for marauding, to judge by the constant +firing that had gone on all day, the sharp rattle of the musquets, and now and +then the grave roll of a cannon.</p> + +<p>Stead had been too busy to attend, but half the village had been watching +from the height, which accounted perhaps for the move from the farm having been +so uninterrupted after the first.</p> + +<p>It was not yet dark, when, tired out by his day's hard work, Stead sat +himself down at the opening of his hut with Toby by his side. The evening gold +of the sky could hardly be seen through the hazel and mountain-ash bushes that +clothed the steep opposite bank of the glen and gave him a feeling of security. +The brook rippled along below, plainly to be heard since all other sounds had +ceased except the purring of a night-jar and the cows chewing their cud. There +was a little green glade of short grass sloping down to the stream from the hut +where the rabbits were at play, but on each side the trees and brushwood were +thick, with only a small path through, much overgrown, and behind the rock rose +like a wall, overhung with ivy and traveller's joy. Only one who knew the place +could have found the shed among the thicket where the cows were fastened, far +less the cavern half-way up the side of the rock where lay the treasures for +which Steadfast was a watchman. He thought for a moment of seeing if all were +safe, but then decided, like a wise boy, that to disturb the creepers, and wear +a path to the place, was the worst thing he could do if he wished for +concealment. He had had his supper at the village, and had no more to do, and +after the long day of going to and fro, even Toby was too much tired to worry +the rabbits, though he had had no heavy weights to carry. Perhaps, indeed, the +poor dog had no spirits to interfere with their sports, as they sat upright, +jumped over one another, and flashed their little white tails. He missed his old +master, and knew perfectly well that his young master was in trouble and +distress, as he crept close up to the boy's breast, and looked up in his face. +Stead's hand patted the rough, wiry hair, and there was a sort of comfort in the +creature's love. But how hard it was to believe that only yesterday he had a +father and a home, and that now his elder brother was gone, and he had the great +charge on him of being the mainstay of the three younger ones, as well as of +protecting that treasure in the cavern which his father had so solemnly +entrusted to him.</p> + +<p>The boy knelt down to say his prayers, and as he did so, all alone in the +darkening wood, the words "Father of the fatherless, Helper of the +helpless," came to his aid.</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER VII.<br> +THE HERMIT'S GULLEY.</h3> + +<p>"O Bessie Bell and Mary Grey,<br> +They were twa bonnie lasses--<br> +They digged a bower on yonder brae,<br> +And theek'd it o'er wi' rashes." BALLAD.</p></center> + +<p>Steadfast slept soundly on the straw with Toby curled up by his side till the +morning light was finding its way in through all the chinks of his rude little +hovel.</p> + +<p>When he had gathered his recollections he knew how much there was to be done. +He sprang to his feet, showing himself still his good mother's own boy by +kneeling down to his short prayer, then taking off the clothes in which he had +slept, and giving himself a good bath in the pool under the bush of wax-berried +guelder rose, and as good a wash as he could without soap.</p> + +<p>Then he milked the cows, for happily his own buckets had been at the stable +and thus were safe. He had just released Croppie and seen her begin her +breakfast on the grass, when Patience in her little red hood came tripping +through the glen with a broom over her shoulder, and without the other children. +Goody Grace had undertaken to keep them for the day, whilst Patience worked with +her brother, and had further lent her the broom till she could make another, for +all the country brooms of that time were home-made with the heather and the +birch. She had likewise brought a barley cake, on which and on the milk the pair +made their breakfast, Goody providing for the little ones.</p> + +<p>"We must use it up," said Patience, "for we have got no +churn."</p> + +<p>"And we could not get into the town to sell the butter if we had," +returned her brother. "We had better take it up to some one in the village +who might give us something for it, bread or cheese maybe."</p> + +<p>"I would like to make my own butter," sighed Patience, whose +mother's cleanly habits had made her famous for it.</p> + +<p>"So you shall some day, Patty," said her brother, "but there's +no getting into Bristol to buy one or to sell butter now. Hark! they are +beginning again," as the growl of a heavy piece of cannon shook the ground.</p> + +<p>"I wonder where our Jeph is," said the little girl sadly. "How +could he like to go among all those cruel fighting men? You won't go, +Stead?"</p> + +<p>"No, indeed, I have got something else to do."</p> + +<p>The children were hard at work all the time. They cleared out the inside of +their hovel, which had a floor of what was called lime ash, trodden hard, and +not much cracked. Probably other hermits in earlier times had made the place +habitable before the expelled monk whom the Kentons' great-grandfather +recollected; for the cell, though rude, was wonderfully strong, and the stone +walls were very stout and thick, after the fashion of the middle ages. There was +a large flat stone to serve as a hearth, and an opening at the top for smoke +with a couple of big slaty stones bent towards one another over it as a break to +the force of the rain. The children might have been worse off though there was +no window, and no door to close the opening. That mattered the less in the +summer weather, and before winter came, Stead thought he could close it with a +mat made of the bulrushes that stood up in the brook, lifting their tall, black +heads.</p> + +<p>Straw must serve for their beds till they could get some sacking to stuff it +into, and as some of the sheep would have to be killed and salted for the +winter, the skins would serve for warmth. Patience arranged the bundles of straw +with a neat bit of plaiting round them, at one corner of the room for herself +and Rusha, at the opposite one for Stead. For the present they must sleep in +their clothes.</p> + +<p>Life was always so rough, and, to present notions, comfortless, that all this +was not nearly so terrible to the farmer's daughter of two centuries ago as it +would be to a girl of the present day. Indeed, save for the grief for the good +father, the sense of which now and then rushed on them like a horrible, too true +dream, Steadfast and Patience would almost have enjoyed the setting up for +themselves and all their contrivances. Some losses, however, besides that of the +churn were very great in their eyes. Patience's spinning wheel especially, and +the tools, scythe, hook, and spade, all of which had been so much damaged, that +Smith Blane had shaken his head over them as past mending.</p> + +<p>Perhaps, however, Stead might borrow and get these made for him. As to the +wheel, that must, like the churn, wait till the siege was over.</p> + +<p>"But will not those dreadful men burn the town down and not leave one +stone on another, if Jeph and the rest of them don't keep them out?" asked +Patience.</p> + +<p>"No," said Stead. "That is not the way in these days--at least +not always. So poor father said last time we went into Bristol, when he had been +talking to the butter-merchant's man. He said the townsfolk would know the +reason why, if the soldiers were for holding out long enough to get them into +trouble."</p> + +<p>"Then perhaps there will not be much fighting and they will not hurt +Jeph," said Patience, to whom Jeph was the whole war.</p> + +<p>"There's no firing to-day. Maybe they are making it up," said +Steadfast.</p> + +<p>"I never heeded," said Patience, "we have been so busy! But +Stead, how shall we get the things? We have no money. Shall we sell a sheep or a +pig?"</p> + +<p>Stead looked very knowing, and she exclaimed "Have you any, Stead? I +thought Jeph took it all away."</p> + +<p>Then Stead told her how his father had entrusted him with the bulk of the +savings, in case of need, and had made it over to the use of the younger ones.</p> + +<p>"It was well you did not know, Patty," he added. "You told no +lie, and Jeph might have taken it all."</p> + +<p>"O! he would not have been so cruel," cried Patience. "He +would not want Rusha and Ben to have nothing."</p> + +<p>Stead did not feel sure, and when Patience asked him where the hoard was, he +shook his head, looked wise, and would not tell her. And then he warned her, +with all his might and main against giving a hint to anyone that they had any +such fund in reserve. She was a little vexed and hurt at first, but presently +she promised.</p> + +<p>"Indeed Stead, I won't say one word about it, and you don't think I +would ever touch it without telling you."</p> + +<p>"No, Patty, you wouldn't, but don't you see, if you know nothing, you +can't tell if people ask you."</p> + +<p>In truth, Stead was less anxious about the money than about the other +treasure, and when presently Patience proposed that the cave where they used to +play should serve for the poultry, so as to save them from the foxes and +polecats, he looked very grave and said "No, no, Patty, don't you ever tell +anyone of that hole, nor let Rusha see it."</p> + +<p>"Oh! I know then !" cried Patience, with a little laugh, "I +know what's there then."</p> + +<p>"There's more than that, sister," and therewith Stead told in her +ear of the precious deposit.</p> + +<p>She looked very grave, and said "Why then it is just like church! O no, +Stead, I'll never tell till good Mr. Holworth comes back. Could not we say our +prayers there on Sundays?"</p> + +<p>Stead liked the thought but shook his head.</p> + +<p>"We must not wear a path up to the place," he said, "nor show +the little ones the way."</p> + +<p>"I shall say mine as near as I can," said Patience. "And I +shall ask God to help us keep it safe."</p> + +<p>Then the children became absorbed in seeking for a place where their fowls +could find safe shelter from the enemies that lurked in the wood, and ended by +an attempt of Stead's to put up some perches across the beam above the cow-shed.</p> + +<p>Things were forward enough for Rusha and Ben to be fetched down to their new +home that night; when Patience went to fetch them, she heard that the cessation +of firing had really been because the troops within the town were going to +surrender to the King's soldiers outside.</p> + +<p>"Then there will be no more fighting," she anxiously asked of +Master Blane.</p> + +<p>"No man can tell," he answered.</p> + +<p>"And will Jeph come back?"</p> + +<p>But that he could tell as little, and indeed someone else spoke to him, and +he paid the child no more attention.</p> + +<p>Rusha had had a merry day among the children of her own age in the village; +she fretted at coming away, and was frightened at turning into so lonely a path +through the hazel stems, trotting after Patience because she was afraid to turn +back alone, but making a low, peevish moan all the time.</p> + + +<p align="center"><img src="stirringporridge.jpg" alt="stirringporridge"></p> + + +<p>Patience hoped she would be comforted when they came out on their little +glade, and she saw Stead stirring the milk porridge over the fire he had lighted +by the house. For he had found the flint and steel belonging to the matchlock of +his father's old gun, and there was plenty of dry leaves and half-burnt wood to +serve as tinder. The fire for cooking would be outside, whenever warmth and +weather served, to prevent indoor smoke. And to Patience's eyes it really looked +pleasant and comfortable, with Toby sitting wisely by his young master's side, +and the cat comfortably perched at the door, and Whitefoot tied to a tree, and +the cows in their new abode. But Jerusha was tired and cross, she said it was an +ugly place, and she was afraid of the foxes and the polecats, she wanted to go +home, she wanted to go back to Goody Grace.</p> + +<p>Stead grew angry, and threatened that she should have no supper, and that +made her cry the louder, and shake her frock at him; but Patience, who knew +better how to deal with her, let her finish her cry, and come creeping back, +promising to be good, and glad to eat the supper, which was wholesome enough, +though very smoky: however, the children were used to smoke, and did not mind +it.</p> + +<p>They said their prayers together while the sun was touching the tops of the +trees, crept into their hut, curled themselves up upon their straw and went to +sleep, while Toby lay watchful at the door, and the cat prowled about in quest +of a rabbit or some other evening wanderer for her supper.</p> + +<p>The next day Patience spent in trying to get things into somewhat better +order, and Steadfast in trying to gather together his live stock, which he had +been forced to leave to take care of themselves. Horse, donkey, and cows were +all safe round their hut; but he could find only three of the young pigs and the +old sow at the farmyard, and it plainly was not safe to leave them there, though +how to pen them up in their new quarters he did not know.</p> + +<p>The sheep were out on the moor, and only one of them seemed to be missing. +The goat and the geese had likewise taken care of themselves and seemed glad to +see him. He drove them down to their new home, and fed them there with some of +the injured meal. "But what can we do with the pigs? There's no place they +can't get out of but this," said Stead, looking doubtfully.</p> + +<p>"Do you think I would have pigs in here? No, I am not come to +that!"</p> + +<p>It ended in Stead's going to consult Master Blane, who advised that the +younger pigs should be either sold, or killed and salted, and nothing left but +the sow, who was a cunning old animal, and could pretty well take care of +herself, besides that she was so tough and lean that one must be very hungry +indeed to be greatly tempted by her bristles,</p> + +<p>But how sell the pigs or buy the salt in such days as these? There was, +indeed, no firing.</p> + +<p>There was a belief that treaties were going on, but leisure only left the +besiegers more free to go wandering about in search of plunder; and Stead found +all trouble saved him as to disposing of his pigs. They were quite gone next +time he looked for them, and the poor old sow had been lamed by a shot; but did +not seem seriously hurt, and when with some difficulty she had been persuaded to +be driven into the glen, she seemed likely to be willing to stay there in the +corner of the cattle shed.</p> + +<p>The children were glad enough to be in their glen, with all its bareness and +discomfort, when they heard that a troop of horse had visited Elmwood, and made +a requisition there for hay and straw. They had used no violence, but the +farmers were compelled to take it into the camp in their own waggons, getting +nothing in payment but orders on the treasury, which might as well be waste +paper. And, indeed, they were told by the soldiers that they might be thankful +to get off with their carts and horses.</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER VIII.<br> +STEAD IN POSSESSION.</h3> + +<p>"At night returning, every labour sped,<br> +He sits him down, the monarch of a shed."<br> +GOLDSMITH.</p></center> + +<p>Another day made it certain that the garrison of Bristol had surrendered to +the besiegers. A few shots were heard, but they were only fired in rejoicing by +the Royalists, and while Steadfast was studying his barley field, already +silvered over by its long beards, and wondering how soon it would be ripe, and +how he should get it cut and stacked, his name was shouted out, and he saw Tom +Oates and all the rest of the boys scampering down the lane.</p> + +<p>"Come along, Stead Kenton, come on and see, the Parliament soldiers come +out and go by."</p> + +<p>Poor Steadfast had not much heart for watching soldiers, but it struck him +that he might see or hear something of Jephthah, so he came with the other boys +to the bank, where from behind a hedge they could look down at the ranks of +soldiers as they marched along, five abreast, the road was not wide enough to +hold more. They had been allowed to keep their weapons, so the officers had +their swords, and the men carried their musquets. Most of them looked dull and +dispirited, and the officers had very gloomy, displeased faces. In fact, they +were very angry with their commander, Colonel Fiennes, for having surrendered so +easily, and he was afterwards brought to a court-martial for having done so.</p> + +<p>Stead did not understand this, he thought only of looking under each steel +cap or tall, slouching hat for Jephthah. Several times a youthful, slender +figure raised his hopes, and disappointed him, and he began to wonder whether +Jeph could have after all stayed behind in the town, or if he could have been +hurt and was ill there.</p> + +<p>By-and-by came a standard, bearing a Bible lying on a sword, and behind it +rode a grave looking officer, with long hair, and a red scarf, whom the lads +recognised as the same who had preached at Elmwood. His men were in better order +than some of the others, and as Steadfast eagerly watched them, he was sure that +he knew the turn of Jeph's head, in spite of his being in an entirely new suit +of clothes, and with a musquet over his shoulder.</p> + +<p>Stead shook the ash stem he was leaning against, the men looked up, he saw +the well-known face, and called out "Jeph! Jeph!" But some of the +others laughed, Jeph frowned and shook his head, and marched on. Stead was +disappointed, but at any rate he could carry back the assurance to Patience that +Jeph was alive and well, though he seemed to have lost all care for his brothers +and sisters. Yet, perhaps, as a soldier he could not help it, and it might not +be safe to straggle from the ranks.</p> + +<p>There was no more fighting for the present in the neighbourhood. The princes +and their army departed, only leaving a garrison to keep the city, and it was +soon known in the village that the town was in its usual state, and that it was +safe to go in to market as in former times. Stead accordingly carried in a +basket of eggs, which was all he could yet sell. He was ferried across the +river, and made his way in. It was strange to find the streets looking exactly +as usual, and the citizens' wives coming out with their baskets just as if +nothing had happened.</p> + +<p>There was the good-natured face of Mistress Lightfoot, who kept a baker's +shop at the sign of the Wheatsheaf, and was their regular customer.</p> + +<p>"Ha, little Kenton, be'st thou there? I'm right glad to see thee. They +said the mad fellows had burnt the farm and made an end of all of you, but I +find 'em civil enow, and I'm happy to see 'twas all leasing-making."</p> + +<p>"It is true, mistress," said Stead, "that they burnt our house +and shot poor father."</p> + +<p>"Eh, you don't say so, my poor lad?" and she hurried her kind +questions, tears coming into her eyes, as she thought of the orphans deserted by +their brother. She was very anxious to have Patience butter-making again and +promised to come with Stead to give her assistance in choosing both a churn and +a spinning wheel if he would come in the next day, for he had not ventured on +bringing any money with him. She bought all his eggs for her lodger, good Doctor +Eales, who could hardly taste anything and had been obliged to live cooped up in +an inner chamber for fear of the Parliament soldiers, who were misbehaved to +Church ministers though civil enough to women; while these new comers were just +the other way, hat in hand to a clergyman, but apt to be saucy to the lasses. +But she hoped the Doctor would cheer up again, now that the Cathedral was set in +order, so far as might be, and prayers were said there as in old times. In fact +the bells were ringing for morning prayer, and Stead was so glad to hear them +that he thought he might venture in and join in the brief daily service. There +were many others who had done so, for these anxious days had quickened the +devotion of many hearts, and people had felt what it was to be robbed of their +churches and forbidden the use of their prayer-books. Moreover, some had sons or +brothers or husbands fighting on the one side or the other, and were glad to +pray for them, so that Stead found himself in the midst of quite a congregation, +though the choir had been too much dispersed and broken up for the musical +service, and indeed the organ had been torn to pieces by the Puritan soldiers, +who fancied it was Popish.</p> + +<p>But Stead found himself caring for the Psalms and Prayers in a manner he had +never done before, and which came of the sorrow he had felt and the troubles +that pressed upon him. He fancied all would come right now, and that soon Mr. +Holworth would be back, and he should be able to give up his charge; and he went +home, quite cheered up.</p> + +<p>When he came into the gulley he heard voices through the bushes, and pressing +forward anxiously he saw Blane and Oates before the hovel door, Patience +standing there crying, with the baby in her arms, and Rusha holding her apron, +and an elderly man whom Stead knew as old Lady Elmwood's steward talking to the +other men, who seemed to be persuading him to something.</p> + +<p>As soon as Stead appeared, the other children ran up to him, and Rusha hid +herself behind him, while Patience said "O Stead, Stead, he has come to +turn us all out! Don't let him!"</p> + +<p>"Nay, nay, little wench, not so fast," said the steward, not +unkindly. "I am but come to look after my Lady's interests, seeing that we +heard your poor father was dead, God have mercy on his soul (touching his hat +reverently), and his son gone off to the wars, and nothing but a pack of +children left."</p> + +<p>"But 'tis all poor father's," muttered Stead, almost dumbfounded.</p> + +<p>"It is held under the manor of Elmwood," explained the steward, +"on the tenure of the delivery of the prime beast on the land on the demise +of lord or tenant, and three days' service in hay and harvest time."</p> + +<p>What this meant Steadfast and Patience knew as little as did Rusha or Ben, +but Goodman Blane explained.</p> + +<p>"The land here is all held under my Lady and Sir George, Stead--mine +just the same--no rent paid, but if there's a death--landlord or tenant--one has +to give the best beast as a fee, besides the work in harvest."</p> + +<p>"And the question is," proceeded the steward, "who and what is +there to look to. The eldest son is but a lad, if he were here, and this one is +a mere child, and the house is burnt down, and here they be, crouching in a +hovel, and how is it to be with the land. I'm bound to look after the land. I'm +bound to look after my Lady's interest and Sir George's."</p> + +<p>"Be they ready to build up the place if you had another tenant?" +asked Blane, signing to Stead to hold his peace.</p> + +<p>"Well--hum--ha! It might not come handy just now, seeing that Sir George +is off with the King, and all the money and plate with him and most of the +able-bodied servants, but I'm the more bound to look after his interests."</p> + +<p>That seemed to be Master Brown's one sentence. But Blane took him up, +"Look you here, Master Brown, I, that have been friend and gossip this many +years with poor John Kenton--rest his soul--can tell you that your lady is like +to be better served with this here Steadfast, boy though he be, than if you had +the other stripling with his head full of drums and marches, guns and +preachments, and what not, and who never had a good day's work in him without +his father's eye over him. This little fellow has done half his share and his +own to boot long ago. Now they are content to dwell down here, out of the way of +the soldiering, and don't ask her ladyship to be at any cost for repairing the +farm up there, but will do the best they can for themselves. So, I say, Master +Brown, it will be a real good work of charity, without hurt to my Lady and Sir +George to let them be, poor things, to fight it out as they can."</p> + +<p>"Well, well, there's somewhat in what you say Goodman Blane, but I'm +bound to look after my Lady's interests and Sir George's."</p> + +<p>"I would come and work like a good one at my Lady's hay and +harvest," said Stead, "and I shall get stronger and bigger every +year."</p> + +<p>"But the beast," said the steward, "my Lady's interests must +come first, you see."</p> + +<p>"O don't let him take Croppie," cried Patience. "O sir, not +the cows, or baby will die, and we can't make the butter."</p> + +<p>"You see, Master Brown," explained Blane, "it is butter as is +their chief stand-by. Poor Dame Kenton, as was took last spring, was the best +dairywoman in the parish, and this little maid takes after her. Their kine are +their main prop, but there's the mare, there's not much good that she can do +them."</p> + +<p>"Let us look!" said the steward. "A sorry jade enow! But I +don't know but she will serve our turn better than the cow. There was a +requisition, as they have the impudence to call it, from the Parliament lot that +took off all our horses, except old grey Dobbin and the colt, and this beast may +come in handy to draw the wood. So I'll take her, and you may think yourself +well off, and thank my Lady I'm so easy with you. 'Be not hard on the orphans,' +she said. 'Heaven forbid, my Lady,' says I, 'but I must look after your +interests.'"</p> + +<p>The children hung round old Whitefoot, making much of her for the last time, +and Patience and Rusha both cried sadly when she was led away; and it was hard +to believe Master Blane, who told them it was best for Whitefoot as well as for +themselves, since they would find it a hard matter to get food even for the more +necessary animals in the winter, and the poor beast would soon be skin and bone; +while for themselves the donkey could carry all they wanted to market; and it +might be more important than they understood to be thus regularly accepted as +tenants by the manor, so that no one could turn them out.</p> + +<p>And Stead, remembering the cavern, knew that he ought to be thankful, while +the two men went away, Brown observing, "One can scarce turn 'em out, poor +things, but such a mere lubber as that boy is can do no good! If the elder one +had thought fit to stay and mind his own business now!"</p> + +<p>"A good riddance, I say," returned Blane. "Stead's a +good-hearted lad, though clownish, and I'll do what I can for him."</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER IX.<br> +WINTRY TIMES.</h3> + +<p>"Thrice welcome may such seasons be,<br> +But welcome too the common way,<br> +The lowly duties of the day."</p></center> + +<p>There was of course much to do. Steadfast visited his hoard and took from +thence enough to purchase churn, spinning wheel, and the few tools that he most +needed; but it was not soon that Patience could sit down to spin. That must be +for the winter, and their only chance of light was in making candles.</p> + +<p>Rusha could gather the green rushes, though she could not peel them without +breaking them; and Patience had to take them out of her hands and herself strip +the white pith so that only one ribbon of green was left to support it.</p> + +<p>The sheep, excepting a few old ewes, were always sold or killed before the +winter, and by Blane's advice, Stead kept only three. The butcher Oates took +some of the others, and helped Stead to dispose of four more in the market. Two +were killed at different intervals for home use, but only a very small part was +eaten fresh, as a wonderful Sunday treat, the rest was either disposed of among +the neighbours, who took it in exchange for food of other kinds; or else was +salted and dried for the winter's fare, laid up in bran in two great crocks +which Stead had been forced to purchase, and which with planks from the +half-burnt house laid over them served by turns as tables or seats. The fat was +melted up in Patience's great kettle, and the rushes dipped in it over and over +again till they had such a coating of grease as would enable them to be burnt in +the old horn lantern which had fortunately been in the stable and escaped the +fire.</p> + +<p>Kind neighbours helped Stead to cut and stack his hay, and his little field +of barley. All the grass he could cut on the banks he also saved for the +animals' winter food, and a few turnips, but these were rare and uncommon +articles only used by the most advanced farmers, and his father had only lately +begun to grow them, nor had potatoes become known except in the gardens of the +curious.</p> + +<p>The vexation was that all the manor was called to give their three days' +labour to Lady Elmwood's crops just as all their own were cut, and as, of +course, Master Brown had chosen the finest weather, every one went in fear and +trembling for their own, and Oates and others grumbled so bitterly at having to +work without wage, that Blane asked if they called their own houses and land +nothing.</p> + +<p>There was fresh grumbling too that the food sent out to the labourers in the +field was not as it used to be, good beef and mutton, but only bread and very +hard cheese, and bowls of hasty pudding, with thin, sour small beer to wash it +down. Oates growled and vowed he would never come again to be so scurvily used; +and perhaps no one guessed that my lady was far more impoverished than her +tenants, and had a hard matter to supply even such fare as this.</p> + +<p>Happily the weather lasted good long enough to save the Kentons' little crop, +though there was a sad remembrance of the old times, when the church bell gave +the signal at sunrise for all the harvesters to come to church for the brief +service, and then to start fair in their gleaning. The bell did still ring, but +there were no prayers. The vicar had never come back, and it was reported that +he had been sent to the plantations in America. There was no service on Sunday +nearer than Bristol. It was the churchwardens' business to find a minister, and +of these, poor Kenton was dead, and the other, Master Cliffe, was not likely to +do anything that might put the parish to expense.</p> + +<p>Goodman Blane, and some of the other more seriously minded folk used to walk +into Bristol to church when the weather was tolerably fine. If it were wet, the +little stream used to flood the lower valley so that it was not possible to get +across. Steadfast was generally one of the party. Patience could not go, as it +was too far for Rusha to walk, or for the baby to be carried.</p> + +<p>Once, seeing how much she wished to go again to church, Stead undertook to +mind the children, the cattle, and the dinner in her place; but what work he +found it! When he tried to slice the onions for the broth, little Ben toddled +off, and had to be caught lest he should tumble into the river. Then Rusha got +hold of the knife, cut her hand, and rolled it up in her Sunday frock, and +Steadfast, thinking he had got a small bit of rag, tied it up in Patience's +round cap, but that he did not know till afterwards, only that baby had got out +again, and after some search was found asleep cuddled up close to the old sow. +And so it went on, till poor Steadfast felt as if he had never spent so long a +day. As to reading his Bible and Prayer-book, it was quite impossible, and he +never had so much respect for Patience before as when he found what she did +every day without seeming to think anything of it.</p> + +<p>She did not get home till after dark, but the Blanes had taken her to rest at +the friends with whom they spent the time between services, and they had given +her a good meal.</p> + +<p>"Somehow," said Patience, "everybody seems kinder than they +used to be before the fighting began--and the parsons said the prayers as if +they had more heart in them."</p> + +<p>Patience was quite right. These times of danger were making everyone draw +nearer together, and look up more heartily to Him in Whom was there true help.</p> + +<p>But winter was coming on and bringing bad times for the poor children in +their narrow valley, so close to the water. It was not a very cold season, but +it was almost worse, for it was very wet. The little brook swelled, turned muddy +yellow, and came rushing and tumbling along, far outside its banks, so that +Patience wondered whether there could be any danger of its coming up to their +hut and perhaps drowning them.</p> + +<p>"I think there is no fear," said Steadfast. "You see this +house has been here from old times and never got washed away."</p> +<p>"It wouldn't wash away very easily," said Patience, "I wish we +were in one of the holes up there."</p> + +<p>"If it looks like danger we might get up," said Steadfast, and to +please her he cleared a path to a freshly discovered cave a little lower down +the stream, but so high up on the rocky sides of the ravine as to be safe from +the water.</p> + +<p>Once Patience, left at home watching the rushing of the stream, became so +frightened that she actually took the children up there, and set Rusha to hold +the baby while she dragged up some sheepskins and some food.</p> + +<p>Steadfast coming home asked what she was about and laughed at her, showing +her, by the marks on the trees, that the flood was already going down. Such +alarms came seldom, but the constant damp was worse. Happily it was always +possible to keep up a fire, wood and turf peat was plentiful and could be had +for the cutting and carrying, and though the smoke made their eyes tingle, +perhaps it hindered the damp from hurting them, when all the walls wept, in +spite of the reed mats which they had woven and hung over them. And then it was +so dark, Patience's rushes did not give light enough to see to do anything by +them even when they did not get blown out, and when the sun had set there was +nothing for it, but as soon as the few cattle had been foddered in their shed +and cave, to draw the mat and sheepskins that made a curtain by way of door, +fasten it down with a stone, share with dog and cat the supper of broth, or +milk, or porridge which Patience had cooked, and then lie down on the beds of +dried leaves stuffed into sacking, drawing over them the blankets and cloaks +that had happily been saved in the chest, and nestling on either side of the +fire, which, if well managed, would smoulder on for hours. There the two elder +ones would teach Rusha her catechism and tell old stories, and croon over old +rhymes till both the little ones were asleep, and then would hold counsel on +their affairs, settle how to husband their small stock of money, consider how +soon it would be expedient to finish their store of salted mutton and pork to +keep them from being spoilt by damp, and wonder when their hens would begin to +lay.</p> + +<p>It could hardly be a merry Christmas for the poor children, though they did +stick holly in every chink where it would go, but there were not many berries +that year, and as Rusha said, "there were only thorns."</p> + +<p>Steadfast walked to Bristol through slush and mire and rain, not even Smith +Blane went with him, deeming the weather too bad, and thinking, perhaps, rather +over much of the goose at home.</p> + +<p>Bristol people were keeping Christmas with all their might, making the more +noise and revelry because the Parliament had forbidden the feast to be observed +at all. It was easy to tell who was for the King and who for the Parliament, for +there were bushes of holly, mistletoe, and ivy, at all the Royalist doors and +windows, and from many came the savoury steam of roast beef or goose, while the +other houses were shut up as close as possible and looked sad and grim.</p> + +<p>All the bells of all the churches were ringing, and everybody seemed to be +trooping into them. As Steadfast was borne along by the throng, there was a +pause, and a boy of his own age with a large hat and long feather, beneath which +could be seen curls of jet-black hair, walked at the head of a party of +gentlemen. Everyone in the crowd uncovered and there was a vehement outcry of +"God save the King! God save the Prince of Wales!" Everyone thronged +after him, and Steadfast had a hard struggle to squeeze into the Cathedral, and +then had to stand all the time with his back against a pillar, for there was not +even room to kneel down at first.</p> + +<p>There was no organ, but the choir men and boys had rallied there, and led the +Psalms which went up very loudly and heartily. Then the Dean went up into the +pulpit and preached about peace and goodwill to men, and how all ought to do all +in their power to bring those blessed gifts back again. A good many people +dropped off during the sermon, and more after it, but Steadfast remained. He had +never been able to come to the Communion feast since the evil times had begun, +and he had thought much about it on his lonely walk, and knew that it was the +way to be helped through the hard life he was living.</p> + +<p>When all was over he felt very peaceful, but so hungry and tired with +standing and kneeling so long after his walk, that he was glad to lean against +the wall and take out the piece of bread that Patience had put in his wallet.</p> + +<p>Presently a step came near, and from under a round velvet skull-cap a kind +old face looked at him which he knew to be that of the Dean.</p> + +<p>"Is that all your Christmas meal, my good boy?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"I shall have something for supper, thank your reverence," replied +Steadfast, taking off his leathern cap.</p> + +<p>"Well, mayhap you could away with something more," said the Dean. +"Come with me."</p> + +<p>And as Steadfast obeyed, he asked farther, "What is your name, my child? +I know your face in church, but not in town."</p> + +<p>"No, sir, I do not live here. I am Steadfast Kenton, and I am from +Elmwood, but we have no prayers nor sermon there since they took the parson +away."</p> + +<p>"Ah! good Master Holworth! Alas! my child, I fear you will scarce see +him back again till the King be in London once more, which Heaven grant. And, +meantime, Sir George Elmwood being patron, none can be intruded into his room. +It is a sore case, and I fear me the case of many a parish besides."</p> + +<p>Steadfast was so much moved by the good Dean's kindness as to begin to +consider whether it would be betraying the trust to consult him about that +strange treasure in the cave, but the lad was never quick of thought, and before +he could decide one of the canons joined the Dean, and presently going up the +steps to the great hall of the Deanery, Steadfast saw long tables spread with +snowy napkins, trenchers laid all round, and benches on which a numerous throng +were seating themselves, mostly old people and little children, looking very +poor and ragged. Steadfast held himself to be a yeoman in a small way, and +somewhat above a Christmas feast with the poor, but the Dean's kindness was +enough to make him put away his pride, and then there was such a delicious steam +coming up from the buttery hatch as was enough to melt away all nonsense of that +sort from a hungry lad.</p> + +<p>Grand joints of beef came up in clouds of vapour, and plum puddings smoked in +their rear, to be eaten with them, after the fashion of these days, when of +summer vegetables there were few, and of winter vegetables none. The choirmen +and boys, indeed all the Cathedral clergy who were unmarried, were dining there +too, but the Dean and his wife waited on the table where the poorest were. Horns +of ale were served to everyone, and then came big mince pies. Steadfast felt a +great longing to take his home to his sisters, but he was ashamed to do it, even +though he saw that it was permissible, they were such beggarly-looking folks who +set the example.</p> + +<p>However, the Dean's wife came up to him with a pleasant smile and asked if he +had no appetite or if he were thinking of someone at home, and when he answered, +she kindly undertook to lend him a basket, for which he might call after +evensong, and in the basket were also afterwards found some slices of the beef +and a fine large cake.</p> + +<p>Then the young Prince and his suite came in, and he stood at the end of the +hall, smiling and looking amused as everyone's cup was filled with wine--such +wine as the Roundhead captains had left, and the Dean at the head of the table +gave out the health of his most sacred Majesty King Charles, might God bless +him, and confound all his enemies! The Prince bared his black shining locks and +drank, and there was a deep Amen, and then a hurrah enough to rend the old +vaulted ceiling; and equally enthusiastically was the Prince's health afterwards +drunk.</p> + +<p>Stead heard the servants saying that such a meal had been a costly matter, +but that the good Dean would have it so in order that one more true merry +Christmas should be remembered in Bristol.</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER X.<br> +A TERRIBLE HARVEST DAY.</h3> + +<p>"There is a reaper, whose name is death."<br> +LONGFELLOW.</p></center> + +<p>Spring came at last, cold indeed but dry, and it brought calves, and kids, +and lambs, and little pigs, besides eggs and milk. The creatures prospered for +two reasons no doubt. One was that Stead and Patience always prayed for a +blessing on them, and the other was that they were almost as tender and careful +over the dumb things as they were over little Ben, who could now run about and +talk. All that year nothing particular happened to the children. Patience's good +butter and fresh eggs had come to be known in Bristol, and besides, Stead and +Rusha used to find plovers' eggs on the common, for which the merchants' ladies +would pay them, or later for wild strawberries and for whortleberries. Stead +could also make rush baskets and mats, and they were very glad of such earnings, +some of which they spent on clothes, and on making their hut more comfortable, +while some was stored up in case of need in the winter.</p> + +<p>For another year things went on much in the same manner, Bristol was still +kept by the King's troops; but when Steadfast went into the place there was less +cheerfulness among the loyal folk, and the Puritans began to talk of victories +of their cause, while in the Cathedral the canon's voice trembled and grew +choked in the prayer for the King, and the sermons were generally about being +true and faithful to King and church whatever might betide. The Prince of Wales +had long since moved away, indeed there were reports that the plague was in some +of the low, crowded streets near the water, and Patience begged her brother to +take care of himself.</p> + +<p>There had been no Christmas feast at the Deanery, it was understood that the +Dean thought it better not to bring so many people together.</p> +<p>Then as harvest time was coming on more soldiers came into the place. They +looked much shabbier than the troops of a year ago, their coats were worn and +soiled, and their feathers almost stumps, but they made up for their poverty by +swagger and noise, and Steadfast was thankful that it was unlikely that any of +them should find the way to his little valley with what they called requisitions +for the King's service, but which meant what he knew too well. Some of the +villagers formed into bands, and agreed to meet at the sound of a cowhorn, to +drive anyone off on either side, who came to plunder, and they even had a flag +with the motto--</p> + +<center><p>"If you take our cattle<br> +We will give you battle."</p></center> + +<p>And they really did drive off some stragglers. Stead, however, accepted the +offer from Tom Gates of a young dog, considerably larger and stronger than poor +old Toby, yellow and somewhat brindled, and known as Growler. He looked very +terrible, but was very civil to those whom he knew, and very soon became devoted +to all the family, especially to little Ben. However, most of the garrison and +the poorer folk of the town were taken up with mending the weak places in the +walls, and digging ditches with the earth of which they made steep banks, and +there were sentries at the gates, who were not always civil. Whatever the +country people brought into the town was eagerly bought up, and was paid for, +not often in the coin of the realm, but by tokens made of tin or some such metal +with odd stamps upon them, and though they could be used as money they would not +go nearly so far as the sums they were held to represent--at least in anyone's +hands but those of the officers.</p> + +<p>There were reports that the Parliament army was about to besiege the town, +and Prince Rupert was coming to defend it. Steadfast was very anxious, and would +not let his sisters stir out of the valley, keeping the cattle there as much as +possible.</p> + +<p>One day, when he had been sent for to help to gather in Lady Elmwood's +harvest, in the afternoon the reaping and binding were suddenly interrupted by +the distant rattle of musketry, such as had been heard two years ago, in the +time of the first siege but it was in quite another direction from the town. +Everyone left off work, and made what speed they could to the top of the sloping +field, whence they could see what was going on.</p> + +<p>"There they be!" shouted Tom Gates. "I saw 'em first! Hurrah! +They be at Luck's mill."</p> + +<p>"Hush! you good-for-nothing," shrieked Bess Hart, throwing her +apron over her head. "When we shall all be killed and murdered."</p> + +<p>"Not just yet, dame," said Master Brown. "They be a long way +off, and they have enow to do with one another. I wonder if Sir George be there. +He writ to my lady that he hoped to see her ere long."</p> + +<p>"And my Roger," called out a woman. "He went with Sir +George."</p> + +<p>"And our Jack," was the cry of another; while Steadfast thought of +Jephthah, but knew he must be on the opposite side. From the top of the field, +they could see a wide sweep of country dipping down less than two miles from +them where there was a bridge over a small river, a mill, and one or two houses +near. On the nearer side of the river could be seen the flash of steel caps, and +a close, dark body of men, on the further side was another force, mostly of +horsemen, with what seemed like waggons and baggage horses in the rear. They had +what by its colours seemed to be the English banner, the others had several +undistinguishable standards. Puffs of smoke broke from the windows of the mill.</p> + +<p>"Aye!" said Goodman Blane. "I would not be in Miller Luck's +shoes just now. I wonder where he is, poor rogue. Which side have got his mill, +think you, Master Brown?"</p> + +<p>"The round-headed rascals for certain," said Master Brown, +"and the bridge too, trying to hinder the King's men from crossing bag and +baggage to relieve the town."</p> + +<p>"See, there's a party drawing together. Is it to force the bridge?"</p> + +<p>"Aye, aye, and there's another troop galloping up stream. Be they +running off, the cowards?"</p> + +<p>"Not they. Depend on it some of our folks have told them of Colham ford. +Heaven be with them, brave lads."</p> + +<p>"Most like Sir George is there, I don't see 'em."</p> + +<p>"No, of course not, stupid, they'll be taking Colham Lane. See, see, +there's a lot of 'em drawn up to force the bridge. Good luck be with them."</p> + +<p>More puffs of smoke from the mill, larger ones from the bank, and a rattle +and roll came up to the watchers. There was a moment's shock and pause in the +assault, then a rush forward, and the distant sound of a cheer, which those on +the hill could not help repeating. But from the red coats on and behind the +bridge, proceeded a perfect cloud of smoke, which hid everything, and when it +began to clear away on the wind, there seemed to be a hand-to-hand struggle +going on upon the bridge, smaller puffs, as though pistols were being used, and +forms falling over the parapet, at which sight the men held their breath, and +the women shrieked and cried "God have mercy on their poor souls." And +then the dark-coated troops seemed to be driven back.</p> + +<p>"That was a feint, only a feint," cried Master Brown. "See +there!"</p> + +<p>For the plumed troop of horsemen had indeed crossed, and came galloping down +the bank with such a jingling and clattering, and thundering of hoofs as came up +to the harvest men above, and Master Brown led the cheer as they charged upon +the compact mass of red coats behind the bridge, and broke and rode them down by +the vehemence of the shock.</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" cried Blane. "Surely they will turn now and take the +fellows on the bridge in the rear. No. Ha! they are hunting them down on to +their baggage! Well done, brave fellows, hip! hip!--"</p> + +<p>But the hurrah died on his lips as a deep low hum--a Psalm tune sung by +hundreds of manly voices--ascended to his ears, to the accompaniment of the +heavy thud of horsehoofs, and from the London Road, between the bridge and the +Royalist horsemen, there emerged a compact body of troopers, in steel caps and +corslets. Forming in ranks of three abreast, they charged over the bridge, and +speedily cleared off the Royalists who were struggling to obtain a footing +there.</p> + +<p>There was small speech on the hill side, as the encounter was watched, and +the Ironsides forming on the other side, charged the already broken troops +before they had time to rally, and there was nothing to be seen but an utter +dispersion and scattering of men, looking from that distance like ants when +their nest has been broken into.</p> + +<p>It was only a skirmish, not to be heard of in history, but opening the way +for the besiegers to the walls of Bristol, and preventing any of the supplies +from reaching the garrison, or any of the intended reinforcements, except some +of the eager Cavaliers, who galloped on thither, when they found it impossible +to return and guard the bridge for their companions.</p> + +<p>The struggle was over around the bridge in less than two hours, but no more +of Lady Elmwood's harvest was gathered in that evening. The people watched as if +they could not tear themselves from the contemplation of the successful bands +gathering together in their solid masses, and marching onwards in the direction +of Bristol, leaving, however, a strong guard at the bridge, over which piled +waggons and beasts of burthen continued to pass, captured no doubt and prevented +from relieving the city. It began to draw towards evening, and Master Brown was +beginning to observe that he must go and report to my lady, poor soul; and as to +the corn, well, they had lost a day gaping at the fight, and they must come up +again to-morrow, he only hoped they were not carting it for the round-headed +rogues; when at that moment there was a sudden cry, first of terror, then of +recognition, "Roger, Hodge Fitter! how didst come here?"</p> + +<p>For a weary, worn-out trooper, with stained buff coat, and heavy boots, stood +panting among them. "I thought 'twas our folks," he said. "Be +mother here?"</p> + +<p>"Hodge! My Hodge! Be'st hurt, my lad?" cried the mother, bursting +through the midst and throwing herself on him, while his father contented +himself with a sort of grunt. "All right, Hodge. How com'st here?"</p> + +<p>"And where's my Jack?" exclaimed Goody Bent.</p> + +<p>"And where's our Harry?" was another cry from Widow Lakin.</p> + +<p>While Stead longed to ask, but could not be heard in the clamour, whether his +brother had been there.</p> + +<p>Hodge could tell little--seen less than the lookers on above. He had been +among those who had charged through the enemy, and ridden towards Bristol, but +his horse had been struck by a stray shot, and killed under him. He had avoided +the pursuers by scrambling through a hedge, and then had thought it best to make +his way through the fields to his own home, until, seeing the party on the hill, +he had joined them, expecting to find his parents among them.</p> + +<p>Sir George he knew to be on before him, and probably almost at Bristol by +this time. Poor Jack had been left weeks ago on the field of Naseby, though +there had been no opportunity of letting his family know. "Ill news travels +fast enough!" And as to Harry, he had been shot down by a trooper near +about the bridge, but mayhap might be alive for all that.</p> + +<p>"And my brother, Jeph Kenton," Steadfast managed to say. "Was +he there?"</p> + +<p>"Jeph Kenton! Why, he's a canting Roundhead. The only Elmwood man as is! +More shame for him."</p> + +<p>"But was he there?" demanded Stead.</p> + +<p>"There! Well, Captain Venn's horse were there, and he was in them! I +have seen him more than once on outpost duty, prating away as if he had a beard +on his chin. I'd a good mind to put a bullet through him to stop his impudence, +for a disgrace to the place."</p> + +<p>"Then he was in the fight?" reiterated Steadfast.</p> + +<p>"Aye, was he. And got his deserts, I'll be bound, for we went smack +smooth through Venn's horse, like a knife through a mouldy cheese, and left 'em +lying to the right and left. If the other fellows had but stuck by us as well, +we'd have made a clean sweep of the canting dogs."</p> + +<p>Hodge's eloquence was checked by the not unwelcome offer of a drink of cider.</p> + +<p>"Seems quiet enough down there," said Nanny Lakin, peering +wistfully over the valley where the shadows of evening were spreading. +"Mayhap if I went down I might find out how it is with my poor lad."</p> + +<p>"Nay, I'll go, mother," said a big, loutish youth, hitherto silent; +"mayn't be so well for womenfolk down there."</p> + +<p>"What's that to me, Joe, when my poor Harry may be lying a bleeding his +dear life out down there?"</p> + +<p>"There's no fear," said Hodge. "To give them their due, the +Roundheads be always civil to country folk and women--leastways unless they take +'em for Irish--and thinking that, they did make bloody work with the poor ladies +at Naseby. But the dame there will be safe enough," he added, as she was +already on the move down hill. "Has no one a keg of cider to give her? I +know what 'tis to lie parching under a wound."</p> + +<p>Someone produced one, and as her son shouted "Have with you, +mother," Steadfast hastily asked Tom Oates to let Patience know that he was +gone to see after Jephthah, and joined Ned Lakin and his mother.</p> + +<p>Jeph had indeed left his brothers and sisters in a strange, wild way, almost +cruel in its thoughtlessness; but to Stead it had never seemed more than that +elder brotherly masterfulness that he took as a matter of course, and there was +no resting in the thought of his lying wounded and helpless on the field--nay, +the assurance that Hodge shouted out that the rebel dogs took care of their own +fell on unhearing or unheeding ears, as Steadfast and Ned Lakin dragged the +widow through a gap in the hedge over another field, and then made their way +down a deep stony lane between high hedges.</p> + +<p>It was getting dark, in spite of the harvest moon, by the time they came out +on the open space below, and began to see that saddest of all sights, a +battlefield at night.</p> + +<p>A soldier used to war would perhaps have scorned to call this a battle, but +it was dreadful enough to these three when they heard the sobbing panting, and +saw the struggling of a poor horse not quite dead, and his rider a little way +from him, a fine stout young man, cold and stiff, as Nanny turned up his face to +see if it was her Harry's.</p> + +<p>A little farther on lay another figure on his back, but as Nanny stooped over +it, a lantern was flashed on her and a gruff voice called out, "Villains, +ungodly churls, be you robbing the dead?" and a tall man stood darkly +before them, pistol in hand.</p> + +<p>"No, sir; no, sir," sobbed out Nanny. "I am only a poor widow +woman, come down to see whether my poor lad be dead or alive and wanting his +mother."</p> +<p>"What was his regiment?" demanded the soldier in a kinder voice.</p> + +<p>"Oh, sir, your honour, don't be hard on him--he couldn't help it--he +went with Sir George Elmwood."</p> + +<p>"That makes no odds, woman, when a man's down," said the soldier. +"Unless 'tis with the Fifth Monarchy sort, and I don't hold with them. I +have an uncle and a cousin or two among the malignants, as good fellows as ever +lived--no Amalekites and Canaanites--let Smite-them Derry say what he will. +Elmwood! let's see--that was the troop that forded higher up, and came on +Fisher's corps. This way, dame. If your son be down, you'll find him here; that +is, unless he be carried into the mill or one of the houses. Most of the wounded +lie there for the night, but the poor lads that are killed must be buried +to-morrow. Take care, dame," as poor Nanny cried out in horror at having +stumbled over a dead man's legs. He held his lantern so that she could see the +face while she groaned out, "Poor soul." And thus they worked their +sad way up to the buildings about the water mill. There was a shed through the +chinks of which light could be seen, and at the door of which a soldier +exclaimed--</p> + +<p>"Have ye more wounded, Sam? There's no room for a dog in here. They lie +as thick as herrings in a barrel."</p> + +<p>"Nay, 'tis a poor country woman come to look for her son. What's his +name? Is there a malignant here of the name of Harry Lakin?"</p> + +<p>The question was repeated, and a cry of gladness, "Mother! mother!" +ended in a shriek of pain in the distance within.</p> + +<p>"Aye, get you in, mother, get you in. A woman here will be all the +better, be she who she may."</p> + +<p>The permission was not listened to. Nanny had already sprung into the midst +of the mass of suffering towards the bloody straw where her son was lying.</p> +<p>Steadfast, who had of course looked most anxiously at each of the still forms +on the way, now ventured to say:--</p> + +<p>"So please you, sir, would you ask after one Jephthah Kenton? On your +own side, sir, in Captain Venn's troop? I am his brother."</p> + +<p>"Oh, ho! you are of the right sort, eh?" said the soldier. +"Jephthah Kenton. D'ye know aught of him, Joe?"</p> + +<p>"I heard him answer to the roll call before Venn's troop went off to +quarters," replied the other man. "He is safe and sound, my lad, and +Venn's own orderly."</p> + +<p>Steadfast's heart bounded up. He longed still to know whether poor Harry +Lakin was in very bad case, but it was impossible to get in to discover, and he +was pushed out of the way by a party carrying in another wounded man, whose +moans and cries were fearful to listen to. He thought it would be wisest to make +the best of his way home to Patience, and set her likewise at rest, for who +could tell what she might not have heard.</p> + +<p>The moon was shining brightly enough to make his way plain, but the scene +around was all the sadder and more ghastly in that pallid light, which showed +out the dark forms of man and horse, and what was worse the white faces turned +up, and those dark pools in which once or twice he had slipped as he saw or +fancied he saw movements that made him shudder, while a poor dog on the other +side of the stream howled piteously from time to time.</p> + +<p>Presently, as he came near a hawthorn bush which cast a strangely shaped +shadow, he heard a sobbing--not like the panting moan of a wounded man, but the +worn out crying of a tired child. He thought some village little one must have +wandered there, and been hemmed in by the fight, and he called out--</p> + +<p>"Is anyone there?"</p> + +<p>The sobbing ceased for a moment and he called again, "Who is it? I won't +hurt you," for something white seemed to be squeezing closer into the bush.</p> +<p>"Who are you for?" piped out a weak little voice.</p> + +<p>"I'm no soldier," said Steadfast. "Come out, I'll take you +home by-and-by."</p> + + +<p align="center"><img src="findingemlyn.jpg" alt="findingemlyn"></p> + + +<p>"I have no home!" was the answer. "I want father."</p> + +<p>Steadfast was now under the tree, and could see that it was a little girl who +was sheltering there of about the same size as Rusha. He tried to take her hand, +but she backed against the tree, and he repeated "Come along, I wouldn't +hurt you for the world. Who is your father? Where shall we find him?"</p> + +<p>"My father is Serjeant Gaythorn of Sir Harry Blythedale's +troopers," said the child, somewhat proudly, then starting again, "You +are not a rebel, are you?"</p> + +<p>"No, I am a country lad," said Steadfast; "I want to help you. +Come, you can't stay here."</p> + +<p>For the little hand she had yielded to him was cold and damp with the +September dews. His touch seemed to give her confidence, and when he asked, +"Can't I take you to your mother?" she answered--</p> + +<p>"Mother's dead! The rascal Roundheads shot her over at Naseby."</p> + +<p>"Poor child! poor child!" said Steadfast. "And you came on +with your father."</p> + +<p>"Yes, he took me on his horse over the water, and told me to wait by the +bush till he came or sent for me, but he has not come, and the firing is over +and it is dark, and I'm so hungry."</p> + +<p>Steadfast thought the child had better come home with him, but she declared +that father would come back for her. He felt convinced that her father, if +alive, must be in Bristol, and that he could hardly come through the enemy's +outposts, and he explained to her this view. To his surprise she understood in a +moment, having evidently much more experience of military matters than he had, +and when he further told her that Hodge was at Elmwood, and would no doubt +rejoin his regiment at Bristol the next day, she seemed satisfied, and with the +prospect of supper before her, trotted along, holding Steadfast's hand and +munching a crust which he had found in his pouch, the remains of the interrupted +meal, but though at first it seemed to revive her a good deal, the poor little +thing was evidently tired out, and she soon began to drag, and fret, and moan. +The three miles was a long way for her, and tired as he was, Steadfast had to +take her on his back, and when at last he reached home, and would have set her +down before his astonished sisters, she was fast asleep with her head on his +shoulder.</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER XI.<br> +THE FORTUNES OF WAR.</h3> + +<p>"Hear and improve, he pertly cries,<br> +I come to make a nation wise."<br> +GAY</p></center> + +<p>Very early in the morning, before indeed anyone except Patience was stirring, +Steadfast set forth in search of Roger Fitter to consult him about the poor +child who was fast asleep beside Jerusha; and propose to him to take her into +Bristol to find her father.</p> + +<p>Hodge, who had celebrated his return by a hearty supper with his friends, was +still asleep, and his mother was very unwilling to call him, or to think of his +going back to the wars. However, he rolled down the cottage stair at last, and +the first thing he did was to observe--</p> + +<p>"Well, mother, how be you? I felt like a boy again, waking up in the old +chamber. Where's my back and breast-piece? Have you a cup of ale, while I rub it +up?"</p> + +<p>"Now, Hodge, you be not going to put on that iron thing again, when you +be come back safe and sound from those bloody wars?" entreated his mother.</p> + +<p>"Ho, ho! mother, would you have me desert? No, no! I must to my colours +again, or Sir George and my lady might make it too hot to hold you here. Hollo, +young one, Stead Kenton, eh? Didst find thy brother? No, I'll be bound. The +Roundhead rascals have all the luck."</p> + +<p>"I found something else," said Steadfast, and he proceeded to tell +about the child while Dame Fitter stood by with many a pitying "Dear +heart!" and "Good lack!"</p> + +<p>Hodge knew Serjeant Gaythorn, and knew that the poor man's wife had been shot +dead in the flight from Naseby; but he demurred at the notion of encumbering +himself with the child when he went into the town. He suspected that he should +have much ado to get in himself, and if he could not find her father, what could +he do with her?</p> + +<p>Moreover, he much doubted whether the serjeant was alive. He had been among +those on whom the sharpest attack had fallen, and not many of them had got off +alive.</p> + +<p>"What like was he?" said Steadfast. "We looked at a many of +the poor corpses that lay there. They'll never be out of my eyes again at +night!"</p> + +<p>"A battlefield or two would cure that," grimly smiled Hodge. +"Gaythorn--he was a man to know again--had big black moustaches, and had +lost an eye, had a scar like a weal from a whip all down here from a sword-cut +at Long Marston."</p> + +<p>"Then I saw him," said Stead, in a low voice. "Did he wear a +green scarf?"</p> + +<p>"Aye, aye. Belonged to the Rangers, but they are pretty nigh all gone +now."</p> + +<p>"Under the rail of the miller's croft," added Stead.</p> + +<p>"Just so. That was where I saw them make a stand and go down like +skittles."</p> + +<p>"Poor little maid. What shall I tell her?"</p> + +<p>"Well, you can never be sure," said Hodge. "There was a man +now I thought as dead as a door nail at Newbury that charged by my side only +yesterday. You'd best tell the maid that if I find her father I'll send him +after her; and if not, when the place is quiet, you might look at the mill and +see if he is lying wounded there."</p> + +<p>Steadfast thought the advice good, and it saved him from what he had no heart +to do, though he could scarcely doubt that one of those ghastly faces had been +the serjeant's.</p> + +<p>When he approached his home he was surprised to hear, through the copsewood, +the sound of chattering, and when he came in sight of the front of the hut, he +beheld Patience making butter with the long handled churn, little Ben toddling +about on the grass, and two little girls laughing and playing with all the +poultry round them.</p> + +<p>One, of course, was stout, ruddy, grey-eyed Rusha, in her tight round cap, +and stout brown petticoat with the homespun apron over it; the other was like a +fairy by her side; slight and tiny, dressed in something of mixed threads of +white and crimson that shone in the sun, with a velvet bodice, a green ribbon +over it, and a gem over the shoulder that flashed in the sun, a tiny scarlet +hood from which such a quantity of dark locks streamed as to give something the +effect of a goldfinch's crown, and the face was a brilliant little brown one, +with glowing cheeks, pretty little white teeth, and splendid dark eyes.</p> +<p>Patience could have told that this bright array was so soiled, rumpled, +ragged, and begrimed, that she hardly liked to touch it, but to Steadfast, who +had only seen the child in the moonlight, she was a wonderful vision in the +morning sunshine, and his heart was struck with a great pity at her clear, merry +tones of laughter.</p> + +<p>As he appeared in the open space, Toby running before him, the little girl +looked up and rushed to him crying out--</p> + +<p>"It's you. Be you the country fellow who took me home? Where's +father?"</p> + +<p>Stead was so sorry for her that he took her up in his arms and said--</p> + +<p>"Hodge Fitter is gone into town to look for him, my pretty. You must +wait here till he comes for you," and he would have kissed her, but she +turned her head away, pouted, and said, "I didn't give you leave to do +that, you lubber lad."</p> + +<p>Steadfast was much diverted. He was now a tall sturdy youth of sixteen, in a +short smock frock, long leathern gaiters, and a round straw hat of Patience's +manufacture, and he felt too clumsy for the dainty little being, whom he +hastened to set on her small feet--in once smart but very dilapidated shoes. His +sisters were somewhat shocked at her impertinence and Rusha breathed out +"Oh--!"</p> + +<p>"I am to wait here for Serjeant Gaythorn," observed the little +damsel somewhat consequentially. "Well! it is a strange little makeshift of +a place, but 'tis the fortune of war, and I have been in worse."</p> + +<p>"It is beautiful!" said Rusha, "now we have got a glass +window--and a real door--and beds--" all which recent stages in improvement +she enumerated with a gasp of triumph and admiration between each.</p> + +<p>"So you think," said little Mistress Gaythorn. "But I have +lived in a castle."</p> + +<p>She was quite ready to tell her history. Her name was Emlyn, and the early +part of the eight years of her life had been spent at Sir Harry Blythedale's +castle, where her father had been butler and her mother my lady's woman. Sir +Harry had gone away to the wars, and in his absence my lady had held out the +castle (perhaps it was only a fortified house) against General Waller, hoping +and hoping in vain for Lord Goring to come to her relief.</p> + +<p>"That was worst of all," said Emlyn, "we had to hide in the +cellars when they fired at us--and broke all the windows, and a shot killed my +poor dear little kitten because she wouldn't stay down with me. And we couldn't +get any water, except by going out at night; young Master George was wounded at +the well. And they only gave us a tiny bit of dry bread and salt meat every day, +and it made little Ralph sick and he died. And at last there was only enough for +two days more--and a great breach--that's a hole," she added +condescendingly,--"big enough to drive my lady's coach-and-six through in +the court wall. So then my lady sent out Master Steward with one of the best +napkins on the end of a stick--that was a flag of truce, you know--and all the +rascal Roundheads had to come in, and we had to go out, with only just what we +could carry. My lady went in her coach with Master George, because he was hurt, +and the young ladies, and some of the maids went home; but the most of us kept +with my lady, to guard her to go to his Honour and the King at Oxford. Father +rode big Severn, and mother was on a pillion behind him, with baby in her arms, +and I sat on a cushion in front."</p> + +<p>After that, it seemed that my lady had found a refuge among her kindred, but +that the butler had been enrolled in his master's troop of horse, and there +being no separate means of support for his wife and children, they had followed +the camp, a life that Emlyn had evidently enjoyed, although the baby died of the +exposure. She had been a great pet and favourite with everybody, and no doubt +well-cared for even after the sad day when her mother had perished in the +slaughter at Naseby. Patience wondered what was to become of the poor child, if +her father never appeared to claim her; but it was no time to bring this +forward, for Steadfast, as soon as he had swallowed his porridge, had to go off +to finish his day's labour for the lady of the manor, warning his sisters that +they had better keep as close as they could in the wood, and not let the cattle +stray out of their valley.</p> + +<p>He had not gone far, however, before he met a party of his fellow labourers +running home. Their trouble had been saved them. The Roundhead soldiers had +taken possession of waggons, horses, corn and all, as the property of a +malignant, and were carrying them off to their camp before the town.</p> + +<p>Getting up on a hedge, Stead could see these strange harvestmen loading the +waggons and driving them off. He also heard that Sir George had come late in the +evening, and taken old Lady Elmwood and several of the servants into Bristol for +greater safety. Then came the heavy boom of a great gun in the distance.</p> + +<p>"The Parliament men are having their turn now--as the King's men had +before," said Gates.</p> + +<p>And all who had some leisure--or made it--went off to the church tower to get +a better view of the white tents being set up outside the city walls, and the +compact bodies of troops moving about as if impelled by machinery, while others +more scattered bustled like insects about the camp.</p> + +<p>Steadfast, however, went home, very anxious about his own three cows, and +seven sheep with their lambs, as well as his small patches of corn, which, when +green, had already only escaped being made forage of by the Royalist garrison, +because he was a tenant of the loyal Elmwoods. These fields were exposed, though +the narrow wooded ravine might protect the small homestead and the cattle.</p> + +<p>He found his new guest very happy cracking nuts, and expounding to Rusha what +kinds of firearms made the various sounds they heard. Patience had made an +attempt to get her to exchange her soiled finery for a sober dress of Rusha's; +but "What shall I do, Stead?" said the grave elder sister, "I +cannot get her to listen to me, she says she is no prick-eared Puritan, but +truly she is not fit to be seen." Stead whistled. "Besides that she +might bring herself and all of us into danger with those gewgaws."</p> + +<p>"That's true," said Stead. "Look you here, little maid--none +can say whether some of the rebel folk may find their way here, and they don't +like butterflies of your sort, you know. If you look a sober little brown bee +like Rusha here, they will take no notice, but who knows what they might do it +they found you in your bravery."</p> + +<p>"Bravery," thought Patience, "filthy old rags, me seems," +but she had the prudence not to speak, and Emlyn nodded her head, saying, +"I'll do it for you, but not for her."</p> + +<p>And when all was done, and she was transformed into a little russet-robed, +white-capped being, nothing would serve her, but to collect all the brightest +cranesbill flowers she could find, and stick them in her own bodice and Rusha's.</p> + +<p>Patience could not at all understand the instinct for bright colours, but +even little Ben shouted "Pretty, pretty."</p> + +<p>Perhaps it was well that the delicate pink blossoms were soon faded and +crushed, and that twilight veiled their colours, for just as the cattle were +being foddered for the night, there was a gay step on the narrow path, and with +a start of terror, Patience beheld a tall soldier, in tall hat, buff coat, and +high boots before her; while Growler made a horrible noise, but Toby danced in a +rapture of delight.</p> + +<p>"Ha! little Patience, is't thou?"</p> + +<p>"Jephthah," she cried, though the voice as well as the form were +greatly changed in these two years between boyhood and manhood.</p> + +<p>"Aye, Jephthah 'tis," he said, taking her hand, and letting her +kiss him. "My spirit was moved to come and see how it was with you all, and +to shew how Heaven had prospered me, so I asked leave of absence after +roll-call, and could better be spared, as that faithful man, Hold-the-Faith +Jenkins, will exhort the men this night. I came up by Elmwood to learn tidings +of you. Ha, Stead! Thou art grown, my lad. May you be as much grown in +grace."</p> + +<p>"You are grown, too," said Patience, almost timidly. "What a +man you are, Jeph! Here, Rusha, you mind Jeph, and here is little Benoni."</p> + +<p>"You have reared that child, then," said Jeph, as the boy clung to +his sister's skirts, "and you have kept things together, Stead, as I hardly +deemed you would do, when I had the call to the higher service." It was an +odd sort of call, but there was no need to go into that matter, and Stead +answered gravely, "Yes, I thank God. He has been very good to us, and we +have fared well. Come in, Jeph, and see, and have something to eat! I am glad +you are come home at last."</p> + +<p>Jephthah graciously consented to enter the low hut. He had to bend his tall +figure and take off his steeple-crowned hat before he could enter at the low +doorway, and then they saw his closely cropped head.</p> + +<p>Patience tarried a moment to ask Rusha what had become of Emlyn.</p> + +<p>"She is hiding in the cow shed," was the answer. "She ran off +as soon as she saw Jeph coming, and said he was a crop-eared villain."</p> + +<p>This was not bad news, and they all entered the hut, where the fire was made +up, and one of Patience's rush candles placed on the table with a kind of screen +of plaited rushes to protect it from the worst of the draught. Jeph had grown +quite into a man in the eyes of his brothers and sisters. He looked plump and +well fed, and his clothes were good and fresh, and his armour bright, a contrast +to Steadfast's smock, stained with weather and soil, and his rough leathern +leggings, although Patience did her best, and his shirt was scrupulously clean +every Sunday morning.</p> + +<p>The soldier was evidently highly satisfied. "So, children, you have done +better than I could have hoped. This hovel is weather-tight and quite fit to +harbour you. You have done well to keep together, and it is well said that he +who leaves all in the hands of a good Providence shall have his reward."</p> + +<p>Jeph's words were even more sacred than these, and considerably overawed +Patience, who, as he sat before her there in his buff coat and belt, laying down +the law in pious language, was almost persuaded to believe that their present +comfort and prosperity (such as it was) was owing to the faith which he said had +led to his desertion of his family, though she had always thought it mere +impatience of home work fired by revenge for his father's death.</p> + +<p>No doubt he believed in this reward himself, in his relief at finding his +brothers and sisters all together and not starving, and considered their +condition a special blessing due to his own zeal, instead of to Steadfast's +patient exertion.</p> + +<p>He was much more disposed to talk of himself and the mercies he had received, +but which the tone of his voice showed him to consider as truly his deserts. +Captain Venn had, it seemed, always favoured him from the time of his enlistment +and nothing but his youth prevented him from being a corporal. He had been in +the two great battles of Marston Moor and Naseby, and come off unhurt from each, +and moreover grace had been given him to interpret the Scriptures in a manner +highly savoury and inspiriting to the soldiery.</p> + +<p>Here Patience, in utter amaze, could not help crying out "Thou, Jeph! +Thou couldst not read without spelling, and never would."</p> + +<p>He waved his hand. "My sister, what has carnal learning to do with +grace?" And taking a little black Bible from within his breastplate, he +seemed about to give them a specimen, when Emlyn's impatience and hunger no +doubt getting the better of her prudence, she crept into the room, and presently +was seen standing by Steadfast's knee, holding out her hand for some of the +bread and cheese on the table.</p> + +<p>"And who is this little wench?" demanded Jeph, somewhat displeased +that his brother manifested a certain inattention to his exhortation by signing +to Patience to supply her wants. Stead made unusual haste to reply to prevent +her from speaking.</p> + +<p>"She is biding with us till she can join her father, or knows how it is +with him."</p> + +<p>"Humph! She hath not the look of one of the daughters of our +people."</p> + +<p>"Nay," said Steadfast. "I went down last night to the mill, +Jeph, to see whether perchance you might be hurt and wanting help, and after I +had heard that all was well with you, I lighted on this poor little maid +crouching under a bush, and brought her home with me for pity's sake till I +could find her friends."</p> + +<p>"The child of a Midianitish woman!" exclaimed Jeph, "one of +the Irish idolaters of whom it is written, 'Thou shalt smite them, and spare +neither man, nor woman, infant, nor suckling.'" "But I am not +Irish," broke out Emlyn, "I am from Worcestershire. My father is +Serjeant Gaythorn, butler to Sir Harry Blythedale. Don't let him kill me," +she cried in an access of terror, throwing herself on Steadfast's breast.</p> + +<p>"No, no. He would not harm thee, on mine hearth. Fear not, little one, +he <i>shall</i> not."</p> + +<p>"Nay," said Jephthah, who, to do him justice, had respected the +rights of hospitality enough not to touch his weapon even when he thought her +Irish, "we harm not women and babes save when they are even as the +Amalekites. Let my brother go, child. I touch thee not, though thou be of an +ungodly seed; and I counsel thee, Steadfast, touch not the accursed thing, but +rid thyself thereof, ere thou be defiled."</p> + +<p>"I shall go so soon as father comes," exclaimed Emlyn. "I am +sure I do not want to stay in this mean, smoky hovel a bit longer than I can +help."</p> + +<p>"Such are the thanks of the ungodly people," said Jeph, gravely +rising. "I must be on my way back. We are digging trenches about this great +city, assuredly believing that it shall be delivered into our hands."</p> + +<p>"Stay, Jeph," said Patience. "Our corn! Will your folk come +and cart it away as they have done my lady's?"</p> + +<p>"The spoil of the wicked is delivered over to the righteous," said +Jeph. "But seeing that the land is mine, a faithful servant of the good +cause, they may not meddle therewith."</p> + +<p>"How are they to know that?" said Steadfast, not stopping to +dispute what rather startled him, since though Jeph was the eldest son, the land +had been made over to himself. To save the crop was the point.</p> + +<p>"Look you here," said Jeph, "walk down with me to my good +Captain's quarters, and he will give you a protection which you may shew to any +man who dares to touch aught that is ours, be it corn or swine, ox or ass."</p> + +<p>It was a long walk, but Steadfast was only too glad to take it for the sake +of such security, and besides, there was a real pleasure in being with Jeph, +little as he seemed like the same idle, easy-going brother, except perhaps in +those little touches of selfishness and boastfulness, which, though Stead did +not realise them, did recall the original Jeph.</p> + +<p>All through the moonlight walk Jeph expounded his singular mercies, which +apparently meant his achievements in killing Cavaliers, and the commendations +given to him. One of these mercies was the retention of the home and land, +though he kindly explained that his brothers and sisters were welcome to get +their livelihood there whilst he was serving with the army, but some day he +should come home "as one that divideth the spoil," and build up the +old house, unless, indeed, and he glanced towards the sloping woods of Elmwood +Manor, "the house and fields of the malignants should be delivered to the +faithful."</p> + +<p>"My lady's house," said Steadfast under his breath.</p> + +<p>"Wherefore not? Is it not written 'Goodly houses that ye builded not.' +Thou must hear worthy Corporal Hold-the-Faith expound the matter, my +brother."</p> + +<p>They crossed the ferry and reached the outposts at last, and Stead was much +startled when the barrel of a musquet gleamed in the moonlight, and a gruff +voice said "Stand."</p> + +<p>"The jawbone of an ass," promptly answered Jephthah.</p> + +<p>"Pass, jawbone of an ass," responded the sentry, "and all's +well. But who have you here, comrade!"</p> + +<p>Jeph explained, and they passed up the narrow lane, meeting at the end of it +another sentinel, with whom the like watchword was exchanged, and then they came +out on a large village green, completely changed from its usual aspect by rows +of tents, on which the moonlight shone, while Jeph seemed to know his way +through them as well as if he were in the valley of Elmwood. Most of the men +seemed to be asleep, for snores issued from sundry tents. In others there were +low murmurings, perhaps of conversation, perhaps of prayer, for once Stead heard +the hum of an "Amen." One or two men were about, and Jeph enquired of +one if the Captain were still up, and heard that he was engaged in exercise with +the godly Colonel Benbow.</p> + +<p>Their quarters were in one of the best houses of the little village, where +light gleamed from the window, and an orderly stood within the door, to whom +Jeph spoke, and who replied that they were just in time. In fact two officers in +broad hats and cloaks were just coming out, and Stead admired Jeph's military +salute to them ere he entered the farmhouse kitchen, where two more gentlemen +sat at the table with a rough plan of the town laid before them.</p> +<p>"Back again, Kenton," said his captain in a friendly tone. +"Hast heard aught of thy brethren?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, I have found them well and in good heart, and have brought +one with me."</p> + +<p>"A helper in the good cause? Heaven be gracious to thee, my son. Thou +art but young, yet strength is vouchsafed to the feeble hands."</p> +<p>"Please, sir," said Steadfast, who was twisting his hat about, +"I've got to mind the others, and work for them."</p> + +<p>"Yea, sir," put in Jeph, "there be three younger at home whom +he cannot yet leave. I brought him, sir, to crave from you a protection for the +corn and cattle that are in a sort mine own, being my father's eldest son. They +are all the poor children have to live on."</p> + +<p>"Thou shalt have it," said the captain, drawing his writing +materials nearer to him. "There, my lad. It may be thou dost serve thy +Maker as well by the plough as by the sword."</p> + +<p>Steadfast pulled his forelock, thanked the captain, was reminded of the word +for the night, and safely reached home again.</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER XII.<br> +FAREWELL TO THE CAVALIERS.</h3></center> + + +<p align="center"><img src="farewellcavaliers.jpg" alt="farewellcavaliers"></p> + + +<center><p>"If no more our banners shew<br> +Battles won and banners taken,<br> +Still in death, defeat, and woe,<br> +Ours be loyalty unshaken."<br> +SCOTT</p></center> + +<p>The next day the whole family turned out to gather in the corn. Rusha was +making attempts at reaping, while Emlyn played with little Ben, who toddled +about, shouting and chasing her in and out among the shocks. Now and again they +paused at the low, thunderous growl of the great guns in the distance, in +strange contrast to their peaceful work, and once a foraging party of troopers +rode up to the gate of the little field, but Steadfast met them there, and +showed the officer Captain Venn's paper.</p> + +<p>"So you belong to Kenton of Venn's Valiants? It is well. A blessing on +your work!" said the stern dark-faced officer, and on he went, happily not +seeing Emlyn make an ugly face and clench her little fist behind him.</p> +<p>"How can you, Stead?" she cried. "I'd rather be cursed than +blessed by such as he!"</p> + +<p>Stead shook his head slowly. "A blessing is better than a curse any +way," said he, but his mind was a good deal confused between the piety and +good conduct of these Roundheads, in contrast with their utter contempt of the +Church, and rude dealing with all he had been taught to hold sacred.</p> +<p>His harvest was, however, the matter in hand, and the little patch of corn +was cut and bound between him and his sisters, without further interruption. The +sounds of guns had ceased early in the day, and a neighbour who had ventured +down to the camp to offer some apples for sale leant over the gate to wonder at +the safety of the crop, "though to be sure the soldiers were very civil, if +they would let alone preaching at you;" adding that there was like to be no +more fighting, for one of the gentlemen inside had ridden out with a white flag, +and it was said the Prince was talking of giving in.</p> + +<p>"Give in!" cried Emlyn setting her teeth. "Never. The Prince +will soon make an end of the rebels, and then I shall ride-a-cock horse with our +regiment again! I shall laugh to see the canting rogues run!"</p> + +<p>But the first thing Steadfast heard the next day was that the royal standard +had come down from the Cathedral tower. He had gone up to Elmwood to get some +provisions, and Tom Oates, who spent most of his time in gazing from the +steeple, assured him that if he would come up, he would see for himself that the +flags were changed. Indeed some of the foot soldiers who had been quartered in +the village to guard the roads had brought the certain tidings that the city had +surrendered and that the malignants, as they called the Royalists, were to march +out that afternoon, by the same road as that by which the parliamentary army had +gone out two years before.</p> + +<p>This would be the only chance for Emlyn to rejoin her father or to learn his +fate. The little thing was wild with excitement at the news. Disdainfully she +tore off what she called Rusha's Puritan rags, though as that offended maiden +answered "her own were <i>real</i> rags in spite of all the pains Patience had +taken with them. Nothing would make them tidy," and Rusha pointed to a +hopeless stain and to the frayed edges past mending.</p> + +<p>"I hate tidiness. Only Puritan rebels are tidy!"</p> + +<p>"We are not Puritans!" cried Rusha.</p> + +<p>Emlyn laughed. "Hark at your names," she said. "And what's +that great rebel rogue of a brother of yours?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! he is Jeph! He ran away to the wars! But Stead isn't a +Puritan," cried Rusha, growing more earnest. "He always goes to +church--real church down in Bristol. And poor father was churchmartin, and knew +all the parson's secrets."</p> + +<p>"Hush, Rusha," said Patience, not much liking this disclosure, +however Jerusha might have come by the knowledge, "you and Emlyn don't want +to quarrel when she is just going to say good-bye!"</p> + +<p>This touched the little girls. Rusha had been much enlivened by the little +fairy who had seen so much of the world, and had much more playfulness than the +hard-worked little woodland maid; and Emlyn, who in spite of her airs, knew that +she had been kindly treated, was drawn towards a companion of her own age, was +very fond of little Ben, and still more so of Steadfast.</p> + +<p>Ben cried, "Em not go;" and Rusha held her hand and begged her not +to forget.</p> + +<p>"O no, I won't forget you," said Emlyn, "and when we come back +with the King and Prince, and drive the Roundhead ragamuffins out of Bristol, +then I'll bring Stead a protection for Croppie and Daisy and all, a silver +bodkin for you, and a Flanders lace collar for Patience, and a gold chain for +Stead, and --But oh! wasn't that a trumpet? Stead! Stead! We must go, or we +shall miss them." Then as she hugged and kissed them, "I'll tell Sir +Harry and my lady how good you have been to me, and get my lady to make you a +tirewoman, Rusha. And dear, dear little Ben shall be a king's guard all in +gold."</p> + +<p>Ben had her last smothering kiss, and Rusha began to cry and sob as the gay +little figure, capering by Stead's side, disappeared between the stems of the +trees making an attempt, which Steadfast instantly quenched, at singing,</p> +<p>"The king shall enjoy his own again."</p> + +<p>Patience did not feel disposed to cry. She liked the child, and was grieved +to think what an uncertain lot was before the merry little being, but her +presence had made Rusha and Ben more troublesome than they had ever been in +their lives before, and there was also the anxiety lest her unguarded tongue +should offend Jeph and his friends.</p> + +<p>Emlyn skipped along by Steadfast's side, making him magnificent promises. +They paused by the ruins of the farm where Stead still kept up as much of the +orchard and garden as he could with so little time and so far from home, and +Emlyn filled her skirt with rosy-cheeked apples, saying in a pretty gentle +manner, "they were such a treat to our poor rogues on a dusty march," +and Stead aided her by carrying as many as he could.</p> + +<p>However, an occasional bugle note, clouds of dust on the road far below in +the valley, and a low, dull tramp warned them to come forward, and station +themselves in the hedge above the deep lane where Steadfast had once watched for +his brother. Only a few of the more adventurous village lads were before them +now, and when Stead explained that the little wench wanted to watch for her +father, they were kind in helping him to perch her in the hollow of a broken old +pollard, where she could see, and not be seen. For the poor camp maiden knew the +need of caution. She drew Steadfast close to her, and bade him not show himself +till she told him, for some of the wilder sort would blaze away their pistols at +anything, especially when they had had any good ale, or were out of sorts.</p> + +<p>Poor fellows, there was no doubt of their being out of sorts, as they tramped +along, half hidden in dust, even the officers, who rode before them, with ragged +plumes and slouched hats. The silken banners, which they had been allowed to +carry out, because of their prompt surrender, hung limp and soiled, almost like +tokens of a defeat, and if any one of those spectators behind the hawthorns had +been conversant with Roman history, it would have seemed to them like the +passing under the yoke, so dejected, nay, ashamed was the demeanour of the +gentlemen. Emlyn whispered name after name as they went by, but even she was +hushed and overawed by the spectacle, as four abreast these sad remnants of the +royal army marched along the lane, one or two trying to whistle, a few more +talking in under tones, but all soon dying away, as if they were too much out of +heart to keep anything up.</p> + +<p>She scarcely stirred while the infantry, who were by far the most numerous, +were going by, only naming corps or officer to Stead, then there came an +interval, and the tread of horses and clank of their trappings could be heard. +Then she almost forgot her precautions in her eagerness to crane forward. +"They are coming!" she said. "All there are of them will be a +guard for the Prince."</p> + +<p>Stead felt a strange thrill of pain as he remembered the terrible scene when +he had last beheld that tall, slight young figure, and dark face, now far +sterner and sadder than in those early days, as Rupert went to meet the +bitterest hour of his life.</p> + +<p>Several gentlemen rode with him, whom Emlyn named as his staff, and then came +more troopers, not alike in dress, being, in fact, remnants of shattered +regiments. She was trembling all over with eagerness, standing up, and so +leaning forward, that she might have tumbled into the lane, had not Steadfast +held her.</p> + +<p>At last came a scream. "There's Sir Harry! There's Dick! There's +Staines! Oh! Dick, Dick, where's father?"</p> + +<p>There was a halt, and bronzed faces looked up.</p> + +<p>"Ha! Who's there?"</p> + +<p>"I! I! Emlyn. Oh! Dick, is father coming?"</p> + +<p>"Hollo, little one! Art thou safe after all?"</p> + +<p>"I am, I am. Father! father! Come! Where is he?"</p> + +<p>"It is poor Gaythorn's little wench," explained one of the +soldiers, as Sir Harry, a grey-haired man, looking worn and weary, turned back, +while Steadfast helped the child out on the bank with some difficulty, for her +extreme haste had nearly brought her down, and she stood curtseying, holding out +her arms, and quivering with hope that began to be fear.</p> + +<p>"Poor child!" were the old gentleman's first words. "And where +were you?"</p> + +<p>"Please your honour, father left me in the thorn brake," said +Emlyn, "and said he would come for me, but he did not; it got dark, and +this country lad found me, and took me home. Is father coming, your +honour?"</p> + +<p>"Ah! my poor little maid, your father will never come again," said +Sir Harry, sadly. "He went down by the mill stream. I saw him fall. What is +to be done for her?" he added, turning to a younger gentleman, who rode by +him, as the child stood as it were stunned for a moment. "This is the worst +of it all. Heaven knows we freely sacrifice ourselves in the cause of Church and +King, but it is hard to sacrifice others. Here are these faithful servants, +their home broken up with ours, their children dying, and themselves +killed--she, by the brutes after Naseby, he, in this last skirmish. 'Tis enough +to break a man's heart. And what is to become of this poor little maid?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! I'll go with your honour," cried Emlyn, stretching out her +arms. "I can ride behind Dick, and I'll give no one any trouble. Oh! take +me, sir."</p> + +<p>"It cannot be done, my poor child," said Sir Harry. "We have +no women with us now, and we have to make our way to Newark by forced marches to +His Majesty. I have no choice but to bestow you somewhere till better times +come. Hark you, my good lad, she says you found her, and have been good to her. +Would your mother take charge of her? I'll leave what I can with you, and when +matters are quiet, my wife, or the child's kindred, will send after her. Will +your father and mother keep her for the present?"</p> + +<p>"I have none," said Steadfast. "My father was killed in his +own yard by some soldiers who wanted to drive our cows. Mother had died before, +but my sister and I made a shift to take care of the little ones in a poor place +of our own."</p> + +<p>"And can you take the child in? You seem a good lad."</p> + +<p>"We will do our best for her, sir."</p> + +<p>"What's your name?" and "Where do you live?" followed. +And as Steadfast replied the old Cavalier took out his tablets and noted them, +adding, "Then you and your sister will be good to her till we can send +after her."</p> + +<p>"We will treat her like our little sister, sir."</p> + +<p>"And here's something for her keep for the present, little enough I am +afraid, but we poor Cavaliers have not much left. The King's men were well to do +when I heard last of them, and they will make it up by-and-by. Or if not, my +boy, can you do this for the love of God?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," said Steadfast, looking up with his honest eyes, and +touching his forelock at the holy Name.</p> + +<p>"Here, then," and Sir Harry held out two gold pieces, to which his +companion added one, and two or three of the troopers, saying something about +poor Gaythorn's little maid, added some small silver coins. There was something +in Steadfast's mind that would have preferred declining all payment, but he was +a little afraid of Patience's dismay at having another mouth to provide for all +the winter, and he thought too that Jeph's anger at the adoption of the +Canaanitish child might be averted if it were a matter of business and payment, +so he accepted the sum, thanked Sir Harry and the rest, and renewed his promise +to do the best in his power for the little maiden. He rather wondered that no +questions were asked as to which side he held; but Sir Harry had no time to +inquire, and could only hope that the honest, open face, respectful manner, +clean dress, and the kindness which had rescued the child on the battlefield +were tokens that he might be trusted to take care of the poor little orphan. +Besides, many of the country people were too ignorant to understand the +difference between the sides, but only took part with their squire, or if they +loved their clergyman, clung to him. So the knight would not ask any questions, +and only further called out "Fare thee well, then, poor little maid, we +will send after thee when we can," and then giving a sharp, quick order, +all the little party galloped off to overtake the rest.</p> + +<p>Emlyn had been bred up in too much awe of Sir Harry to make objections, but +as her friends rode off she gave a sharp shriek, screamed out one name after +another, and finally threw herself down on the road bank in a wild passion of +grief, anger, and despair, and when Steadfast would have lifted her up and +comforted her, she kicked and fought him away. Presently he tried her again, +begging her to come home.</p> + +<p>"I won't! I won't go to your vile, tumble-down, roundhead, crop-eared +hole!" she sobbed out.</p> + +<p>"But, Sir Harry--"</p> + +<p>"I won't! I say."</p> + +<p>He was at his wits' end, but after all, the sound of other steps coming up +startled her into composing herself and sitting up.</p> + +<p>"Hollo, Stead Kenton! Got this little puppet on your hands?" said +young Gates. "Hollo, mistress, you squeal like a whole litter of +pigs."</p> + +<p>"I am to take charge of her till her friends can send for her," +said Stead, with protecting dignity.</p> + +<p>"And that will be a long day! Ho, little wench, where didst get that +sweet voice?"</p> + +<p>"Hush, Tom! the child has only just heard that her father is dead."</p> + +<p>This silenced the other lads, and Emlyn's desire to get away from them +accomplished what Steadfast wished, she put her hand into his and let him lead +her away, and as there were sounds of another troop of cavalry coming up the +lane, the boys did not attempt to follow her. She made no more resistance, +though she broke into fresh fits of moaning and crying all the way home, such as +went to Steadfast's heart, though he could not find a word to comfort her.</p> + +<p>Patience was scarcely delighted when Rusha darted in, crying out that Emlyn +had come back again, but perhaps she was not surprised. She took the poor +worn-out little thing in her arms, and rocked her, saying kind, tender little +words, while Steadfast looked on, wondering at what girls could do, but not +speaking till, finding that Emlyn was fast asleep, Patience laid her down on the +bed without waking her, and then had time to listen to Stead's account of the +interview with Sir Harry Blythedale.</p> + +<p>"I could not help it, Patience," he said, "we couldn't leave +the poor fatherless child out on the hedge-side."</p> + +<p>"No," said Patience, "we can't but have her, as the gentleman +said, for the love of God. He has taken care of us, so we ought to take care of +the fatherless--like ourselves."</p> + +<p>"That's right, Patience," said Steadfast, much relieved in his +mind, "and see here!"</p> + +<p>"I wonder you took that, Stead, and the poor gentlemen so ill off +themselves."</p> + +<p>"Well, Patience, I thought if you would not have her, Goody Grace might +for the pay, but then who knows when any more may come?"</p> + +<p>"Aye," said Patience, "we must keep her, though she will be a +handful. Anyway, all this must be laid out for her, and the first chance I have, +some shall be in decent clothes. I can't a-bear to see her in those dirty +gewgaws."</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER XIII.<br> +GODLY VENN'S TROOP.</h3> + +<p>"Ye abbeys and ye arches,<br> +Ye old cathedrals dear,<br> +The hearts that love you tremble,<br> +And your enemies have cheer."<br> +BP. CLEVELAND COXE.</p></center> + +<p>"What would Jeph say?" was the thought of both Steadfast and Patience, as +Emlyn ran about with Rusha and Ben, making herself tolerably happy and +enlivening them all a good deal. After one fight she found that she must obey +Patience, though she made no secret that she liked the sober young mistress of +the hut much less than the others, and could even sometimes get Steadfast to +think her hardly used, but he seldom showed that feeling, for he had plenty of +sense, and could not bear to vex his sister; besides, he saw there would be no +peace if her authority was not supported. It was a relief that there was no +visit from Jeph for some little time, though the fighting was all over, and +people were going in and out of Bristol as before.</p> +<p>Stead took the donkey with the panniers full of apples and nuts on market +day, and a pile of fowls and ducks on its back, while he carried a basket of +eggs on his arm, and in his head certain instructions from Patience about the +grogram and linen he was to purchase for Emlyn, in the hope of making her +respectable before Jeph's eyes should rest upon her. Stead's old customers were +glad to see him again, especially Mrs. Lightfoot, who had Dr. Eales once again +in her back rooms, keeping out of sight, while the good Dean was actually in +prison for using the Prayer-book. Three soldiers were quartered upon her at the +Wheatsheaf, and though, on the whole, they were more civil and much less riotous +than some of her Cavalier lodgers had been, she was always in dread of their +taking offence at the doctor and hauling him off to gaol.</p> +<p>Steadfast confided to her Patience's commission, which she undertook to +execute herself. It included a spinning-wheel, for Patience was determined to +teach Emlyn to spin, an art of which no respectable woman from the Queen +downwards was ignorant in those days. As to finding his brother, the best way +would be to ask the soldiers who were smoking in the kitchen where he was likely +to be.</p> +<p>They said that the faithful and valiant Jephthah Kenton of Venn's horse would +be found somewhere about the great steeple house, profanely called the +Cathedral, for there the troops were quartered; and thither accordingly Stead +betook himself, starting as he saw horses gearing or being groomed on the sward +in the close which had always been kept in such perfect order. Having looked in +vain outside for his brother, he advanced into the building, but he had only +just had a view of horses stamping between the pillars, the floor littered down +with straw, a fire burning in one of the niches, and soldiers lying about, +smoking or eating, in all manner of easy, lounging attitudes, when suddenly +there was a shout of "Prelatist, Idolater, Baal-worshipper, Papist," +and to his horror he found it was all directed towards himself. They were +pointing to his head, and two of them had caught him by the shoulders, when +another voice rose "Ha! Let him alone. I say, Bill! Faithful! It's my +brother. He knows no better!" Then dashing up, Jeph rammed the great hat +down over Stead's brow, eyes and all, and called out, "Whoever touches my +brother must have at me first."</p> +<p>"There," said one of the others, "the old Adam need not be so +fierce in thee, brother Jephthah! No one wants to hurt the lad, young prelatist +though he be, so he will make amends by burning their superstitious books on the +fire, even as Jehu burnt the worshippers of Baal."</p> +<p>Steadfast felt somewhat as Christians of old may have felt when called on to +throw incense on the altar of Jupiter, as a handful of pages torn from a +Prayer-book was thrust into his hands. Words did not come readily to him, but he +shook his head and stood still, perhaps stolid in resistance.</p> +<p>"Come," said Jeph, laying hold of his shoulder to drag him along.</p> +<p>"I cannot; 'tis Scripture," said Stead, as in his distress his eye +fell on the leaves in his hand, and he read aloud to prove it--</p> +<p>"Thy Word is a lantern unto my feet, and a light unto my path."</p> +<p>There was one moment's pause. Perhaps the men had absolutely forgotten how +much of their cherished Bible was integral in the hated Prayer-book; at any rate +they were enough taken aback to enable Jeph to pull his brother out at the door, +not without a fraternal cuff or two, as he exclaimed:</p> +<p>"Thou foolish fellow! ever running into danger for very dullness."</p> +<p>"What have I done, Jeph?" asked poor Stead, still bewildered.</p> +<p>"Done! Why, doffed thy hat, after the superstitious and idolatrous +custom of our fathers."</p> +<p>"How can it be idolatrous? 'Twas God's house," said Stead.</p> +<p>"Aye, there thou art in the gall of bitterness. Know'st thou not that no +house is more holy than another?" and Jeph would have gone on for some time +longer, but that he heard sounds which made him suspect that someone had +condemned the version of the Psalms as prelatical and profane, and that his +comrades might yet burst forth to visit their wrath upon his young brother, whom +he therefore proceeded to lead out of sight as fast as possible into the Dean's +garden, where he had the entree as being orderly to Captain Venn, who, with +other officers, abode in the Deanery.</p> +<p>There, controversy being dropped for the moment, Stead was able to tell his +brother of his expedition, and how he had been obliged to keep the child, for +very pity's sake, even if her late father's master had not begged him to do so, +and given an earnest of the payment.</p> +<p>Jeph laughed a little scornfully at the notion of a wild Cavalier ever +paying, but he was not barbarous, and allowed that there was no choice in the +matter, as she could not be turned out to starve. When he heard that Stead had +come with market produce he was displeased at it not having been brought up for +the table of his officers, assuring Stead that they were not to be confounded +with the roistering, penniless malignants, who robbed instead of paying. Stead +said he always supplied Mistress Lightfoot, but this was laughed to scorn. +"The rulers of the army of saints had a right to be served first, above all +before one who was believed to harbour the idolater, even the priest of the +groves."</p> +<p>Jeph directed that the next supply should come to the Deanery, as one who had +the right of ownership, and Stead submitted, only with the secret resolve that +Dr. Eales should not want his few eggs nor his pat of fresh butter.</p> +<p>Jeph was not unkind to Stead, and took him to dine with the other attendants +of the officers in the very stone hall where he had eaten that Christmas dinner +some twenty months before. There was a very long grace pronounced extempore, and +the guests were stout, resolute, grave-looking men, who kept on their +steeple-crowned hats all the time and conversed in low, deep voices, chiefly, as +far as Stead could gather, on military matters, but they seemed to appreciate +good beef and ale quite as much as any Cavalier trooper could have done. One of +them noticing Stead asked whether he had come to take service with the saints +and enjoy their dominion, but Jeph answered for him that his call lay at home +among those of his own household, until his heart should be whole with the +cause.</p> +<p>On the whole Stead was proud to see Jeph holding his own, though the youngest +among these determined-looking men. These two years had made a man of the rough, +idle, pleasure-loving boy, and a man after the Ironsides' fashion, grave, +self-contained, and self-depending. Stead had been more like the elder than the +younger brother in old times, but he felt Jeph immeasurably his elder in the +new, unfamiliar atmosphere; and yet the boy had a strong sense that all was not +right; that these were interlopers in the kind old Dean's house; that the talk +about Baal was mere absurdity; and the profanation of the Cathedral would have +been utterly shocking to his good father. His mind, however, worked slowly, and +he would have had nothing to say even if he could have ventured to speak; but he +was very anxious to get away; and when Jeph would have kept him to hear the +serjeant expound a chapter of Revelation, he pleaded the necessity of getting +home in time to milk the cows, and made his escape.</p> +<p>On the whole it was a relief that Jeph was too much occupied with his +military duties to make visits to his home. It might not have been over easy to +keep the peace between him and Emlyn, fiery little Royalist as she was, and too +much used to being petted and fascinating everyone by her saucy audacity to be +likely to be afraid of him.</p> +<p>If Patience crossed her she would have recourse to Stead, and he could seldom +resist her coaxing, or be entirely disabused of the notion that his sister +expected too much of her. And perhaps it was true. Patience was scarcely likely +to understand differences of character and temperament, and not merely to +recollect that Emlyn was only eighteen months younger than she had been when she +had been forced into the position of the house mother. So, while Emlyn's wayward +fancies were a great trial, Steadfast's sympathy with them was a greater one.</p> +<p>Stead continued to see Jeph when taking in the market produce, for which he +was always duly paid. Jeph also wished the whole family to come in on Sunday to +profit by the preaching of some of the great Independent lights; but Stead, +after trying it once, felt so sure that Patience would be miserable at anything +so unaccustomed, so thunderous, and, as it seemed to him, so abusive, that he +held to it that the distance was too great, and that the cattle could not be +left. The soldiery seemed to him to spend their spare time in defacing the many +churches of the city, chiefly in order to do what they called purifying them +from all idols, in which term they included every sort of carving or picture, or +even figures on monuments.</p> +<p>And in this work of destruction a chest containing church plate had been come +upon, making their work greedy instead of only mischievous.</p> +<p>When all the churches in Bristol had been ransacked, they began to extend +their search to the parish churches in the neighbourhood, and Stead began to be +very anxious, though he hoped and believed that the cave was a perfectly safe +place.</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER XIV.<br> +THE QUESTION.</h3> + +<p>"Dogged as does it."--TROLLOPE.</p></center> + +<p>Stead, Stead," cried Rusha, running up to him, as he was slowly digging +over his stubble field to prepare it for the next crop, "the soldiers are +in Elmwood."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Emlyn, coming up at the same time, "they are +knocking about everything in the church and pulling up the floor."</p> +<p>"Patience sent us to get some salt," explained Rusha, "and we +saw them from Dame Redman's door. She told us we had better be off and get home +as fast as we could."</p> + +<p>"But I thought we would come and tell you," added Emlyn, "and +then you could get out the long gun and shoot them as they come into the +valley--that is if you can take aim--but I would load and show you how, and then +they would think it was a whole ambush of honest men."</p> + +<p>"Aye, and kill us all--and serve us right," said Stead. "They +don't want to hurt us if we don't meddle with them. But there's a good wench, +Rusha, drive up the cows and sheep this way so that I can have an eye on them, +and shew Captain Venn's paper, if any of those fellows should take a fancy to +them."</p> + +<p>"They are digging all over old parson's garden," said Rusha, as she +obeyed.</p> + +<p>"Was Jeph there?" asked Stead.</p> + +<p>"I didn't see him," said the child.</p> + +<p>Steadfast was very uneasy. That turning up the parson's garden looked as if +they might be in search of the silver belonging to the Church, but after all +they were unlikely to connect him with it, and it was wiser to go on with his +regular work, and manifest no interest in the matter; besides that, every +spadeful he heaved up, every chop he gave the stubble, seemed to be a comfort, +while there was a prayer on his soul all the time that he might be true to his +trust.</p> + +<p>By-and-by he saw Tom Oates running and beckoning to him, "Stead, Stead +Kenton, you are to come."</p> + +<p>"What should I come for?" said Stead, gruffly.</p> + +<p>"The soldiers want you."</p> + +<p>"What call have they to me?"</p> + +<p>"They be come to cleanse the steeple house, they says, and take the +spoil thereof, and they've been routling over the floor and parson's garden like +so many hogs, and are mad because they can't find nothing, and Thatcher Jerry +says, says he, 'Poor John Kenton as was shot was churchwarden and was very great +with Parson. If anybody knows where the things is 'tis Steadfast Kenton.' So the +corporal says, 'Is this so, Jephthah Kenton?' and Jeph, standing up in his big +boots, says, 'Aye, corporal, my father was yet in the darkness of prelacy, and +was what in their blindness they call a Churchwarden, but as to my brother, +that's neither here nor there, he were but a boy and not like to know more than +I did.' But the corporal said, 'That we will see. Is the lad here?' So I ups and +said nay, but I'd seen you digging your croft, and then they bade me fetch you. +So you must come, willy-nilly, or they may send worse after you."</p> + +<p>Stead was a little consoled by hearing that his brother was there. He +suspected that Jeph would have consideration enough for his sisters and for the +property that he considered his own to be unwilling to show the way to their +valley; and he also reflected that it would be well that whatever might happen +to himself should be out of sight of his sisters. Therefore he decided on +following Oates, going through on the way the whole question whether to deny all +knowledge, and yet feeling that the things belonging to God should not be +shielded by untruth. His resolution finally was to be silent, and let them make +what they would out of that, and Stead, though it was long since he had put it +on, had a certain sullen air of stupidity such as often belongs to such natures +as his, and which Jeph knew full well in him.</p> + +<p>They came in sight of the village green where the soldiers were refreshing +themselves at what once had been the Elmwood Arms, for though not given to +excess, total abstinence formed no part of the discipline of the Puritans; and +one of the men started forward, and seizing hold of Steadfast by the shoulder +exclaimed--</p> + +<p>"As I live, 'tis the young prelatist who bowed himself down in the house +of Rimmon! Come on, thou seed of darkness, and answer for thyself."</p> +<p>If he had only known it, he was making the part of dogged silence and +resistance infinitely easier to Steadfast by the rudeness and abuse, which, even +in a better cause, would have made it natural to him to act as he was doing now, +giving the soldier all the trouble of dragging him onward and then standing with +his hands in his pockets like an image of obstinacy.</p> + + +<p align="center"><img src="steadroundheads.jpg" alt="steadroundheads"></p> + + +<p>"Speak," said the corporal, "and it shall be the better for +thee. Hast thou any knowledge where the priests of Baal have bestowed the +vessels of their mockery of worship."</p> + +<p>Stead moved not a muscle of his face. He had no acquaintance with priests of +Baal or their vessels, so that he was not in the least bound to comprehend, and +one of them exclaimed "The oaf knows not your meaning, corporal. Speak +plainer to his Somerset ears. He knows not the tongue of the saints."</p> + +<p>"Ho, then, thou child of darkness. Know'st thou where the mass-mongering +silver and gold of this church be hidden from them of whom it is written 'haste +to the spoil.' Come, speak out. A crown if thou dost speak--the lash if thou +wilt not answer, thou dumb dog."</p> + +<p>Stead was really not far removed from a dumb dog. All his faculties were so +entirely wrought up to resistance that he had hardly distinguished the words.</p> + +<p>"Come, come, Stead," said Jeph, "thou art too old for thine +old sulky moods. Speak up, and tell if thou know'st aught of the Communion Cup +and dish, or it will be the worse for thee. Yes or no?"</p> + +<p>Stead made a move with his shoulder to push away his brother, and still stood +silent.</p> + +<p>"There," said Jeph, "it is all Faithful's fault for his rough +handling. His back is set up. It was always so from a boy, and you'll get nought +out of him."</p> + +<p>"Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction +shall drive it far from him," quoted the Corporal, taking up a waggoner's +whip which stood by the inn door, and the like of which had no doubt once been a +more familiar weapon to him than the sword.</p> + +<p>"Speak lad--or--" and as no speech came, the lash descended on +Stead's shoulders, not, however, hurting him much save where it grazed the skin +of his face.</p> + +<p>"Now? Not a word? Take off his leathern coat, Faithful, then shall he +feel the reward of sullenness."</p> + +<p>That Jeph did not interfere, while Faithful and another soldier tugged off +his leathern coat, buffeting and kicking him roughly as they did so, brought +additional hardness to Stead. He had been flogged in his time before, and not +without reason, and had taken a pride in not giving in, or crying out for pain; +and the ancient habit acquired in a worse cause, came to his help. He scarcely +recollected the cause of his resistance; all his powers were concentrated in +holding out, and when after another "Now, vile prelatic spawn, is thy heart +still hardened? Yes or no?" the terrible whip came stinging and biting down +on his shoulders and back, only protected by his shirt, he was entirely bound up +in the determination to endure the pain without a groan or cry.</p> + +<p>But after blows enough had fallen to mark the shirt with streaks of blood, +Jeph could bear it no longer.</p> + +<p>"Hold!" he said. "You will never make him speak that way. +Father and mother never could. Strokes do but harden him."</p> + +<p>"The sure token of a fool," said the corporal, and prepared for +another lash.</p> + +<p>"'Tis plain he knows," said one of the others. "He would never +stand this if a word would save him."</p> + +<p>"Mere malice and obstinacy," said Faithful, "and wilfulness. +He will not utter a word. I would beat it out of him, as I was wont with our old +ass."</p> + +<p>Another stroke descended, worse than all the others after the brief interval, +but Jeph again spoke, "Look you, I know the lad of old and you'll get no +more that way than if you were flogging the sign-post there. Whether he knows +where the things are or not, the temper that is in him will never answer while +you beat him, were it to save his life. Leave him to me, and I'll be bound to +get an answer from him."</p> + +<p>"And I am constable, and I must say," said Blacksmith Blane, moving +forwards, with a bar of iron in his hand, and four or five stout men behind him, +"that to come and abuse and flog a hard-working, fatherless lad, that never +did you no harm, nor anyone else, is not what honest men look for from soldiers +that talk so big about Parliament and rights and what not!"</p> + +<p>"'Twas for contumacy," began the corporal.</p> + +<p>"Contumacy forsooth, as though 'twas the will of the honest gentlemen in +Parliament that boys should be misused for nothing at all!"</p> + +<p>"If the young dog would have spoken," began the corporal, but +somehow he did not like the look of Blane's iron bar, and thought it best to +look up at the sun, and discover that it was time to depart if the party were to +be in time for roll-call. As it was a private marauding speculation, it might +not be well to have complaints made to Captain Venn, who never sanctioned +plunder nor unnecessary violence. Even Jeph had to march off, and Steadfast, who +had no mind to be pitied, nor asked by the neighbours what was the real fact, +had picked up his spade and jerkin, and was out of sight while the villagers +were watching the soldiers away.</p> + +<p>The first thing he did was to give thanks in heart that he had been aided +thus far not to betray his trust, and then to feel that Corporal Dodd's flogging +was a far severer matter than the worst chastisement he had ever received from +his father, even when he kept Jeph's secret about the stolen apples. Putting on +his coat was impossible, and he was so stiff and sore that he could not hope to +conceal his condition from Patience.</p> + +<p>At home all were watching for him. They ran up in anxiety, for one of the +ever ready messengers of evil had rushed down the glen to tell Patience that the +soldiers were beating Stead shamefully, and Jeph standing by not saying one +word. Little Ben broke out with "Poor, poor!" and Rusha burst into +tears at sight of the blood, while Emlyn said "Just what comes of going +among the rascal Roundheads," and Patience looked up at him and said +"Was it--?" he nodded, and she quietly said "I'm glad." He +added, "Jeph's coming soon," and she knew that the trial was not over. +The brother and sister needed very few words to understand one another, and they +were afraid to say anything that the younger ones could understand. Patience +washed the weals with warm water and milk, and wrapped a cloak round him, but +even the next morning, he could not use his arms without fresh bleeding, and the +hindrance to the work was serious. He could do nothing but herd the cattle, and +he was much inclined to drive them to the further end of the moorland where +Jephthah would hardly find him, but then he recollected that Patience would be +left to bear the brunt of the attack, so that he would not go far off, never +guessing, poor fellow, that in his dull, almost blundering fashion, he was doing +like the heroes and the martyrs, but only feeling that he must keep his trust at +all costs. Jeph, however, did not come that day or the next, so that inwardly, +the wound-up feeling had passed into a weariness of expectation, and outwardly +the stripes had healed enough for Stead to go about his work as usual only a +little stiffly. He went into Bristol on market day as usual, and then it was, on +his way out that Jeph joined him, saying it was to bid Patience and the little +ones farewell, since the marching orders were for the morrow. He was unusually +kind and good-natured; he had a load of comfits for Rusha and Ben, and a stout +piece of woollen stuff for Patience which he said was such as he was told godly +maidens wore, and which possibly the terror of his steel cap and corslet had +cheapened at the mercer's; also he had a large packet of tractates for Stead's +own reading, and he enquired whether they possessed a Bible.</p> + +<p>Stead wondered whether all this was out of regret at the treatment he had +undergone, or whether it was to put him off his guard, and this occupied him +when Jeph began to preach, as he did uninterruptedly for the last mile, without +any of the sense, if there were any, reaching the mind of the auditor.</p> + +<p>They reached the hut, the gifts were displayed; and when the young ones, who +were all a little afraid of the elder brother, had gone off to feast upon the +sweets, Jeph began with enquiries after Steadfast's back, and he replied that it +was mending fast, while Patience exclaimed at the cruelty and wickedness of so +using him.</p> + +<p>"Why wouldn't he speak then?" said Jeph. "Yea or nay would +have ended it in a moment, but that's Stead's way. He looks like it now!" +and he did, elbows on knees, and chin on hands.</p> + +<p>"Come now, Stead, thou canst speak to me! Was it all because Faithful +hauled thee about?"</p> + +<p>"He did, and he had no call to," said Stead, surlily.</p> + +<p>"Well, that's true, but I'm not hauling thee. Tell me, Stead, I mind now +that thou wast out with father that last day ere the Parson was taken to receive +his deserts. I don't believe that even thy churlishness would have stood such +blows if thou hadst known naught of the idolatrous vessels, and couldst have +saved thy skin by saying so! No answer. Why, what have these malignants done for +thee that thou shouldst hold by them? Slain thy father! Burnt thine house! No +fault of theirs that thou art alive this day! Canst not speak?"</p> + +<p>Jeph's temper giving way at the provocation, he forgot his conciliatory +intentions and seizing Stead by the collar shook him violently. Growler almost +broke his chain with rage, Patience screamed and flew to the rescue, just as she +had often done when they were all children together, and Jeph threw his brother +from him so that he fell on the root of a tree, and lay for a moment or two +still, then picked himself up again evidently with pain, though he answered +Patience cheerfully that it was nought.</p> + +<p>"Thou art enough to drive a man mad with thy surly silence," +exclaimed Jeph, whom this tussle had rendered much more like his old self, +"and after all, knowing that even though thou art not one of the holy ones, +thou wilt not tell a lie, it comes to the same thing. I know thou wottest where +these things are, and it is only thy sullen scruples that hinder thee from +speaking. Nevertheless, I shall leave no stone unturned till I find them! For +what is written 'Thou shalt break down their altars.'"</p> + +<p>"Jeph," said Stead, firmly. "You left home because of your +grief and rage at father's death. Would you have me break the solemn charge he +laid on me?"</p> + +<p>"Father was a good man after his light," said Jeph, a little +staggered, "but that light was but darkness, and we to whom the day itself +is vouchsafed are not bound by a charge laid on us in ignorance. Any way, he +laid no bonds on me, but I must needs leave thee alone in thy foolishness of +bondage! Come, Patience, wench, and aid me, I know this rock is honeycombed with +caves, like a rabbit warren, no place so likely."</p> + +<p>"I help thee--no indeed'" cried Patience. "Would I aid thee to +do what would most grieve poor father, that thou once mad'st such a work about! +I should be afraid of his curse."</p> + +<p>Possibly if Jeph had not pledged himself to his comrades to overcome his +brother's resistance, and bring back the treasures, he might have desisted; but +what he did was to call to Rusha to bring him a lantern, and show him the holes, +promising her a tester if she would. She brought the lantern, but she was a +timid, little, unenterprising thing, and was mortally afraid of the caverns, a +fear that Patience had thought it well not to combat. Emlyn who had already +scrambled all over the face of the slope, and peeped into all, could have told +him a great deal more about them; but she hated the sight of a rebel, and sat on +the ground making ugly faces and throwing little stones after him whenever his +back was turned.</p> + +<p>Stead, afraid to betray by his looks of anxiety, when Jeph came near the +spot, sat all the time with his elbows on his knees, and his hands over his +face, fully trusting to what all had agreed at the time of the burial of the +chest, that there was no sign to indicate its whereabouts.</p> + +<p>He felt rather than saw that Jeph, after tumbling out the straw and fern that +served for fodder in the lower caves, where the sheep and pigs were sheltered in +winter, had scrambled up to the hermit's chapel, when suddenly there was a +shout, but not at all of exultation, and down among the bushes, lantern and all +came the soldier, tumbling and crashing into the midst of an enormous bramble, +whence Stead pulled him out with the lantern flattened under him, and his first +breathless words were--</p> + +<p>"Beelzebub himself!" Then adding, as he stood upright, "he +made full at me, and I saw his eyes glaring. I heard him groaning. It is an +unholy popish place. No wonder!"</p> + +<p>Patience and Rusha were considerably impressed, for it was astonishing to see +how horribly terrified and shaken was the warrior, who had been in two pitched +battles, and Ben screamed, and needed to be held in Stead's arms to console him.</p> + +<p>Jeph had no mind to pursue his researches any further. He only tarried long +enough to let Patience pick out half-a-dozen thorns from his cheeks and hands, +and to declare that if he had not to march to-morrow, he should bring that +singular Christian man, Captain Venn, to exorcise the haunt of Apollyon. +Wherewith he bade them all farewell, with hopes that by the time he saw them +again, they would have come to the knowledge of the truth.</p> + +<p>No sooner was he out of sight among the bushes than Emlyn seized on Rusha, +and whirled her round in a dance as well as her more substantial proportions +would permit, while Steadfast let his countenance expand into the broad grin +that he had all this time been stifling.</p> + +<p>"What <i>do</i> you think it was?" asked Patience, still awestruck.</p> + +<p>"Why--the old owl--and his own bad conscience. He might talk big, but he +didn't half like going against poor father. Thank God! He has saved His own, and +that's over!"</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER XV.<br> +A TABLE OF LOVE IN THE WILDERNESS.</h3> + +<p>"Yet along the Church's sky<br> +Stars are scattered, pure and high;<br> +Yet her wasted gardens bear<br> +Autumn violets, sweet and rare,<br> +Relics of a Spring-time clear,<br> +Earnests of a bright New Year."<br> +KEBLE</p></center> + +<p>No more was heard or seen of Jephthah, or of Captain Venn's troop. The +garrison within Bristol was small and unenterprising, and in point of fact the +war was over. News travelled slowly, but Stead picked up scraps at Bristol, by +which he understood that things looked very bad for the King. Moreover, Sir +George Elmwood died of his wounds; poor old Lady Elmwood did not long survive +him, and the estate, which had been left to her for her life, was sequestrated +by the Parliament, and redeemed by the next heir after Sir George, so that there +was an exchange of the Lord of the Manor. The new squire was an elderly man, +hearty and good-natured, who did not seem at all disposed to interfere with any +one on the estate. He was a Presbyterian, and was shocked to find that the +church had been unused for three years. He had it cleaned from the accumulation +of dirt and rubbish, the broken windows mended with plain glass, and the altar +table put down in the nave, as it had been before Mr. Holworth's time; and he +presented to the living Mr. Woodley, a scholarly-looking person, who wore a +black gown and collar and bands.</p> + +<p>The Elmwood folk were pleased to have prayers and sermon again, and Patience +was glad that the children should not grow up like heathens; but her first +church going did not satisfy her entirely.</p> + +<p>"It is all strange," she said to Stead, who had stayed with the +cattle. "He had no book, and it was all out of his own head, not a bit like +old times."</p> + +<p>"Of course not," said Emlyn. "He had got no surplice, and I +knew him for a prick-eared Roundhead! I should have run off home if you had not +held me, Patience. I'll never go there again."</p> + +<p>"I am sure you made it a misery to me, trying to make Rusha and Ben as +idle and restless as yourself," said Patience.</p> + +<p>"They ought not to listen to a mere Roundhead sectary," said Emlyn, +tossing her head. "I couldn't have borne it if I had not had the young +ladies to look at. They had got silk hoods and curls and lace collars, so as it +was a shame a mere Puritan should wear."</p> + +<p>"O Emlyn, Emlyn, it is all for the outside," said Patience. +"Now, I did somehow like to hear good words, though they were not like the +old ones."</p> + +<p>"Good, indeed! from a trumpery Puritan."</p> + +<p>Stead went to church in the afternoon. He was eighteen now, and that great +struggle and effort had made him more of a man. He thought much when he was +working alone in the fields, and he had spent his time on Sundays in reading his +Bible and Prayer-book, and comparing them with Jeph's tracts. Since Emlyn had +come, he had made a corner of the cowshed fit to sleep in, by stuffing the walls +with dry heather, and the sweet breath of the cows kept it sufficiently warm, +and on the winter evenings, he took a lantern there with one of Patience's rush +lights, learnt a text or two anew, and then repeated passages to himself and +thought over them. What would seem intolerably dull to a lad now, was rest to +one who had been rendered older than his age by sorrow and responsibility, and +the events that were passing led people to consider religious questions a great +deal.</p> + +<p>But Stead was puzzled. The minister was not like the soldiers whom he had +heard raving about the reign of the saints, and abusing the church. He prayed +for the King's having a good deliverance from his troubles, and for the peace of +the kingdom, and he gave out that there was to be a week of fasting, preaching, +and preparation for the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.</p> + +<p>The better sort of people in the village were very much pleased, nobody +except Goody Grace was dissatisfied, and people told her that was only because +she was old and given to grumbling at everything new. Blane the Smith tapped +Stead on the shoulder, and said, "Hark ye, my lad. If it be true that thou +wast in old Parson's secrets, now's the time for thou know'st what."</p> + +<p>Stead's mouth was open, and his face blank, chiefly because he did not know +what to do, and was taken by surprise, and Blane took it for an answer.</p> + +<p>"Oh! if you don't know, that's another thing, but then 'twas for nothing +that the troopers flogged you? Well," he muttered, as Stead walked off, +"that's a queer conditioned lad, to let himself be flogged, as I wouldn't +whip a dog, all out of temper, because he wouldn't answer a question. But he's a +good lad, and I'll not bring him into trouble by a word to squire or +minister."</p> + +<p>The children went off to gather cowslips, and Stead was able to talk it over +with Patience, who at first was eager to be rid of the dangerous trust, and +added, with a sigh, "That she had never taken the Sacrament since the +Easter before poor father was killed, and it must be nigh upon Whitsuntide +now."</p> + +<p>"That's true," said Stead, "but nobody makes any count of holy +days now. It don't seem right, Patience."</p> + +<p>"Not like what it used to be," said Patience. "And yet this +minister is surely a godly man."</p> + +<p>"Father and parson didn't say ought about a godly man. They made me take +my solemn promise that I'd only give the things to a lawfully ordained +minister."</p> + +<p>"He is a minister, and he comes by law," argued Patience. "Do +be satisfied, Stead. I'm always in fear now that folks guess we have somewhat in +charge; and Emlyn is such a child for prying and chattering. And if they should +come and beat thee again, or do worse. Oh, Stead! surely you might give them up +to a good man like that; Smith Blane says you ought!"</p> + +<p>"I doubt me! I know that sort don't hold with Bishops, and, so far as I +can see, by father's old Prayer-book, a lawful minister must have a Bishop to +lay hands on him," said Stead, who had studied the subject as far as his +means would allow, and had good though slow brains of his own, matured by +responsibility. "I'll tell you what, Patience, I'll go and see Dr. Eales +about it. I wot he is a minister of the old sort, that father would say I might +trust to."</p> + +<p>Dr. Eales was still living in Mrs. Lightfoot's lodgings, at the sign of the +Wheatsheaf, or more properly starving, for he had only ten pounds a year paid to +him out of the benefice that had been taken away from him; and though that went +farther then than it would do now, it would not have maintained him, but that +his good hostess charged him as little as she could afford, and he also had a +few pupils among the gentry's sons, but there were too many clergymen in the +same straits for this to be a very profitable undertaking. There were no +soldiers in Mrs. Lightfoot's house now, and the doctor lived more at large, but +still cautiously, for in the opposite house, named the "Ark," whose +gable end nearly met the Wheatsheaf's, dwelt a rival baker, a Brownist, whose +great object seemed to be to spy upon the clergyman, and have something to +report against him, nor was Mrs. Lightfoot's own man to be trusted. Stead +lingered about the open stall where the bread was sold till no customer was at +hand, and then mentioned under his breath to the good dame his desire to speak +with her lodger.</p> + +<p>"Certainly," she said, but the Doctor was now with his pupils at +Mistress Rivett's. He always left them at eleven of the clock, more shame of +Mrs. Rivett not to give the good man his dinner, which she would never feel. +Steadfast had better watch for him at the gate which opened on the down, for +there he could speak more privately and securely than at home.</p> + +<p>He took the advice, and passed away the time as best he could, learning on +the way that a news letter had been received stating that the King was with the +Scottish army at Newcastle, and that it was expected that on receiving their +arrears of pay, the Scots would surrender him to the Parliament, a proceeding +which the folk in the market-place approved or disapproved according to their +politics.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Rivett's house stood a little apart from the town, with a court and +gates opening on the road over the down; and just as eleven strokes were chiming +from the town clock below, a somewhat bent, silver-haired man, in a square cap +and black gown, leaning on a stick, came out of it. Stead, after the respectful +fashion of his earlier days, put his knee to the ground, doffed his +steeple-crowned hat and craved a blessing, both he and the Doctor casting a +quick glance round so as to be sure there was no one in sight.</p> + +<p>Dr. Eales gave it earnestly, as one to whom it was a rare joy to find a +country youth thus demanding it, and as he looked at the honest face he said:</p> + +<p>"You are mine hostess' good purveyor, methinks, to whom I have often +owed a wholesome meal."</p> + +<p>"Steadfast Kenton, so please your reverence. There is a secret matter on +which I would fain have your counsel, and Mistress Lightfoot thought I might +speak to you here with greater safety."</p> + +<p>"She did well. Speak on, my good boy, if we walk up and down here we +shall be private. It does my heart good to commune with a faithful young son of +the Church."</p> + +<p>Steadfast told his story, at which the good old Canon was much affected. His +brother Holworth, as he called him, was not in prison but in the Virginian +plantations. He was still the only true minister of Elmwood, and Mr. Woodley, +though owned by the present so-called law of the land, was not there rightly by +the law of the Church, and, therefore, Stead was certainly not bound to +surrender the trust to him, but rather the contrary.</p> + +<p>The Doctor could have gone into a long disquisition about Presbyterian +Orders, contradicting the arguments many good and devout people adduced in +favour of them, but there was little time, so he only confirmed with authority +Stead's belief that a Bishop's Ordination was indispensable to a true pastor, +"the only door by which to enter to the charge of the fold."</p> + +<p>Then came the other question of attendance on his ministry, and whether to +attend the feast given out for the Sunday week, after the long-forced +abstinence: Patience's, ever since the break-up of the parish; Steadfast's, +since the siege of Bristol. Dr. Eales considered, "I cannot bid you go to +that in the efficacy of which neither you nor I believe, my son," he said. +"It would not be with faith. Here, indeed, I have ministered privately to a +few of the faithful in their own houses, but the risk is over great for you and +your sister to join us, espied as we are. How is it with your home?"</p> + +<p>"O, sir, would you even come thither?" exclaimed Steadfast, +joyfully, and he described his ravine, which was of course known to the Elmwood +neighbours, but very seldom visited by them, never except in the middle of the +day, and where the thicket and the caverns afforded every facility for +concealment.</p> + +<p>Whitsun Day was coming, and Dr. Eales proposed to come over to the glen and +celebrate the Holy Feast in the very early morning before anyone was astir. +There were a few of his Bristol flock who would be thankful for the opportunity +of meeting more safely than they could do in the city, since at Easter they had +as nearly as possible been all arrested in a pavilion in Mr. Rivett's garden +which they had thought unsuspected.</p> + +<p>There would be one market day first, and on that Stead would come and explain +his preparations, and hear what the Doctor had arranged. And so it was. The time +was to be three o'clock, the very dawn of the long summer day, the time when +sleep is deepest. Dr. Eales and Mrs. Lightfoot would come out the night before, +he not returning after his lesson to the Rivetts, and she making some excuse +about going to see friends for the Sunday.</p> + +<p>The Rivetts, living outside the gates where sentries still kept guard, could +start in the morning, and so could the four others who were to form part of the +congregation. Goody Grace was the only person near home whom Patience wished to +invite, for she too had grieved over the great deprivation, and had too much +heart for the Church to be satisfied with Mr. Woodley's ministrations. Perhaps +even she did not understand the difference, but she could be trusted, and the +young people knew how happy it would make her.</p> + +<p>Little can we guess what such an opportunity was to the faithful children of +the Church in those sad days. Goody Grace folded her hands and murmured, +"Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace," when Patience +told her of the invitation, and Patience, though she had all her ordinary work +to do, went quietly about it, as if she had some great thought of peace and awe +upon her.</p> + +<p>"Why, Patience, you seem as if you were making ready for some guest, the +Prince of Wales at least!" said Emlyn, on Saturday night.</p> + +<p>Patience smiled a sweet little happy smile and in her heart she said +"And so I am, and for a greater far!" but she did say "Yes, +Emlyn, Dr. Eales is coming to sleep here to-night, and he will pray with us in +the early morning."</p> + +<p>It had been agreed that the Celebration should take place first, and then +after a short pause, the Morning Service. Jerusha was eleven years old, and a +very good girl, and since Confirmation was impossible, her brother and sister +would have asked for her admission to the Holy Feast without it, but she could +not be called up without the danger of awaking Emlyn; and Patience was so sure +that it was not safe to trust that damsel with the full knowledge of the +treasure that, though Steadfast always thought his sister hard on her, he was +forced to give way. The children were to be admitted to Matins, for if any idea +oozed out that this latter service had been held, no great danger was likely to +come of it. Dr. Eales arrived in the evening, Steadfast meeting him to act as +guide, and Patience set before him of her best. A fowl, which she had been +forced to broil for want of other means of dressing it; bread baked in a tin +with a fire of leaves and small sticks heaped over it; roasted eggs, excellent +butter and milk. She apologised for not having dared to fetch any ale for fear +of exciting suspicion, but the doctor set her quite at ease by his manifest +enjoyment of her little feast, declaring that he had not made so good a meal +since Bristol was taken.</p> + +<p>Then he catechised the children. Little Ben could say the Lord's Prayer, the +Belief, and some of the shorter Commandments, and the doctor patted his little +round white cap, and gave him two Turkey figs as a reward.</p> + +<p>Jerusha, when she got over her desperate fright enough to speak above a +whisper, was quite perfect from her name down to "charity with all +men," but Emlyn stumbled horribly over even the first answers, and utterly +broke down in the Fourth Commandment; but she smiled up in the doctor's face in +her pretty way, and blushed as she said "The chaplain at Blythedale had +taught us so far, your reverence."</p> + +<p>"And have you learnt no further?"</p> + +<p>"If you were here to teach me, sir, I would soon learn it," said +the little witch, but she did not come over him as she did with most people.</p> + +<p>"You have as good an instructor as I for your needs, in this discreet +maiden," said Dr. Eales, and as something of a pout descended on the +sparkling little face, "when you know all the answers, perchance Steadfast +here may bring you to my lodgings and I will hear you."</p> + +<p>"I could learn them myself if I had the book," said Emlyn.</p> + +<p>The fact being that the Catechism was taught by Patience from memory in those +winter evenings when all went to bed to save candle light, but that when +Steadfast retired to the cow-house, Emlyn either insisted on playing with the +others or pretended to go to sleep; and twitted Patience with being a Puritan. +However, the hopes of going into Bristol might be an incentive, though she +indulged in a grumble to Rusha, and declared that she liked a jolly chaplain, +and this old doctor was not a bit better than a mere Puritan.</p> + +<p>Rusha opened her big eyes. She never did understand Emlyn, and perhaps that +young maiden took delight in shocking her. They were ordered off to bed much +sooner than they approved on that fair summer night, when the half-moon was high +and the nightingales were singing all round--not that they cared for that, but +there was a sense about them that something mysterious was going on, and Emlyn +was wild with curiosity and vexation at being kept out of it.</p> + +<p>She would have kept watch and crept out; but that Patience came in, and lay +down, so close to the door that it was impossible to get out without waking her, +and besides if Emlyn did but stir, she asked what was the matter.</p> + +<p>"They mean something!" said Emlyn to herself, "and I'll know +what it is. They have no right to keep me out of the plot; I am not like stupid +little Rusha! I have been in a siege, and four battles, besides skirmishes! I'll +watch till they think I'm asleep, if I pull all the hulls out of my bed! Then +they will begin."</p> + +<p>But nothing moved that Emlyn could hear or see. She woke and slept, but was +quite aware when Patience rose up after a brief doze, and found the first +streaks of dawn in the sky, a cuckoo calling as if for very life in the nearest +tree, and Steadfast quietly sweeping the dew from the grass in a little open +space shut in by rocks, trees, and bushes, close to the bank of the brook.</p> + +<p>A chest which he kept in the cow-shed, and which bore traces of the fire in +the old house, had been brought down to serve as an Altar, and it was laid over, +for want of anything better, with one of poor Mrs. Kenton's best table-cloths, +which Patience had always thought too good for use.</p> + +<p>The next thing was to meet the rest of the scanty congregation at the +entrances of the wood, and guide them to the spot. This was safely done, Goody +Grace knew the way, and had guided one of the old Elmwood maid servants whom she +had managed to shelter for the night. Mrs. Lightfoot was there with Mrs. Rivett, +her daughter, elder son, and a grave-looking man servant, Mr. Henshaw, a +Barbados merchant, with his wife, and a very worn battered shabby personage, but +unmistakably a gentleman of quality, and wounded in the wars, for he was so lame +that the merchant had to help him over the rough paths.</p> + +<p>It was a wonderful Whitsun-day morning that none of the little party could +ever forget. The sunrise could not be seen in that deep, narrow place, but the +sky was of a strange pale shining blue, and the tender young green of the trees +overhead was touched with gold, the glades of the wood were intensely blue with +hyacinths, and with all sorts of delicate greens twined above in the bushes over +them. A wild cherry, all silver white, was behind their Altar, the green floor +was marbled with cuckoo flowers and buttercups, and the clear little stream +whose voice murmured by was fringed with kingcups and forget-me-nots. The scents +were of the most delicious dewy freshness; and as to the sounds! Larks sang high +up in the sky, wood pigeons cooed around, nightingales, thrushes, every bird of +the wood seemed to be trying to make music and melody.</p> + +<p>And in the midst the grey-haired priest stood close to an ivy-covered rock, +with the white covered Altar, and the bright golden vessels which he had +carefully looked to in the night, and the little congregation knelt close round +him on cloaks and mats, the women hooded, the old Cavalier's long thin locks, +the merchant's dark ones, and the close cropped heads of the servant and of +Steadfast bared to the morning breeze in its pure, dewy, soft freshness, fit +emblem of the Comforter. No book was produced, all was repeated from memory. +They durst not raise their voices, but the birds were their choir, and as they +murmured their <i>Gloria in Excelsis</i>, the sweet notes rang out in that +unconscious praise.</p> + +<p>When the blessing of peace had been given there was a long hush, and no one +rose till after the vessels had been replaced in their casket, and Stead was +climbing up with it again to the hiding place. Then there was a move to the +front of the hut, where Rusha was just awakening, and Emlyn feigned to be still +asleep. It was not yet four o'clock, but the sweet freshness was still around +everything. Young Mistress Alice Rivett and her brother were enchanted to gather +flowers, and ran after their hosts to see the cows milked, and the goats, pigs, +and poultry fed, sights new to them; but the elder ladies shivered and were glad +to warm themselves at the little fire Patience hastily lighted, after cleaning +the hut as fast as she could, by rolling up the bedding, and fairly carrying Ben +out to finish his night's rest in the cow-house.</p> + +<p>The guests had brought their provisions, and insisted that their young hosts +should eat with them, accepting only the warm milk that Patience brought in her +pail, and they drank from the horn cups of the family. Dr. Eales observed to the +Cavalier that it was a true <i>Agape</i> or love-feast like those of the ancient +Church, and the gentleman's melancholy, weather-beaten face relaxed into a smile +as he sighed and hoped that the same endurance as that of the Christians of old +would be granted in this time of persecution.</p> + +<p>Emlyn was gratified at being a good deal noticed by the company as so unlike +the others. She was not shy and frightened like Rusha, who hung her head and had +not a word to say for herself, but chattered away to the young Rivetts, showing +them the kid, the calves, and the lambs, taking Mistress Alice to the biggest +cowslips and earliest wild roses, and herself making a sweet posy for each of +the ladies. The old Cavalier himself, Colonel Harford, was even amused with the +pretty little maid, who, he told Dr. Eales, resembled Mirth as Master John +Milton had depicted her, ere he took up with General Cromwell and his crew; and +was a becoming figure for this early morn.</p> + +<p>On learning the child's history, he turned out to know Sir Harry Blythedale, +but not to have heard of him since they had parted at Newark, he to guard the +king to Oxford, Sir Harry to join Lord Astley, and he much feared that the old +knight had been killed at Stowe, in the fight between Astley and Brereton. This +would account for nothing having been heard from him about Emlyn, but Colonel +Harford promised, if any opportunity should offer, to communicate with Lady +Blythedale, whom he believed to be living at Worcester; and he patted Emlyn on +the head, called her a little loyal veteran, accepted a tiny posy of +forget-me-not from her, and after fumbling in his pocket, gave her a crown +piece. Steadfast and Patience were afraid it was his last, and much wished she +had contrived not to take it, but she said she should keep it for a remembrance.</p> + +<p>After this rest, the beautiful Whitsuntide Matins was said in the fair forest +church, and before six o'clock this strange and blessed festival had ended, +though not the peace and thankfulness in the hearts of the little flock.</p> + +<p>Indeed, instead of a sermon, Dr. Eales's parting words were "And he went +in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights."</p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER XVI.<br> +A FAIR OFFER.</h3> + +<p>"We be content" the keepers said,<br> +"We three and you no less,<br> +Then why should we of you be afraid,<br> +As we never did transgress."<br> +ROBIN HOOD BALLAD.</p></center> + +<p>Steadfast was busy weeding the little patch of barley that lay near the ruins +of the old farm house with little Ben basking round him. The great carefulness +as to keeping the ground clear had been taught him by his father, and was one +reason why his fields, though so small, did not often bear a bad crop. He heard +his name called over the hedge, and looking up saw the Squire, Mr. Elmwood, on +horseback.</p> + +<p>He came up, respectfully taking off his hat and standing with it in his hand +as was then the custom when thus spoken to. "What is this I hear, +Kenton," said the squire, "that you have been having a prelatist +service on your ground?"</p> + +<p>Steadfast was dismayed, but did not speak, till Mr. Elmwood added, "Is +it true?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," he answered resolutely.</p> + +<p>"Did you know it was against the law to use the Book of Common +Prayer?"</p> + +<p>"There was no book, sir."</p> + +<p>"But you do not deny it was the same superstitious and Popish ceremony +and festival abolished by law."</p> + +<p>"No, sir," Stead allowed, though rather by gesture than word.</p> + +<p>"Now, look you here, young Kenton, I ask no questions. I do not want to +bring anyone into trouble, and you are a hard-working, honest lad by what they +tell me, who have a brother fighting in the good Cause and have suffered from +the lawless malignants yourself. Was it not the Prince's troopers that wrought +this ruin?" pointing towards the blackened gable, "and shot down your +father? Aye! The more shame you should hold with them! I wish you no harm I say, +nor the blinded folk who must have abused your simplicity: but I am a justice of +the peace, and I will not have laws broken on my land. If this thing should +happen again, I shall remember that you have no regular or lawful tenure of this +holding, and put you forth from it."</p> + +<p>He waited, but a threat always made silent resistance easy to Steadfast, and +there was no answer.</p> + +<p>Mr. Elmwood, however, let that pass, for he was not a hard or a fanatical +man, and he knew that to hold such a service was not such an easy matter that it +was likely to be soon repeated. He looked round at the well-mended fences, the +clean ground, and the tokens of intelligent industry around, and the clean +homespun shirt sleeves that spoke of the notable manager at home. 'You are an +industrious fellow, my good lad," he said, "how long have you had this +farm to yourself?"</p> + +<p>"Getting on for five years, your honour," said Steadfast.</p> + +<p>"And is that your brother?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, please your honour," picking Ben up in his arms to prevent +the barley from being pulled up by way of helping him.</p> + +<p>"How many of you are there?"</p> + +<p>"Five of us, sir, but my eldest brother is in Captain Venn's +troop."</p> + +<p>"So I heard, and what is this about a child besides?"</p> + +<p>"An orphan, sir, I found after the skirmish at the mill stream, who was +left with us till her friends can send after her."</p> + +<p>"Well, well. You seem a worthy youth," said Mr. Elmwood, who was +certainly struck and touched by the silent uncomplaining resolution of the mere +stripling who had borne so heavy a burthen. "If you were heartily one of +us, I should be glad to make you woodward, instead of old Tomkins, and build up +yonder house for you, but I cannot do it for one who is hankering after prelacy, +and might use the place for I know not what plots and conspiracies of the +malignants."</p> + +<p>Again Steadfast took refuge in a little bow of acknowledgment, but kept his +lips shut, till again the squire demanded, "What do you think of it? +There's a fair offer. What have you to say for yourself?"</p> + +<p>He had collected himself and answered, "I thank you, sir. You are very +good. If you made me woodward, I would serve your honour faithfully, and have no +plots or the like there. But, your honour, I was bred up in the Church and I +cannot sell myself."</p> + +<p>"Why, you foolish, self-conceited boy, what do you know about it? Is not +what is good enough for better men than you fit to please you?"</p> + +<p>To this Stead again made no answer, having said a great deal for him.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Mr. Elmwood, angered at last, "if ever I saw a +dogged moon-calf, you are one! However, I let you go scot free this time, in +regard for your brother's good service, and the long family on your hands, but +mind, I shall put in an active woodward instead of old Tomkins, who has been +past his work these ten years, and if ever I hear of seditious or prelatical +doings in yonder gulley again, off you go."</p> + +<p>He rode off, leaving Steadfast with temper more determined, but mind not more +at ease. The appointment of a woodward was bad news, for the copsewood and the +game had been left to their fate for the last few years, and what were the +rights of the landlord over them Stead did not know, so that there might be many +causes of trouble, especially if the said woodward considered him a person to be +specially watched. Indeed, the existence of such a person would make a renewal +of what Mr. Elmwood called the prelatist assembly impossible, and with a good +deal of sorrow he announced the fact on the next market day to Mrs. Lightfoot. +He could not see Dr. Eales, but when next he came in, she gave him a paper on +which was simply marked "Ps. xxxvii, 7." He looked out the reference +and found "Hold thee still in the Lord and abide patiently upon Him." +Stead hoped that Patience and the rest would never know what an offer had been +made to him, but Master Brown, who had recommended him, and who did not at all +like the prospect of a strange woodward, came to expostulate with him for +throwing away such a chance for a mere whim, telling Patience she was a sensible +wench and ought to persuade her brother to see what was for his own good and the +good of all, holding up himself as an example.</p> + +<p>"I never missed my church and had the parson's good word all along, and +yet you see I am ready to put up with this good man without setting myself up to +know more than my elders and betters! Eh! Hast not a word to say for thyself? +Then I'll tell the squire, who is a good and friendly gentleman to all the old +servants, that you have thought better of it, and will thankfully take his +kindness, and do your best."</p> + +<p>"I cannot go against father," said Steadfast.</p> + +<p>"And what would he have done, good man, but obey them that have the +rule, and let wiser folk think for thee. But all the young ones are pig-headed +as mules now-a-days, and must think for themselves, one running off to the +Independents, and one to the Quakers and Shakers, and one to the Fifth Monarchy +men, and you, Steadfast Kenton, that I thought better things of, talking of the +Church and offending the squire with thy prelatic doings, that have been +forbidden by Act of Parliament. What say you to that, my lad? Come, out with +it," for Stead had more difficulty in answering Master Brown, who had been +a great authority throughout his life, than even the Squire himself.</p> + +<p>"Parson said there was higher law than Parliament."</p> + +<p>"Eh! What, the King? He is a prisoner, bless him, but they will never +let him go till they have bent him to their will, and what will you do +then?"</p> + +<p>"Not the King," muttered Steadfast.</p> + +<p>"Eh! what! If you have come to pretending to know the law of God better +than your elders, you are like the rest of them, and I have done with you." +And away tramped the steward in great displeasure, while Patience put her apron +over her head and cried bitterly.</p> + +<p>She supposed Stead might be right, but what would it not have been to have +the old house built up, and all decent about them as it was in mother's time, +and fit places to sleep in, now that the wenches were growing bigger?</p> + +<p>"But you know, Patty, we are saving for that."</p> + +<p>"Aye, and how long will it take? And now this pestilent woodward will be +always finding fault--killing the fowls and ducks, and seizing the swine and +sheep, and very like slaughtering the dogs and getting us turned out of house +and home; for now you have offended the squire, he will believe anything against +us."</p> + +<p>"Come, Patty, you know I could not help it. This is sorest of all, you +that have always stood by me and father's wish."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," sobbed Patience. "I wot you are right, Stead. I'll +hold to you, though I wish--I wish you would think like other folk."</p> + +<p>Yet Patience knew in her secret soul that then he would not be her own +Steadfast, and she persuaded him no more, though the discomforts and +deficiencies of their present home tried her more and more as the family grew +older. Stead had contrived a lean-to, with timbers from the old house, and +wattled sides stuffed with moss, where he and little Ben slept in summer time, +and they had bought or made some furniture--a chair and table, some stools, +bedding, and kitchen utensils, and she toiled to keep things clean, but still it +was a mere hovel, with the door opening out into the glade. Foxes and polecats +prowled, owls hooted, and the big dog outside was a needful defender, even in +summer time, and in winter the cold was piteous, the wet even worse, and they +often lost some of their precious animals--chickens died of cold, and once three +lambs had been carried away in a sudden freshet. Yet Patience, when she saw +Steadfast convinced, made up her mind to stand by him, and defended him when the +younger girls murmured.</p> + +<p>Rusha was of a quiet, acquiescent, contented nature, and said little, as +Emlyn declared, "She knew nothing better;" but Emlyn was more and more +weary of the gulley, and as nothing was heard of her friends, and she was +completely one of the home, she struggled more with the dullness and loneliness. +She undertook all errands to the village for the sake of such change as a +chatter with the young folk there afforded her, or for the chance of seeing the +squire's lady or sons and daughters go by; and she was wild to go on market days +to Bristol.</p> + +<p>In spite of Puritan greyness, soldiers, sailors, gentlemen, ladies, and even +fashions, such as they were, could be seen there, and news picked up, and Emlyn +would fain have persuaded Steadfast that she should be the most perfect market +woman, if he would only let her ride in on the donkey between the panniers, in a +broad hat, with chickens and ducks dangling round, eggs, butter, and fruit or +nuts, and even posies, according to the season, and sit on the steps of the +market-place among the other market women and girls.</p> + +<p>Steadfast would have been the last to declare that her laughing dark eyes, +and smiling lips, and arch countenance would not bring many a customer, but he +knew well that his mother would never have sent his sister to be thus exposed, +and he let her pout, or laughed away her refusal by telling her that he was +bound not to let a butler's daughter demean herself to be stared at by all the +common folk, who would cheapen her wares.</p> + +<p>And when she did coax him to take her to Bristol on any errand she could +invent, to sell her yarns, or buy pins, or even a ribbon, he was inexorable in +leaving her under Mrs. Lightfoot's care, and she had to submit, even though it +sometimes involved saying her catechism to Dr. Eales. Yet that always ended in +the old man's petting her. It was only from her chatter that the old clergyman +ever knew of the proposal that Stead had rejected for conscience's sake. It +vexed the lad so much that he really could not bear to think of it, and it would +come over him now and then, was it all for nothing? Would the Church ever lift +up her head again? or would Mr. Woodley be always in possession at Elmwood +Church, where everyone seemed to be content with him. The Kentons went thither. +It was hardly safe to abstain, for a fine upon absence was still the law of the +land, though seldom enforced; and Dr. Eales who considered Presbyterianism by +far the least unorthodox and most justifiable sect, had advised Stead not to +allow himself or the others altogether to lose the habit of public worship, but +to abstain from Communions which might be an act of separation from the Church, +and which could not be accepted by her children as genuine. Such was the advice +of most of the divines of the English Church in this time of eclipse; and though +Stead, and still less Patience, did not altogether follow the reasoning, they +obeyed, while aware that they incurred suspicion from the squire by not coming +to "the table."</p> + +<p>The new woodward, Peter Pierce, was not one of the villagers as usual, but +had been a soldier in one of the regiments of the Earl of Essex, in which Mr. +Elmwood's eldest son had served.</p> + +<p>Instead of succeeding to old Tomkins's lodge in the great wood, he had a new +one built for him, so as to command the opening of Hermit's Gulley towards the +village, and one of the Bristol roads. Could this be for the sake of watching +over anything so insignificant as the Kentons?</p> + +<p>The copse on their side of the brook was their own, free to do what they +chose with except cutting down the timber trees, but the further side was the +landlord's, as they had now to remember; and as, when the brook was at its +lowest, their pigs and goats were by no means likely to recollect; though +Steadfast was extremely anxious to give no occasion for the mistrust and +ill-will with which Pierce regarded him, as a squatter, trespasser, and poacher, +almost as a matter of course, and likewise a prelatist and plotter.</p> + +<p>Once he did find a kid on the wrong side, standing on a rock, browsing a +honeysuckle, and was about either to seize it or shoot it, as it went off in +three bounds, when Emlyn darted out, and threw herself between. It was her +darling kid, it should never trespass again, she would--she would thank him ever +more--if he would spare it this once.</p> + +<p>And Emlyn as usual had touched the soft place in the heart of even a +woodward. He told her not to cry, and contented himself with growling a +tremendous warning to Steadfast and Patience.</p> + +<p>There were several breezes about Growler, who was only too apt to use his +liberty in pursuing rabbits on the wrong side, and whom Peter more than once +condemned; but Emlyn and Ben begged him off, and he was kept well chained up. At +last, however, he won even the woodward's favour by the slaughter of a terrible +wild cat and her brood, after all Peter's dogs had returned with bleeding faces +from the combat.</p> + +<p>The woodward had another soft place in his heart. He had a pretty young wife +and a little son. Nanny Pierce was older in years, but far more childish than +Patience, and the life in this gulley seemed to her utter solitude and +desolation, and if Patience had been ten times a poacher and a prelatist, she +could not have helped making friends with the only creature of her own kind +within a mile. And when Patience's experience with Ben and other older babes at +rest in the churchyard, had aided the poor little helpless woman through a +convulsion fit of her baby's before Goody Grace could arrive, Peter himself +owned that "the Kenton wench was good for somewhat," though he +continued to think Steadfast's great carefulness not to transgress, only a +further proof that "he was a deep one"--all the more because he +refused to let anyone but himself have a search for a vanished polecat in +"them holes," which Peter was persuaded contained some mystery, though +Steadfast laid it, and not untruly, on the health of the young stock he kept +penned in the caves, which were all, he hoped, of which Peter was aware.</p> + +<p>All this was harassing, but a greater trouble came in the second winter. Good +Dr. Eales was failing, and the tidings of the King's execution were a blow that +he never recovered. Mrs. Lightfoot had tears in her eyes when Stead asked after +him, week by week, and she could only say that he was feebler, and spent all his +days in prayer--often with tears.</p> + +<p>At last came peace. He lay still and calm, and sent a message that young +Kenton should be brought to him for a last farewell.</p> + +<p>And as Stead stood sorrowful and awed by his bed side, he bade the youth +never despair or fall away from his hope of the restoration of the Church.</p> + +<p>"Remember," he said, "she is founded on a rock, and the gates +of hell shall never prevail against her. She shall stand forth for evermore as +the moon, which wanes but to wax again; and I have good hope that thou wilt see +it, my son. He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."</p> + +<p>Then Dr. Eales pointed to a small parcel of books, which he had caused Mrs. +Lightfoot to put together, telling Steadfast that he had selected them alike for +devotion and for edification, and that if he studied them, he would have no +doubt when he might deliver up his trust to a true priest of the Church.</p> + +<p>"And if none should return in my time?" asked Steadfast.</p> + +<p>"Have I not told thee never to despair of God's care for His Church? Yet +His time is not as our time, and it may be--that young as thou art--the days of +renewal may not be when thou shalt see them. Should it thus be, my son, leave +the secret with one whom thou canst securely trust. Better the sacred vessels +should lie hidden than that thou shouldst show thy faith wanting by surrendering +them to any, save according to the terms of thy vow. See, Steadfast, among these +books is a lighter one, a romance of King Arthur, that I loved well in my +boyhood, and which may not only serve thee as fair pastime in the winter nights, +but will mind thee of thine high and holy charge, for it goeth deeper than the +mere outside."</p> + +<p>His voice was growing weak. Mrs. Lightfoot gave him a cordial, and Stead +knelt by his bedside, felt his hand on his head, and heard his blessing for the +last time. The next market day, when he called at the good bakester's stall, she +told him in floods of tears that the guest who had brought a blessing on her +house, was gone to his rest.</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER XVII.<br> +THE GROOM IN GREY.</h3> + +<p>"Heroes and kings, in exile forced to roam,<br> +Leave swelling phrase and seven-leagued words at home."<br> +SCOTT.</p></center> + +<p>Another summer and winter had gone by and harvest time had come again, when +Steadfast with little Ben, now seven years old, for company, took two sacks of +corn to be ground at the mill, where the skirmish had been fought in which +Emlyn's father had been killed.</p> + +<p>The sacks were laid across a packsaddle on a stout white horse, with which, +by diligent saving, Steadfast had contrived to replace Whitefoot, Ben was +promised a ride home when the sacks should have been emptied, and trotted along +in company with Growler by his brother's side, talking more in an hour than +Stead did in a week, and looking with great interest to be shown the hawthorn +bush where Emlyn had been found. For Stead and Ben were alike in feeling the +bright, merry, capricious, laughing, teasing Emlyn the charm and delight of +home. In trouble, or for real aid, they went to Patience, but who was like Emlyn +for drollery and diversion? Who ever made Stead laugh as she could, or who so +played with Ben, and never, like Rusha, tried to be maidenly, discreet, nay, +dull?</p> + +<p>It was very inconvenient that just as they reached the famous thorn bush, the +white horse began to demonstrate that his shoe was loose. They were very near +the mill, and after disposing of the sacks, the brothers led the horse on to a +forge, about a furlong beyond. It was not a place of which Stead was fond, as +the smith was known to be strong for the Covenant, and he could not help wishing +that the shoe had come off nearer to his good friend Smith Blane.</p> + +<p>Original-Sin Hopkins, which was the name of the blacksmith, was in great +excitement, as he talked of the crowning mercy vouchsafed at Worcester, and how +the son of the late man, Charles Stewart, had been utterly defeated, and his +people scattered like sheep without a shepherd. Three or four neighbours were +standing about, listening to the tidings he had heard from a messenger on the +way to Bristol. One was leaning on the unglazed window frame, and a couple of +old men basking, even in that September day, in the glow of the fire, while a +few women and children loitered around, thinking it rather fine to hear Master +Original-Sin declaim on the backsliding of the Scots in upholding the son of the +oppressor.</p> + +<p>The shoeing of Stead Kenton's horse seemed a trivial matter beneath the +attention of such an orator; but he vouchsafed to bid his lad drive in a few +nails; and just as the task was commenced, there came to the forge a lady in a +camlet riding dress and black silk hood, walking beside a stout horse, which a +groom was leading with great care, for it had evidently lost a shoe. And it had +a saddle with a pillion on which they had been riding double, after the usual +fashion of travelling for young and healthy gentlewomen in those days of bad +roads.</p> + +<p>The lady, a quiet, self-possessed person, not in her first youth, came +forward, and in the first pause in the blacksmith's declamation, begged that he +would attend to her horse.</p> + +<p>He gave a nod as if intending her to wait till Steadfast's work was done, and +went on. "And has it not been already brought about that the man of blood +hath--"</p> + +<p>"So please you," interrupted the lady, "to shoe my horse at +once. I am on my way to Abbotsleigh, and my cousin, Mr. Norton, knows that my +business brooks no delay."</p> + +<p>Mr. Norton, though a Royalist, was still the chief personage in that +neighbourhood, and his name produced sufficient effect on Original-Sin to make +him come forward, look at the hoof, and select a shoe from those hung on the +walls of his forge. Little Ben looked on, highly delighted to watch the +proceedings, and Steadfast, as he waited, glanced towards the servant, a +well-made young man, in a trim, sober suit of grey cloth, with a hat a good deal +slouched over a dark swarthy face, that struck Stead as having been seen by him +before.</p> + +<p>After all, the lady's horse was the first finished. Hopkins looked at all the +other three shoes, tapped them with his hammer, and found them secure, received +the money from the lady, but gave very slight salutations as the pair remounted, +and rode away.</p> + +<p>Then he twisted up his features and observed, "Here is a dispensation! +As I am a living soul, this horse shoe was made at Worcester. I know the make. +My cousin was apprenticed there."</p> + +<p>"Well, outlandish work goes against one's stomach," said one of the +bystanders, "but what of that, man?"</p> + +<p>"Seest thou not, Jabez Holt? Is not the young man there one of them who +trouble Israel, and the lady is striving for his escape. Mr. Norton is well +known as a malignant at heart, and his man Pope hath been to and fro these last +days as though evil were being concerted. I would that good Master Hatcham were +here."</p> + +<p>"Poor lad. Let him alone. 'Tis hard he should not get off," said +one of the bystanders.</p> + +<p>"I tell thee he is one of the brood of Satan, who have endeavoured to +break up the godly peace of the saints, and fill this goodly land with blood and +fire. Is it not said 'Root them out that they be no more a people?'"</p> + +<p>"Have after them, then," said another of the company. "We want +no more wars, to be taking our cows and killing our pigs. After them, I +say!"</p> + +<p>"You haven't got no warrant, 'Riginal," said a more cautious old +man. "Best be on the safe side. Go after constable first, and raise the +hue-and-cry. You'll easy overtake them. Breakneck Hill be sore for +horseflesh."</p> + +<p>"I'd fain see Master Hatcham," said the smith, scratching his head.</p> + +<p>Stead had meantime been listening as he paid his pence. It flashed over him +now where he had beheld those intensely dark eyes, and the very peculiar cut of +features, though they had then been much more boyish. It was when he had seen +the Prince of Wales going to the Cathedral on Christmas Day, in the midst of all +his plumed generals, with their gay scarfs, and rich lace collars.</p> + +<p>He had put little Ben on horseback, and turned away into the long, dirty +lane, or rather ditch, that led homeward, before, through his consternation, +there dawned on him what to do. A gap in the hedge lay near, through which he +dragged the horse into a pasture field, to the great amazement of Ben, saying +"See here, Ben, those folk want to take yonder groom in grey. We will go +and warn them."</p> + +<p>Ben heartily assented.</p> + +<p>"I like the groom," he said. "He jumped me five times off the +horseblock, and he patted Growler and called him a fine fellow, who didn't +deserve his name--worth his salt he was sure. We won't give Growler salt, Stead, +but don't let that ugly preaching man get the good groom!"</p> + +<p>Steadfast was by this time on the horse behind his little brother, pressing +through the fields, which by ancient custom were all thrown open from harvest +time till Christmas; and coming out into the open bit of common that the +travellers had to pass before arriving at Breakneck Hill, he was just in time to +meet them as they trotted on. He hardly knew what he said, as he doffed his hat, +and exclaimed--</p> + +<p>"Madam, you are pursued."</p> + +<p>"Pursued!" Both at once looked back.</p> + +<p>"There's time," said Steadfast; "but Smith Hopkins said one of +the shoes was Worcester make, and he is gone to fetch the constable and raise +the hue-and-cry."</p> + +<p>"And you are a loyal--I mean an honest lad--come to warn us," said +the groom.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir. I think, if you will trust me, they can be put off the +track."</p> + +<p>"Trusty! Your face answers for you. Eh, fair Mistress Jane?"</p> + +<p>"Sir, it must be as you will."</p> + +<p>"This way then, sir," said Steadfast, who was off his own horse by +this time, and leading it into a rough track through a thicket whence some +timber had been drawn out in the summer.</p> + +<p>"They will see where we turned off," whispered the lady.</p> + +<p>"No, ma'am, not unless you get off the hard ground. Besides they will go +on the way to Breakneck Hill. Hark! I hear a hallooing. Not near--no--no fear, +madam."</p> + +<p>They were by this time actually hidden from the common by the copsewood, and +the distant shouts of the hue-and-cry kept all silent till they were fairly out +beyond it, not far from Stead's own fields.</p> + +<p>Happily they had hitherto met no one, but there was danger now of +encountering gleaners, and indeed Stead's white horse could be seen from a +distance, and might attract attention to his companions.</p> + +<p>"Hallo!" exclaimed the groom, as they halted under shelter of a +pollard willow. "I've heard tell that a white horse is the surest mark for +a bullet in a battle, and if that be Breakneck Hill, as you call it, your beast +may bring the sapient smith down on us. Had we not best part?"</p> + +<p>"Aye," said Steadfast. "I was thinking what was best. Whither +were you going?'</p> + +<p>He blurted it out, not knowing to whom to address himself, or how to frame +his speech. The lady hesitated, but her companion named Castle Carey.</p> + +<p>"Then, please your honour," said Stead, impartially addressing +both, "methinks the best course would be, if this--"</p> + +<p>"Groom William," suggested that personage.</p> + +<p>"Would go down into yonder covert with my little brother here, where my +poor place is, and where my sister can show a safe hiding-place, in case Master +Hopkins suspects me, and follows; but I scarce think he will. Then meanwhile, if +the lady will trust herself to me--"</p> + +<p>"O! there is no danger for me," she said.</p> + +<p>"Go on, my Somerset Solomon," said the groom.</p> + +<p>"Then would I take the lady on for a short space to a good woman in +Elmwood there. And on the way this horse shall lose his Worcester shoe, and I +will get Smith Blane, who is an honest fellow, to put on another; and when the +chase is like to be over, I will come back for him and put you on the cross lane +for Castle Carey, which don't join with the road you came by, till just ere you +get into the town."</p> + +<p>"There's wit as well as cheese in Somerset. What say you, my guardian +angel?" said Groom William.</p> + +<p>"It sounds well," she reluctantly answered. "Does Mr. Norton +know you, young man?"</p> + +<p>"No, madam," said Stead, with much stumbling. "But I have seen +him in Bristol. My Lady Elmwood knew of me, and Sir George Elmwood too, and the +Dean could say I was honest."</p> + +<p>"Which the face of you says better than your tongue," said the +groom. "Have with you then, my bold little elf," he added, taking the +bridle of the horse on which Ben was still seated. "Or one moment more. You +knew me, my lad--are there any others like to do so?"</p> + +<p>"I had seen you, sir, at Bristol, and that is why I would not have you +shew yourself in Elmwood. But my sister has never seen you, and the only +neighbours who ever come in are the woodward and his wife. He served in my Lord +of Essex's army, but he has never seen you. Moreover, he was to be at the +squire's to-day helping to stack his corn. Ben, do you tell Patience that +<i>he</i>"--again taking refuge in a pronoun--"is a gentleman in danger, +and she must see to his safety for an hour or two till I come back for +him."</p> + +<p>"A gentleman in danger," repeated Ben, anxious to learn his lesson.</p> + +<p>"He and I will take care of that," said the grey-coated groom +gaily, as he turned the horse's head, and waved his hat in courtly fashion to +the lady so that Steadfast saw that his hair was cropped into black stubble.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said the lady with a sigh, for the loss of a Cavalier's locks +was a dreadful thing. "You know him then."</p> + +<p>"I have seen him at Bristol," said Steadfast, with considerably +less embarrassment, though still in the clownish way he could not shake off.</p> + +<p>"And you know how great is the trust you--nay, we have undertaken. But, +as he says, he has learnt the true fidelity of a leathern jerkin."</p> + +<p>Then Jane Lane told Steadfast of the King's flight from Worcester, and +adventures at Boscobel with the Penderells, and how she had brought him to +Abbotsleigh, in hopes of finding a ship at Bristol, but that failing, it was too +perilous for him to remain there, so that she was helping him as far as Castle +Carey on his way to Trent.</p> + +<p>Before they were clear of the wood, Stead asked her to pause. He knocked off +the tell-tale shoe with the help of a stone, threw it away into the middle of a +bramble, and then after a little consultation, she decided on herself +encountering the smith, not perhaps having much confidence in the readiness of +speech or invention of her companion.</p> + +<p>When they arrived at the forge, where good-humoured, brawny Harry Blane was +no small contrast to his gaunt compeer Original-Sin Hopkins, she averred that +she was travelling from her relations, and having been obliged to send her +servant back for a packet that had been forgotten, this good youth, who had come +to her help when her horse had cast a shoe, had undertaken to guide her to the +smith's, and to take her again to meet her man, if he did not come for her +himself. Might she be allowed in the meantime to sit with Master Blane's good +housewife?</p> + +<p>Master Blane was only too happy, and Mistress Jane Lane was accordingly +introduced to the pleasant kitchen, with sanded floor, and big oak table, open +hearth, and beaupots in the oriel window where the spinning-wheel stood, and +where the neat and hospitable Dame Blane made her kindly welcome.</p> +<p>Steadfast, marvelling at her facility of speech, and glad the king's safety +did not depend on his uttering such a story, told Blane that he must go after +his cattle and should look after the groom on the way.</p> + +<p>As he walked through the wood, and drew near the glade, he was dismayed to +hear voices, and to see Peter Pierce leaning against the wall of the house, but +Rusha came running up to him exclaiming, "Oh! Stead, here is this good +stranger that you met, telling us all about brother Jeph."</p> + +<p>"Yes, my kind host," said the grey-coated guest, with a slight +nasal intonation, rising as Stead came near, "I find that you are the very +lad my friend and brother Jephthah Kenton, that singular Christian man, bade me +search out. 'If you go near Bristol, beloved,' quoth he,' search me out my +brothers Steadfast and Benoni, and my sisters, Patience and Jerusha, and greet +them well from me, and bear witness of me to them. They dwell, said he, in a +lonely hut in the wood side, and with them a fair little maiden, sprung of the +evil and idolatrous seed of the malignants, but whom their pious nurture may yet +bring to a knowledge of the truth,' and by that token, I knew that it was the +same." There was an odd little twinkle towards Emlyn just then.</p> + +<p>"And Stead, Jeph is an officer," said Patience, who was busied in +setting before the visitor on a little round table, the best ale, bread, cheese, +and butter that her hut afforded, together with an onion, which, he declared, +was "what his good grandfather, a valiant man for the godly, had ever loved +best."</p> + +<p>"An officer! Aye is he. A captain of his Ironside troop, very like to be +Colonel ere long."</p> + +<p>Stead was absolutely bewildered, and could not find speech, beyond an awkward +"Where?"</p> + +<p>"Where was he when I last saw him? Charging down the main street of +Worcester, where the malignants and Charles Stewart made their last stand. +Smiting them hip and thigh with the sword of Gedaliah, nay, my tongue tripped, +'twas Gideon I would say."</p> + +<p>"Aye," said the woodward, "Squire had the tidings two days +back in a news letter. It was a mighty victory of General Cromwell."</p> + +<p>"In sooth it was," returned the groom; "and I hear he hath +ordered a solemn thanksgiving therefore."</p> + +<p>"But Jephthah," put in Patience, "you are sure he was not +hurt?"</p> + +<p>"The hand of Heaven protecteth the godly," again through his nose +spoke the guest. "He was well when I left him; being sent south by my +master to attend my mistress, and so being no more among them that divide the +spoil."</p> + +<p>"Where have you served, sir?" demanded the woodward.</p> + +<p>"I am last from Scotland," was the answer. "A godly +land!"</p> + +<p>"Ah! I know nought of Scotland," said the woodward. "I was +disbanded when my Lord Essex gave up the command, more's the pity, for he was +for doing things soberly and reasonably, and ever in the name of the poor King +that is gone! You look too young to have seen fire at Edgehill or Exeter, +sir."</p> + +<p>"Did I not?" said the youth. "Aye, I was with my father, +though only as a boy apart on a hill."</p> + +<p>The reminiscences that were exchanged astonished Steadfast beyond measure, +and really made him doubt whether what had previously passed had not been all a +dream. The language was so like Jephthah's own too, all except that one word +"fair" applied to Emlyn; and Patience, Rusha, and the Pierces were +entirely without a suspicion, that their guest was other than he seemed. How +much must have been picked out of little Ben, without the child's knowing it, to +make such acting possible?</p> + +<p>And how was the woodward, who was so much delighted with the visitor, to be +shaken off? Stead stood silent, puzzled, anxious, and wondering what to do next, +a very heavy and awkward host, so that even Patience wondered what made him so +shy.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, however, a whistle, and the sharp yap of a dog was heard across the +stream. Nanny Pierce exclaimed, "There are those rascal lads after the +rabbits again!" and the gamekeeper's instinct awoke. Pierce shook hands +with his fellow soldier, regretted he could not see more of him, and received +his promise that if he came that way again, he would share a pottle of ale at +the lodge; and then tramped off after his poachers over the stream.</p> + +<p>Groom William then kissed the young women (the usual mode of salutation +then), Nanny Pierce and all, thanked Patience, and looked about for the goodly +little malignant, as he called Emlyn, but she was nowhere to be seen, and Stead +hurried him off through the wood.</p> + +<p>"Ho! ho! sly rascal," said Charles, as they turned away. +"You're jealous! You would keep the game to yourself."</p> + +<p>Stead had no answer to make to this banter, the very notion of Emlyn as aught +but the orphan in his charge was new to him.</p> + +<p>They were not yet beyond the gulley when from between the hazel stems, out +sprang Emlyn, and kneeling on the ground caught the King's hand and kissed it.</p> + +<p>"Fairy-haunted wood!" cried Charles, and indeed it was done with +great natural grace, and the little figure with the glowing cheeks, her hood +flying back so as to shew her brilliant eyes sparkling with delight and +enthusiasm, was a truly charming vision. "It is like one of the masques of +the merry days of old." And as he retained her hand and returned the salute +on her lips, "Queen Mab herself, for who else saw through thy poor brother +sovereign's mean disguise?"</p> + +<p>"I had seen your Majesty with the army," replied Emlyn, modestly +blushing a good deal.</p> + +<p>"Ah! The Fates have provided me with a countenance the very worst for +straits like mine. But that matters the less since it is only my worthy subjects +who see through the grey coat. I would lay my crown, if I had it, to one of +those crispy ringlets of yours, that Queen Mab was the poacher who drew off the +crop-eared keeper."</p> + +<p>"'Tis Robin Goodfellow, please your Majesty, who leads clowns +astray," said Emlyn in the same tone.</p> + +<p>"Sometimes a horse I'll be, sometimes a hound," quoted the King.</p> + +<p>Stead could only listen in amazement without a word to say for himself. Near +the confines of the wood, he had to leave Emlyn to guide the King over a +field-path while he fetched Mrs. Jane Lane and the horse to meet them beyond, as +it was wiser for the King not to shew himself in the village. Again Charles +jested on his supposed jealousy of leaving the fair Queen Mab alone in such +company, and on his blunt answer, "I only feared the saucy child might be +troublesome, sir."</p> + +<p>At which the King laughed the more, and even Emlyn smiled a little.</p> + +<p>All was safely accomplished, and when Steadfast had brought Mrs. Lane to the +deep lane, they found the King and Emlyn standing by the stile, and could hear +the laughter of both as they approached.</p> + +<p>"He can always thus while away his cares," said Jane Lane in quite +a motherly tone. "And well it is that he is of so joyous a nature."</p> + +<p>Perhaps it was said as a kind of excuse for the levity of one in so much +danger chattering to the little woodland maid so mirthfully, and like one on an +equality. When they appeared, Charles bestowed a kiss on Emlyn's lips, and shook +hands cordially with Steadfast, lamenting that he had no reward, nor even a +token to leave with them.</p> + +<p>Stead made his rustic bow, pinched his hat, and muttered, "It is enough +to--"</p> + +<p>"Enough reward to have served your Majesty," said Emlyn, "he +would say."</p> + +<p>"Yea, and it is your business to find words for him, pretty one," +said the King. "A wholesome partnership--eh? He finds worth, and you find +wit! And so we leave the fairy buried in the woodland."</p> + +<p>And on the wanderers rode, while Steadfast and Emlyn turned back over the +path through the fields; and she eagerly told that the King had slept at +Blythedale on his way to Worcester, and that though Sir Harry was dead, his son +was living in Holland. "And if the King gets there safely, he will tell +Master George, and if my uncle is with him, no doubt he will send for me, or +mayhap, come and fetch me."</p> + +<p>There was a shock of pain in Steadfast's heart.</p> + +<p>"You would be glad?"</p> + +<p>"Poor old Stead. I would scarce be glad to quit you. I doubt me if the +Hague, as they call it, would show me any one I should care for as much as for +your round shoulders, you good old lubber! But you should come too, and the King +would give you high preferment, when he comes to his own again, and then we +won't be buried alive in this Hermit's Gulley."</p> + +<p>She danced about in exultation, hardly knowing what wild nonsense she talked, +and Stead was obliged to check her sharply in an attempt to sing</p> + +<center><p>"The king shall enjoy his own again."</p></center> + +<p>"But Stead," asked Ben, after long reflection, "how could +Groom William know all about brother Jeph?"</p> + +<p>A question Stead would not hear, not wishing to destroy confidence in His +Majesty's veracity.</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER XVIII.<br> +JEPH'S GOOD FORTUNE.</h3> + +<p>"Still sun and rain made emerald green the loveliest fields on earth,<br> +And gave the type of deathless hope, the little shamrock, birth."<br> +IRISH BALLAD.</p></center> + +<p>The King's visit left traces. Emlyn had become far more restless and +consciously impatient of the dullness and seclusion of the Hermit's Gulley. Not +only did she, as before, avail herself of every pretext for going into the +village, or for making expeditions to Bristol, but she openly declared the place +a mere grave, intolerable to live in, and she confided to Jerusha that the King +had declared that it was a shame to hide her there--such charms were meant for +the world.</p> + +<p>The only way of getting into the world that occurred to her was going into +service at Bristol, and she talked of this whenever she specially hated her +spinning, or if Patience ventured to complain of her gadding about, gossipping +with Nanny Pierce or Kitty Blane, or getting all the young lads in Elmwood round +her, to be amused and teased by her lively rattle.</p> + +<p>Patience began to be decidedly of opinion that it would be much better for +all parties that the girl should be under a good mistress. Both she and Rusha +were over sixteen years old; and though it was much improved, the house was +hardly fit for so many inhabitants, and both Goody Grace and Dame Blane had told +Patience that it would be better, both for the awkward Rusha and the gay Emlyn, +if they could have some household training.</p> + +<p>Mistress Elmwood, at the Hall, had noted the family at church, and observed +their perfect cleanliness and orderliness, and it was intimated that at the +Ladyday hiring, she would take Rusha among her maidens.</p> + +<p>Shy Rusha cried a great deal, and wished Emlyn would go instead, but Mrs. +Elmwood would not have hired that flighty damsel on any account, and Emlyn was +sure it would be but mopish work to live under a starched old Puritan. Mrs. +Lightfoot was therefore applied to, to find a service for Emlyn Gaythorn, and +she presently discovered one Mistress Sloggett, a haberdasher's wife of wealth +and consideration, who wanted a young maidservant.</p> + +<p>Emlyn was presented to her by the bakester, undertook for everything, and was +hired by the twelvemonth, going off in high glee at the variety and diversion +she expected to enjoy at the sign of the "Sheep and Shears," though +clinging with much tenderness to her friends as they parted.</p> + +<p>"Remember, Emlyn, this is the home where you will always be +welcome," said Stead.</p> + +<p>"As if I wanted to <i>remember</i> it," said Emlyn, with her sweet +smile. "As if I did not know where be kind hearts."</p> + +<p>The hovel seemed greatly deserted when the two young girls were gone. +Patience sorely missed Rusha, her diligent little helper, and latterly her +companion too; and the lack of Emlyn's merry tongue made all around seem silent +and tedious. Steadfast especially missed the girl. Perhaps it was due to the +King's gibes that her absence fully opened to him the fact that he knew not how +to do without her. After his usual fashion, he kept the discovery to himself, +not even talking to Patience about it, being very shamefaced at the mere +thought, which gave a delicious warmth to his heart, though it made him revolve +schemes of saving up till he had a sufficient sum, with which to go to the +squire and propose to meet him half-way in rebuilding the old house; not such an +expensive matter as it would be in these days. There, in full view of all that +passed down Elmwood Lane, Emlyn could not complain of solitude, he thought! But +there was this difficulty in the way, that Jephthah had never resigned his +claims as eldest son, and might come home at any time, and take possession of +all the little farm at which Steadfast had worked for seven years.</p> + +<p>The war was over, and nothing had been heard of Jeph, except the king's +apocryphal history, since his visit after the taking of Bristol. Patience had +begun to call him "poor Jeph," and thought he must have been killed, +but Stead had ascertained that the army had not been disbanded, and believed him +still to be employed.</p> + +<p>At length, one market day, Mrs. Lightfoot told him, "There has been one +asking for you, Kenton, Seth Coleman, the loriner's son, that went soldiering +when your brother did. He landed last week from Ireland with a wooden leg, and +said he, 'Where shall I come to the speech of one Steadfast Kenton? I have a +greeting from his brother, the peculiarly favoured,' or some such word, +'Jephthah Kenton, who told me I should hear tidings of him from Mrs. Bakester +Lightfoot, at the sign of the "Wheatsheaf."' I told him where you +abode, and he said he knew as much from your brother, but he could not be +tramping out to Elmwood on a wooden leg. So says I 'I will send Steadfast Kenton +to you next market day.' You will find him at the sign at the 'Golden Bridle,' +by the Wharf Stairs."</p> + +<p>Stead had no sooner disposed of his wares than he went in search of the +loriner's shop, really one for horse furniture. There was a bench outside, +looking out on the wharf and shipping, and on it was seated the returned +soldier, with a little party round him, to whom he was expounding what sounded +more military than religious:</p> + +<p>"And so, the fort having been summoned and quarter promised, if so be no +resistance were made, always excepting Popish priests, and-- Eh! What now? Be +you an old neighbour? I don't remember your face."</p> + +<p>"I have seen you, though. I am Jephthah Kenton's brother, that you asked +for."</p> + +<p>"I mind you were but a stripling in those days, and yet in gross +darkness. Yea, I have a letter for thee from my comrade, who is come to high +preferment."</p> + +<p>"Jeph!"</p> + +<p>"Yea, things have prospered with him. He was a serjeant even before we +sailed for Ireland, and there he did such good service in hunting out Popish +priests and rebels in their lurking places in the bogs and mountains, that the +Lord General hath granted him the land that he took with his sword and his bow, +even a meadow land fat and fertile, Ballyshea by name, full of the bulls of +Bashan, goodly to look at. And to make all sure, he hath taken to wife the +daughter of the former owner of the land a damsel fair to look upon."</p> +<p>"Jeph! But sure--the Irish are Papists."</p> + +<p>"Not the whole of them. There are those that hold to Prelacy and call +themselves King's men, following the bloody and blinded Duke of Ormond. Of them +was this maid's father, whom we slew at the taking of Clonmel, where I got this +wound and left my good right leg. So is the race not to the swift, nor the +battle to the strong, but time and chance happeneth to all. When I could hobble +about once more on crutches, I found that the call had come to divide and +possess the gate of the enemy, and that the meads of Ballyshea had fallen to +Serjeant Kenton. Moreover, in the castle hard by, dwelt the widow and her +daughter, who cried to General Lambert for their land, and what doth he say to +Jephthah, but 'Make it sure, Kenton. Take the maid to wife, and so none will +disturb you in the fair heritage.' Yea, and mine old comrade would have me +sojourn with him till I was quite restored, so far as a man with one limb short +may be. I tell you 'tis a castle, man."</p> + +<p>"Our Jeph lord of a castle?"</p> + +<p>"Aye, even so. Twice as big as Elmwood Hall, if half were not in ruins, +and the other half the rats run over like peas out of a bag. While as to the +servants, there are dozens of them, mostly barefoot and in rags, who will run at +the least beck from the old mistress or the young mistress, though they scowl at +the master. But he is taking order with them, and teaching them who is to be +obeyed."</p> + +<p>"Then our Jephthah is a great man?"</p> + +<p>"You may say that--a bigger man than the squire at Elmwood, or at Leigh +I can tell you. Only I would give all that bare mountain and bog, full of wild, +Popish, red-haired kernes for twenty yards in a tidy street at Bristol, with +decent godly folk around me. Murdering or being murdered, I have marvelled more +than once whether the men of Israel were as sick of it in Canaan as I was at +Drogheda, but the cry ever was, 'Be not slack in the work.' But I will bring you +Jephthah's letter. He could not write when he went off, but he could not be a +serjeant without, so we taught him--I and Corporal Faith-Wins."</p> + +<p>Jephthah's handwriting was of a bold description doing honour to his tutors, +but the letter was very brief, though to the purpose--</p> + +<p>"Dear Brothers and Sisters,</p> +<p>"This is to do you, to wit, that by the grace of Heaven on my poor +endeavours I am come to high preferment. A goodly spoil hath fallen unto me, +namely, the castle and lands of Ballyshea, and therewith the daughter of the +owner, deceased, by name Ellen Roche, whom I have espoused in marriage, and am +bringing to the light of truth. I have castle, lands, flocks and herds, +men-servants and maid-servants in abundance, and I give thanks to Him who hath +rewarded His servant.</p> +<p>"Therefore I wholly resign to you, my brethren, Steadfast and Benoni, +any rights of heirship that may be mine in respect of the farmstead of Elmwood, +and will never, neither I nor my heirs, trouble you about it further. Yet if +Ben, or my sisters Patience and Jerusha, be willing to cross over to me in this +land of promise they shall be kindly welcome, and I shall find how to bestow +them well in marriage. Mine old comrade, Seth Coleman, will tell them how to +reach the Castle of Ballyshea, and how to find safe convoy, and tell you more of +the estate wherewith it has pleased Heaven to reward my poor services.</p> +<p>"And so commending you to His holy keeping, no more from your loving +brother,</p> +<p>"JEPHTHAH KENTON."</p> + +<p>The spelling of this was queer, even according to the ways of the time, but +it was not hard to understand, and it might well fill Steadfast with amazement.</p> + +<p>He longed to share the tidings with Emlyn, but he did not feel as if it would +be right to let anyone hear before Patience. Only as he went back and called +again at Mrs. Lightfoot's for his basket, she asked whether he had found Seth +Coleman, and if his brother had come to such preferment as was reported.</p> + +<p>"Yea," said Steadfast, "he hath a grant of land, and a castle, +and a wife."</p> + +<p>"Eh, now! Lack-a-day! 'Tis alway the most feather-pated that fly +highest."</p> + +<p>Cromwell's Ironsides feather-pated! But that did not trouble Steadfast, who +all the way home, as he rode his donkey, was thinking of the difference it made +in his prospects, and in what he had to offer Emlyn to be able to feel his +tenure so much more secure.</p> + +<p>Patience and Ben listened in utter amazement ending in a not complimentary +laugh on the part of the former. "Our Jeph lord of a castle? I'd like to +see him."</p> + +<p>"Would you? He has a welcome and a husband ready for you and Rusha +both?"</p> + +<p>"D'ye think I would go and leave you for Jeph, if he were lord of ten +castles?"</p> + +<p>And Ben, whose recollections of Jeph were very dim, exclaimed, "Lord of +a castle! I shall have a crow over Nick Blane now!"</p> + +<p>Rusha, who was well content with her service at the hall, had no mind for +such a terrible enterprise as a journey "beyond seas" to Ireland, and +mayhap Jeph's prospective husband was a less tempting idea, because a certain +young groom had shown symptoms of making her his sweetheart.</p> + +<p>Steadfast thought often of telling the great secret of his heart to his +faithful sister Patience, but his extreme shyness and modesty, and the reserve +in which he always lived, seemed to make it impossible to him to broach the +subject, and there might be a certain consciousness that Emlyn, while his own +pet, had been very troublesome to Patience.</p> + +<p>Stead was two-and-twenty, a sturdy well-grown fellow, but the hard work he +had been obliged to do as a growing lad, had rounded his shoulders, and he +certainly did not walk like the men who had been drilled for soldiers. His face +was healthy and sunburnt, with fair short hair and straightforward grey eyes. At +the first glance people would say, "What a heavy-looking, clownish young +man," but at the second there was something that made a crying child in the +street turn to him for help in distress, and made the marketing dames secure +that he told the truth about his wares.</p> + +<p>Patience was rather startled by seeing him laboriously tying up a posy of +wild rose, honeysuckle, and forget-me-not, and told him the Bristol folks would +not buy those common wild flowers.</p> + +<p>"They are for none of them," replied Stead, a little gruffly, and +colouring hotly at being caught.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said Patience, in her simplicity. "Are they for Emlyn? I +do not think her mistress will let you see her."</p> + +<p>"I shall," said Stead. "She ought to know of our good +fortune."</p> + +<p>"He has forgotten that Emlyn is not our sister after all," said +Patience, as she went back to her washing.</p> + +<p>"She might as well," said Ben, who could not remember the hut +without Emlyn.</p> + +<p>Stead had better luck than Patience foreboded from a household where the +servants were kept very strictly, for there was a good deal of curiosity in +Bristol about the report that a lad from the neighbourhood had won an Irish +heiress and castle, and when Stead presented himself at the door of the house +under the overhanging gable, and begged to see Emlyn Gaythorn to give her some +tidings, the maid who opened it exclaimed, "Is it anent the castle in +Ireland?"</p> + +<p>Stead awkwardly said "Aye, mistress." And as it became evident that +the readiest way of learning the facts would be his admission, he was let into +the house into a sort of wainscotted hall, where he found the mistress herself +superintending three or four young sempstresses who were making shirts for the +gentlemen of the garrison. Emlyn was among them, and sprang up looking as if +white seams were not half so congenial as nutting in the gulley, but she looked +prettier than ever, as the little dark curls burst out of the prim white cap, +she sniffed the flowers with ecstasy, and her eyes danced with delight that did +Stead's heart good to see. He needed it, for to stand there hat in hand before +so many women all staring at him filled him with utter confusion, so that he +could scarcely see, and stumbled along when Mrs. Sloggett called, "Come +here, young man. Is it true that it is your brother who has won a castle and a +countess in Ireland?"</p> + +<p>"Not a countess, ma'am," said Stead, gruff with shyness, "but +a castle."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Sloggett put him through a perfect catechism on Jeph and his fortunes, +which he answered at first almost monosyllabically, though afterwards he could +speak a little more freely, when the questions did not go quite beyond his +knowledge. Finally he succeeded in asking permission to take Emlyn and show her +his brother's letter. Mrs. Sloggett was gracious to the brother of the lord of a +castle, even in Ireland, and moreover Emlyn was viewed in the light of one of +the Kenton family.</p> + +<p>So leave was granted to take Master Kenton (he had never been so called +before) out into the garden of pot-herbs behind the house, and Emlyn with her +dancing step led the way, by a back door down a few steps into a space where a +paved walk led between two beds of vegetables, bordered with a narrow edge of +pinks, daisies, and gilliflowers, to a seat under the shade of an old apple +tree, looking out, as this was high ground, over the broad river full of +shipping.</p> + +<p>"Stead! Stead, good old Stead," she cried, "to come just as I +was half dead with white seam and scolding! Emlyn here! Emlyn there! And she's +ready with her fingers too. She boxed mine ears till they sang again +yesterday."</p> + +<p>"The jade," muttered Stead. "What for?"</p> + +<p>"Only for looking out at window," said Emlyn. "How could I +help it, when there were six outlandish sailors coming up the street leading a +big black bear. Well, Stead, and are you all going to live with Jeph in his +castle, and will you take me?"</p> + +<p>"He asks me not," said Stead, and began to read the letter, to +which Emlyn listened with many little remarks. "So Patience and Rusha wont +go. I marvel at them, yet 'tis like sober-sided old Patty! And mayhap among the +bogs and hills 'tis lonelier than in the gulley. I mind a trooper who had served +in Ireland telling my father it was so desolate he would not banish a dog there. +But what did he say about home, Stead, I thought it was all yours?"</p> + +<p>Stead explained, and also the possibility of endeavouring to rebuild the +farmhouse. If he could go to Mr. Elmwood with thirty pounds he thought it might +be done. "And then, Emlyn, when that is saved (and I have five pounds +already), will you come and make it your home for good and all?"</p> + +<p>"Stead! oh Stead! You don't mean it--you-- Why, that's +sweethearting!"</p> + +<p>"Well, so it is, Emlyn," said Stead, a certain dignity taking the +place of his shyness now it had come to the point. "I ask you to be my +little sweetheart now, and my wife when I have enough to make our old house such +as it was when my good mother was alive."</p> + +<p>"Stead, Stead, you always were good to me! Will it take long, think you? +I would save too, but I have but three crowns the year, and that sour-faced +Rachel takes all the fees'"</p> + +<p>"The thing is in the hands of God. It must depend on the crops, but with +this hope before me, I will work as never man worked before," said Stead.</p> + +<p>"And I will be mistress there!" cried Emlyn.</p> + +<p>"My wife will be mistress wherever I am sweet."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ha!" she laughed, "now I have something to look to, I +shall heed little when the dame flouts me and scolds me, and Joan twits me with +her cousin the 'prentice."</p> + +<p>They had only just time to go through the ceremony of breaking a tester +between them before a shrill call of "Emlyn" resounded down the +garden. Mrs. Sloggett thought quite time enough had been wasted over the young +man, and summoned the girl back to her sewing.</p> + +<p>Emlyn made a face of disgust, very comical and very joyous, but as the good +dame was actually coming in search of her no more could pass.</p> + +<p>Stead went away overflowing with happiness, and full of plans of raising the +means of bringing back this sunshine of his hearth. Perhaps it was well that, +though slow of thought, Patience still had wit enough in the long hours of the +day to guess that the nosegay boded something. She could not daunt or damp +Steadfast's joy--nay, she had affection enough for the pretty little being she +had cherished for seven years to think she shared it--but she knew all the time +that there would be no place in that new farmhouse for her, and there was a +chill over her faithful heart at times. But what would that signify, she +thought, provided that Stead was happy?</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER XIX.<br> +PATIENCE.</h3> + +<p>"I'm the wealthy miller yet."<br> +TENNYSON.</p></center> + +<p>Most devoted was the diligence with which Steadfast toiled and saved with the +hope before him. Since the two young girls were no longer at home, and Ben had +grown into a strong lad, Stead held that many little indulgences might be +dispensed with, one by one, either because they cost money or prevented it from +being acquired. No cheese was bought now, and he wanted to sell all the butter +and all the apples that were not defective.</p> + +<p>Patience contrived that Ben should never be stinted of his usual fare; and +she would, not allow that he needed no warm coat for the winter, but she said +nothing about the threadbare state of her own petticoat, and she stirred nothing +but the thinnest buttermilk into her own porridge, and not even that when the +little pigs required it. It was all for Stead.</p> + +<p>Patience at twenty was not an uncomely maiden so far as kindly blue eyes, +fresh healthy cheeks, and perfect neatness could make her agreeable to look at, +but there was an air of carefulness, and of having done a great deal of hard +work, which had made her seem out of the reach of the young men who loitered and +talked with the maidens on the village green, and looked wistfully at the spot +where the maypole had once stood.</p> + +<p>Patience was the more amazed by a visit from the Miller Luck and his son. The +son was a fine looking young man of three or four and twenty, who had about +three years before married a farmer's daughter, and had lost her at the birth of +her second child. There he stood, almost as bashful as Stead himself could have +been under the circumstances, while his father paid the astonished Patience the +compliment of declaring that they had put their heads together, and made up +their minds that there was no wench in those parts so like to be a good mother +to the babes, nor so thrifty a housewife as she; and, that, though there were +plenty of maids to be had who could bring something in their hands, her ways +were better than any portion she could bring.</p> + +<p>It really was a splendid offer. The position of miller's wife was very +prosperous, and the Lucks were highly respected. The old miller was good and +kindly, Andrew Luck the steadiest of young men, and though not seen to much +advantage as he stood sheepishly moving from leg to leg, he was a very fine, +tall, handsome youth, with a certain sweetness and wistfulness in his +countenance. Patience had no scruples about previous love and courtship. That +was not the point as she answered--</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Master Luck, you are very good; but I cannot leave my +brothers."</p> + +<p>"Let the big one get a wife of his own then," and, as Patience +shook her head, and glanced at where Ben, shy of strangers, was cutting rushes, +"and if you be tender on the young one, there would be work for him about +the place. I know you have been a good mother to him, you'd be the same to our +little ones. Come, Andrew, can't ye say a word for yourself?"</p> + +<p>"Come, Patience, do 'ee come!" pleaded poor Andrew, and the tears +even sprang to his eyes. "I'd be very good to thee, and I know thou +would'st be to my poor babes."</p> + +<p>Patience's heart really warmed to him, and still more to the babes, but she +could only hold out.</p> + +<p>"You must find another," she said.</p> + +<p>"Come, you need not be coy, my lass," said the old miller. +"You'll not get a better offer, and Andrew has no time nor heart either for +running about courting. What he wants is a good wife to cheer him up, and see to +the poor little children."</p> + +<p>It was powerful pleading, and Patience felt it.</p> + +<p>"Aye, Master Miller," she said, "but you see I'm bound not to +leave Steadfast till he is married. He could not get on no ways without +me."</p> + +<p>"Then why--a plague on it--don't he wed and have done with it?"</p> + +<p>"He cannot," said Patience, "till he has made up enough to +build up our old house, but that won't be yet awhile--for years maybe; and he +could not do it without me to help him."</p> + +<p>"And what's to become of you when you've let your best years go by +a-toiling for him, and your chance is gone by, and his wife turns you to the +door?" said Master Luck, not very delicately.</p> + +<p>"That God will provide," said Patience, reverently. "Anyway, I +must cleave to Steadfast though 'tis very good of you, Master Luck and Master +Andrew, and I never could have thought of such a thing, and I am right sorry for +the little ones."</p> + +<p>"If you would only come and see them!" burst out the poor young +father. "You never see such a winsome little poppet as Bess. And they be so +young now, they'd never know you were not their own mother."</p> + +<p>"Don't, don't, Master Andrew!" cried Patience, "I tell you I'd +come if I could, but you can't wait, and they can't wait; and you must find a +good mother at once for them, for I have passed my word to hold by Stead till he +is married, and I must keep to it."</p> + +<p>"Very well, my lass," said the miller, grimly. "There's +wenches better portioned and better favoured than you, and I hope you won't have +to repent of missing a good offer."</p> + +<p>Of course he said it as if he hoped she would. Patience cried heartily when +they were gone. Ben came up to her and glowered after them, declaring he +wouldn't have his Patty go to be only a step-mother to troublesome brats; but +Stead, when he came to know of it, looked grave, and said it was very good of +Pat; but he wished she could have kept the young fellow in play till she was +ready for him.</p> + +<p>Goody Grace, who was looking after the children till the stepmother could be +found, came and expostulated with Patience, telling her she was foolish to miss +such a chance, and that she would find out her mistake when Stead married and +that little flighty, light-headed wench made the place too hot to hold her. What +would she do then?</p> + +<p>"Come and help you nurse the folk, Goody," said Patience, +cheerfully.</p> + +<p>Her heart would fail her sometimes at the outlook, but she was too busy to +think much about it. Only the long evenings had been pleasanter when Stead used +to teach Ben to read Dr. Eales's books and tell her bits such as she could +understand than now when he grudged a candle big enough to be of any use, and +was only plaiting rushes and reckoning up what everything would bring.</p> + +<p>Ben was a bright little fellow, and could read as well as his brother. He +longed for school, for when boys were not obliged to learn, some of them wished +to do so. There was a free grammar school about three miles off to which he +wanted to go, and Patience, who was proud of his ability, wished to send him, +neither of them thinking anything of the walk.</p> + +<p>Stead, however, could see no use in more learning than he had himself. +Neither he nor Jeph had been to school. Why should the child go? He could not be +spared just as he was getting old enough to be of some use and save time, which +was money.</p> + +<p>And when the little fellow showed his disappointment, Stead was even surly in +telling him "they wanted no upstarts."</p> + +<p>It was a hard winter, and the frost was followed by a great deal of wet. One +of the sheep was swept away by the flood; three or four lambs died; and Stead, +for about the first time in his life, caught a severe feverish cold in looking +after the flock, and was laid by for a day or two, very cross and fretful at +everything going wrong without him.</p> + +<p>Poor little Ben was more railed at for those few days than ever he had been +before, and next he broke down and had to be nursed; and then came Patience's +turn. She was ill enough to frighten her brothers; and Goody Grace, who came to +see to her, finding how thin her blanket was, and how long it was since she had +had any food but porridge, gave Steadfast a thorough good scolding, told him he +would be the death of a better sister than he deserved, and set before him how +only for his sake Patience might be living on the fat of the land at the mill.</p> + +<p>To all appearance, Stead listened sulkily enough, but by-and-by Goody found a +fowl killed and laid ready for use. It was an old hen, whose death set Patience +crying in her weakness. Nevertheless, it was stewed down into broth which +heartened her up considerably, and a blanket that came home rolled up on the +donkey's back warmed her heart as much as her limbs.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Elmwood spared Rusha for a week, and it was funny to see how the girl +wondered at its having been possible to live in such a den. She absolutely cried +when Ben told her how hard they had been living, and said she did not think +Stead would ever have used Patience so.</p> + +<p>"Then why did she make as if she liked it?" said Stead, gruffly.</p> + +<p>But for all that Stead was too sound-hearted not to be grieved at himself, +and to see that his love and impatience had led him into unkindness to those who +depended on him; and when Master Woodley preached against love of money he felt +pricked at the heart, though it had not been the gain in itself that he aimed +at. And when he had to go to the mill, the sight of the comfortable great +kitchen, with the open hearth, glowing fire, seats on either side, tall settle, +and the flitches of bacon on the rafters, seemed to reproach him additionally. +The difficulties there had been staved off by the old miller himself marrying a +stout, motherly widow, who had a real delight in the charge of a baby.</p> + +<p>"For," said Master Luck, "Andrew and I could agree on no one +for him."</p> + +<p>Moreover, Stead ceased to grunt contemptuously when Patience, with Goody +Grace to back her, declared that Ben was too young and slight for farm work.</p> + +<p>The boy was allowed to trudge his daily three miles to school, and there his +progress was the wonder and delight of his slower-witted brother and sister.</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER XX.<br> +EMLYN'S SERVICE.</h3> + +<p>"Oh, blind mine eye that would not trace,<br> +And deaf mine ear that would not heed<br> +The mocking smile upon her face,<br> +The mocking voice of greed."<br> +LEWIS CARROLL.</p></center> + +<p>When Lady-day came round, Steadfast found to his delight and surprise a +little figure dancing out to meet him from Mrs. Lightfoot's.</p> + +<p>"There, Master Stead. Are not you glad to see me, or be you too +dumbfounded to get out a word, like good old Jenny?" stroking the donkey's +cars. "Posies of primroses! How sweet they be! You must spare me one."</p> + +<p>"As many as you will, sweetheart. They be all for you, whether given or +sold. And you've got a holiday for Lady-day."</p> + +<p>"Have a care! I got my ears boxed for such a Popish word. 'Tis but +quarter day, you know, being that, hang, draw, and quarter is more to the +present folks' mind than ladies or saints. I have changed my service, you must +know, as poor Dick used to sing:--</p> + +<p>"Have a new master, be a new man."</p> + +<p>"You have not heard from your own folk," cried Stead, this being +what he most dreaded.</p> + +<p>"Nay. But I can away no more with Dame Sloggett, and Cross-patch Rachel, +white seam and salmon, and plain collars. So I bade her farewell at the end of +the year, and I've got a new mistress."</p> + +<p>Stead stood with open mouth. To change service at the end of a year was +barely creditable in those days, and to do so without consultation with home was +unkind and alarming.</p> + +<p>"There now, don't be crooked about it. I had not time to come out and +tell you and Patience, the old crones kept me so close, stitching at shirts for +a captain that is to sail next week, and I knew you would be coming in."</p> + +<p>"Where is it?" was all Stead uttered.</p> + +<p>"What think you of Master Henshaw's, the great merchant, and an honest +well-wisher to King and Church to boot?"</p +> +<p>"Master Henshaw, the West Indian merchant? His is a good, well-ordered +household, and he holds with the old ways."</p> + +<p>"Yes. He was out that Whitsun morning we wot of," said Emlyn. +"I wist well you would be pleased."</p> + +<p>"But I thought his good lady was dead," said Steadfast.</p> + +<p>"So she is. She that came out to the gully, but there's a new Mistress +Henshaw, a sweet young lady, of a loyal house, the Ayliffes of Calfield. And I +am to be her own woman."</p> + +<p>"Own woman," said Mrs. Lightfoot, for they were by this time among +the loaves in her stall. "Merchants' wives did not use to have women of +their own in my time."</p> + +<p>For this was the title of a lady's maid, and rules as to household +appointments were strictly observed before the rebellion.</p> + +<p>"Mistress Henshaw is gentlewoman born," returned Emlyn, with a toss +of her head. "She ought to have all that is becoming her station in return +for being wedded to an old hunks like that! And 'tis very well she should have +one like <i>me</i> who has seen what becomes good blood! So commend me to Patience +and Rusha, and tell Ben maybe I shall have an orange to send him one of these +days. And cheer up, Stead. I shall get five crowns and two gowns a year, and +many a fee besides when there is company, so we may build the house the sooner, +and I shall not be mewed up, and shall see the more of thee. 'Tis all for you. +So never look so gloomy on it, old Sobersides."</p> + +<p>And she turned her sweet face to him, and coaxed and charmed him into being +satisfied that all was well, dwelling on the loyalty and excellence of the +master of the house.</p> + +<p>He found it true that it was much easier to see Emlyn than before. Mrs. +Henshaw, a pretty young creature, not much older than Emlyn, was pleased to do +her own marketing, and came out attended by Emlyn, and a little black slave boy +carrying a basket. She generally bought all that Steadfast had to sell, and then +gave smiling thanks when he offered to help carry home her purchases. She would +join company with some of her acquaintance, and leave the lovers to walk +together, only accompanied by little Diego, or Diggo as they called him, whose +English was of the most rudimentary description.</p> + +<p>Emlyn certainly was very happy in her new quarters. Neither her lady nor +herself was arrayed with the rigid plainness exacted by Puritanism, and many +disapproving glances were cast upon the fair young pair, mistress and maid, by +the sterner matrons. Waiting women could not indulge in much finery, but +whatever breast knots and tiny curls beyond her little tight cap could do, Emlyn +did without fear of rebuke. Stead tried to believe that the disapproving looks +and words, by which Mrs. Lightfoot intimated that she heard reports unfavourable +to the household were only due to the general distrust and dislike to the bright +and lively Emlyn. Mrs. Lightfoot was no Puritan herself, but her gossips were, +and he received her observations with a dull, stony look that vexed her, by +intimating that it was no business of hers.</p> + +<p>Still it was borne in upon him that, good man as Mr. Henshaw certainly was, +the household was altered. It had been poverty and distress which had led the +Ayliffe family to give their young sister to a man so much her elder, and +inferior in position; and perhaps still more a desire to confirm the Royalist +footing in the city of Bristol. The lady's brothers were penniless Cavaliers, +and one of them made her house his home, and a centre of Royalist plots and +intelligences, which excited Emlyn very much by the certainty that something was +going on, though what it was, of course, she did not know; and at any rate there +was coming and going, and all sorts of people were to be seen at the merchant's +hospitable table, all manner of news to be had here, there, and everywhere, with +which she delighted to entertain Steadfast, and show her own importance.</p> + +<p>It was not often good news as regarded the Cavalier cause, for Cromwell was +fixing himself in his seat; and every endeavour to hatch a scheme against him +was frustrated, and led to the flight or death of those concerned in it. +However, so long as Emlyn had something to tell, it made little difference +whether the tidings were good or bad, whether they concerned Admiral Blake's +fleet, or her mistress's little Italian greyhound. By-and-by however instead of +Mrs. Henshaw, there came to market Madam Ayliffe, her mother, a staid, elderly +lady, all in black, who might as well, Emlyn said, have been a Puritan.</p> + +<p>She looked gravely at Stead, and said, "Young man, I am told that you +are well approved and trustworthy, and that my daughter suffers you to walk home +with this maiden, you being troth plight to her."</p> + +<p>Stead assented.</p> + +<p>"I will therefore not forbid it, trusting that if you be, as I hear, a +prudent youth, you may bring her to a more discreet and obedient behaviour than +hath been hers of late."</p> + + +<p align="center"><img src="emlynmarket.jpg" alt="emlynmarket"></p> + + +<p>So saying, Mrs. Ayliffe joined company with the old Cavalier Colonel and went +on her way as Emlyn made that ugly face that Stead knew of old, clenched her +hand and muttered, "Old witch! She is a Puritan at heart, after all! She is +turning the house upside down, and my poor mistress has not spirit to say 'tis +her own, with the old woman and the old hunks both against her! Why, she +threatened to beat me because, forsooth, the major's man was but giving me the +time of day on the stairs!"</p> + +<p>"Was that what she meant?" asked Stead.</p> + +<p>"Assuredly it was. Trying to set you against me, the spiteful old +make-bate, and no one knows how long she will be here, falling on the poor lads +if they do but sing a song in the hall after supper, as if she were a very +Muggletonian herself. I trow she is no better."</p> + +<p>"Did you not tell me how she held out her house against the Roundheads, +and went to prison for sheltering Cavaliers?"</p> + +<p>"I only wish they had kept her there. All old women be Puritans at +heart. I say Stead, I'll have done with service. Let us be wed at once."</p> + +<p>Stead could hardly breathe at this proposition. "But I have only nine +pounds and two crowns and--" he began.</p> + +<p>"No matter, there be other ways," she went on. "Get the house +built, and I'll come, and we will have curds and whey all the summer, and +mistress and all her friends will come out and drink it, and eat +strawberries!"</p> + +<p>"But the Squire will never build the place up unless I bring more in +hand."</p> + +<p>"You 'but' enough to butt down a wall, you dull-pated old Stead," +said Emlyn, "you know where to get at more, and so do I."</p> + +<p>Stead's grey eyes fixed on her in astonishment and bewilderment.</p> + +<p>"Numskull!" she exclaimed, but still in that good humoured voice of +banter that he never had withstood, "you know what I mean, though maybe you +would not have me say it in the street, you that have secrets."</p> + +<p>"How do you know of it?"</p> + +<p>"Have not I eyes, though some folk have not? Could not I look out at a +chink on a fine summer morning, when you thought the children asleep? Could not +I climb up to your precious cave as well as yourself; and hear the iron clink +under the stone. Ha, ha! and you and Patience thought no one knew but +yourselves."</p> + +<p>"I trust no one else does."</p> + +<p>"No, no, I'm no gad-about, whatever you may be pleased to think me. They +say everything comes of use in seven years, and it must be over that now."</p> + +<p>"Ten since 'twas hidden, nigh seven since that Whitsuntide. There's +never a parson who could come out, is there? Besides, with Peter Woodward nigh, +'tis not safe to meet."</p> + +<p>"That's what your head is running on. No, no. They will never have it +out again that fashion. The old Prayer-book is banished for ever and a day! I +heard master and the Captain say that now old Noll has got his will, he will +soon call himself king, and there's no hope of churches or parsons coming back; +and old madam sat and cried. The Jack Presbyters and the rest of the sectaries +have got it all their own way."</p> + +<p>"Dr. Eales said I had no right to give it to Master Woodley, or any that +was not the right sort."</p> + +<p>"So why should you go on keeping it there rotting for nothing, when it +might just hinder us from wearing our very lives out while you are plodding and +saving?"</p> + +<p>Stead stood stock still, as her meaning dawned on him, "Child, you know +not what you say," at last he uttered.</p> + +<p>"Ah well, you are slow to take things in; but you'll do it at +last."</p> + +<p>"I am slow to take in this," said Stead. "Would you have me +rob God?"</p> + +<p>"No, only the owls and the bats," said Emlyn. "If they are the +better for the silver and gold under them! What good can it do to let it lie +there and rot?"</p> + +<p>"Gold rots not!" growled Stead.</p> + +<p>"Tarnishes, spoils then!" said Emlyn pettishly. "Come, what +good is't to any mortal soul there?"</p> + +<p>'It is none of mine."</p> + +<p>"Not after seven years? Come, look you now, Stead, 'tis not only being +tired of service and sharp words, and nips and blows, but I don't like being +mocked for having a clown and a lubber for my sweetheart. Oh yes! they do, and +there's a skipper and two mates, and a clerk, and a well-to-do locksmith, +besides gentlemen's valets and others, I don't account of, who would all cut off +their little fingers if I'd only once look at them as I am doing at you, you old +block, who don't heed it, and I don't know that I can hold out against them +all," she added, looking down with a sudden shyness; "specially the +mates. There's Jonah Richards, who has a ship building that he is to have of his +own, and he wants to call it the 'Sprightly Emlyn,' and the other sailed with +Prince Rupert, and made ever so many prizes, and how am I to stand out when you +don't value me the worth of an old silver cup?"</p> + +<p>"Come, come, Em, that's only to frighten a man." But she knew in +his tone that he was frightened.</p> + +<p>"Not a bit! I should be ever so much better off in a tidy little house +where I could see all that came and went than up in your lane with nought to go +by but the market folk. 'Tis not everyone that would have kept true to a big +country lout like you, like that lady among the salvage men that the King spoke +of; and I get nothing by it but wait, wait, wait, when there's stores of silver +ready to your hand."</p> + +<p>"Heaven knows, and you know, Emlyn, 'tis not for want of love."</p> + +<p>"Heaven may know, but I don't."</p> + +<p>"I gave my solemn word."</p> + +<p>"And you have kept it these ten years, and all is changed." Then +altering her tone, "There now, I know it takes an hour to beat a notion +into that slow brain of yours, and here we be at home, and I shall have madam +after me. I'll leave you to see the sense of it, and if I do not hear of +something before long, why then I shall know how much you care for poor little +Emlyn."</p> + +<p>With which last words she flitted within the gates, leaving Steadfast still +too much stunned to realise all she meant, as he turned homewards; but all grew +on him in time, the idea that Emlyn, his Emlyn, his orphan of the battlefield, +bereaved for the sake of King and Church, should be striving to make him betray +his trust! "The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine," rang in his +ears, and yet was it not cruel that when she really loved him best, and sought +to return to him as a refuge from the many temptations to her lively spirit, he +should be forced to leave her in the midst of them--against her own warning and +even entreaty, and not only himself lose her, but lose her to one of those +godless riotous sailors who were the dread and bane of the neighbourhood? Was +not a human soul worth as much as a consecrated Chalice?</p> + +<p>These were the debates in Steadfast's much tormented soul. He could think, +though he could not clothe his thoughts in words, and day after day, night after +night he did think, while Patience wondered at the heavy moodiness that seemed +to have come over him. He would not open his lips to ask her counsel, being +quite certain of what it would be, and not choosing to hear her censure of Emlyn +for what he managed to excuse by the poor child's ignorance and want of +training, and by her ardent desire to be under his wing and escape from +temptation.</p> + +<p>He recollected a thousand pleas that he might have used with her, to show it +was not want of love but a sacred pledge that withheld him, and market day after +market day he went in, priming himself all the way with arguments that were to +confirm her constancy, arm her against temptation, and assure her of his +unalterable love, though he might not break his vow, nor lay his hand upon +sacred things.</p> + +<p>But whether Emlyn would not, or could not, meet him, he did not know, for a +week or two went by before he saw her, and then she was carrying a great fan for +her young mistress, who was walking with a Cavalier, as gay as Cavaliers ever +ventured to be, and another young lady, whose waiting woman had paired with +Emlyn. They were mincing along, gazing about them, and uttering little +contemptuous titters, and Stead could only too well guess what kind of remarks +Emlyn's companion might make upon him.</p> + +<p>Near his stand, however, the other lady beckoned her maid to adjust something +in her dress; and Stead could approach Emlyn. She looked up with her bright, +laughing eyes with a certain wistfulness in them.</p> + +<p>"Have you made up your mind to cheat the owls?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Emlyn, if you would not speak so lightly, I could show cause--"</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's enough," she answered hastily, turning as the other +maid joined her; and Stead caught the shrill, pert voice demanding if that was +her swain with clouted shoes. Emlyn's reply he could not hear, but he saw the +twist of the shoulders.</p> + +<p>There are bitter moments in everyone's life, and that was one of the very +bitterest of Steadfast Kenton's.</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER XXI.<br> +THE ASSAULT OF THE CAVERN.</h3> + +<p>"By all description this should be the place.<br> +Who's here?"<br> +SHAKESPEARE.</p></center> + +<p>Harvest was over, and the autumn evenings were darkening. It was later than +the usual bed time, but Patience had a piece of spinning which she was anxious +to finish for the weaver who took all her yarn, and Stead was reading Dr. +Eales's gift of the Morte d'Arthur, which had great fascination for him, though +he never knew whether to regard it as truth or fable. He wanted to drive out the +memory of what Mrs. Lightfoot had told him about the Henshaw household, where +the youngest of the lady's brothers had lately arrived from beyond seas, +bringing with him habits of noise and riot, which greatly scandalised the +neighbours.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Growler started up with pricked ears, and emitted a sound like +thunder. Patience checked her wheel. There was an unmistakable sound of steps. +Stead sprang up. Growler rushed at the door with a furious volley of barking. +Stead threw it open, catching up a stout stick as he did so, and the dog dashed +out, but was instantly driven back with an oath and a blow. It was a bright +moonlight night, and Stead beheld three tall men evidently well armed.</p> + +<p>"Ho, you fellow there," one called out, "keep back your cur, +we don't want to hurt him nor you."</p> + +<p>"Then what are you doing here?" demanded Stead.</p> + +<p>"We are come for what you wot of. For the King's service."</p> + +<p>"Who sent you?" asked Stead, for the moment somewhat dazed.</p> + +<p>One of them laughed and said, "As if you did not know."</p> + +<p>There was a sickening perception, but Stead's powers were alert enough for +him to exclaim, "Then you have no warrant."</p> + +<p>"My good fellow, don't stickle about such trifles. For the King's +service it is, and that should be enough for all loyal hearts. Hollo, what's +that? Silence your dog, I say," as Growler's voice resounded through the +gulley, "or it will be the worse for you and him."</p> + +<p>Stead took hold of the dog's collar, and amidst his choked grumbles, said, +"I do nought but on true warrant."</p> + +<p>"Hark ye, blockhead," said the foremost. "I'm an officer of +His Majesty's, with power to make requisitions for his service."</p> + +<p>"Shew it," said Stead, quite convinced that this was sheer robbery.</p> + +<p>"You addle-pated, insolent clown, to dispute terms with gentlemen in His +Majesty's service. Stand aside. I've done you only too much honour by parleying +with you. Out of the way. We don't want to take a stick of your own trumpery, I +say."</p> + +<p>"Sir, it is Church plate."</p> + +<p>"Ha, ha! Church plate is His Most Sacred Majesty's plate. Don't ye know +that, you ass? Here! we'll throw you back something for yourself if you will +show us the cave and save us trouble, for we know which it is by the token of +the red stone and twisted ash. Ho! take-- What's become of the clown? He has run +off. Discreet fellow!"</p> + +<p>For Stead had disappeared in the black darkness behind the hut. He remembered +Jephthah's discomfiture by the owl, and it struck him that from within the +cavern it would be quite possible to keep the robbers at bay, if they tried +without knowing the way to climb up among the bushes. He was not afraid for his +brother and sister, as the marauders evidently did not want anything but the +plate. Indeed, his whole soul was so concentrated on the defence of his charge +that he had no room for anything else.</p> + +<p>Knowing the place perfectly, Stead had time to swing himself, armed with a +stout bludgeon, up into the hermit's cave, and even to drag after him Growler, a +very efficient ally. The contrasts of moonlight were all in his favour, the +lights almost as bright as in sunshine, the shadows so very dark. He could see +through the overhanging ivy and travellers' joy the men peering about with their +dark lantern, looking into the caves where the pigs were, among the trees, and +he held Growler's mouth together lest the grim murmurs that were rolling in the +beast's throat should serve as a guide.</p> + +<p>Then he heard them shout to Patience to come and guide them since her coward +of a brother had made off, and he heard her answer, "Not I, 'tis no +business of mine."</p> + +<p>"We'll see about that. D'ye know how folks are made to speak, my +lass?"</p> + +<p>Then Stead recollected with horror that he had left her to her fate. Would he +be obliged to come down to her help? At that moment, however, there was a call +from the fellow who bore the lantern. "Here's the red stone. That must be +the ash. Now then!"</p> + +<p>"You first, Nick." Then came a crackling and rustling of boughs, a +head appeared, and at that moment Stead loosed Growler and would have dealt a +blow with his stick, but that the assault of the dog had sufficed to send the +assailant, roaring and cursing, headlong down the crag.</p> + +<p>Furious threats came up to him and his dog, but he heard them in silence, +though Growler's replies were vociferous. Stead gathered that the fall had in +some degree hurt the man for he made an exclamation of pain, and the others bade +him stay there and keep back the wench.</p> + +<p>"We'll have you down though we smoke you out like a wasps' nest, you +disloyal adder, you," was one of the threats.</p> + +<p>"Or serve him like the Spaniard at Porto Santo," said another.</p> + +<p>Presently after numerous threats and warnings that they had firearms and were +determined to use them, two of the men began climbing much more cautiously, +holding by the trees, so as not to be suddenly overthrown. However the furious +attack of such a dog as Growler, springing from utter darkness was a formidable +matter, and the man against whom he had launched himself could not but fall in +his turn, but the dog went after him, and the companion, being on his guard, was +not overthrown. Stead aimed a blow at the fellow with all his might, but the +slouching hat warded off the full force of the bludgeon. Then Stead sprang at +him and grappled with him. There was the report of a pistol, and both rolled +headlong among the bushes, but at that moment a fresh shout was heard--a cry of +"Villains, traitors, robbers--what be at?" and a rush of feet, while +in the moonlight appeared Peter Pierce with his fowling piece, another man, Ben, +and four or five dogs.</p> + +<p>The robbers never waited to see how small the reinforcement was, and it made +noise enough for the whole hue-and-cry of the parish. Off they dashed, through +the wood, the new comers after them.</p> + +<p>But all Patience knew was that Steadfast was lying senseless at the bottom of +the cliff, with poor Growler moaning by him, and licking his face, and that her +hands were wet with what must be blood.</p> + +<p>It was too dark to see anything, but she could hardly bear to leave him, as +she hurried back to the hut for the lantern. All this had taken but few minutes, +so that she had only to catch it up from the table where Stead's book still lay.</p> + +<p>By the time she came back, he had opened his eyes, and his hand was on +Growler's head.</p> + +<p>"Are they gone?" he asked faintly.</p> + +<p>"Yes, and Peter after them. Oh! Stead, you are badly hurt."</p> + +<p>"They have not got it?"</p> + +<p>"Oh no, no, you saved it."</p> + +<p>"Thank God. Is Ben safe?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, after them with Peter. I sent him out while you were talking to +call Peter."</p> + +<p>"Good--" and his eyes closed again. "Good Growler, poor +Growl--" he added, fondling the big head, as the dog moaned. "See to +him, Pat."</p> + +<p>"I must see to you first. Oh! Stead, is it very bad?"</p> + +<p>"I'll try to get in, if you'll help me."</p> + +<p>He raised himself, but this effort brought a rush of blood to the lips, which +greatly terrified Patience. To her great relief, however, Nanny Pierce having +satisfied herself that all was quiet round the hut, here called out to ask where +Patience was. She was profuse in "Lack-a-daisy!" "Dear +heart!" and "Poor soul!" and was quite sure Stead was as good as +a dead man; but she had strong arms, and so had Patience, and when they had done +what they could to stanch the wound in his side, which however, was not bleeding +much externally, they carried him in between them to Patience's bed which had +been Emlyn's, and therefore was the least uncomfortable. Poor Growler crept +after, bleeding a good deal, and Steadfast would not rest till his faithful +comrade was looked to. There was a dagger cut in his chest, which Nanny, used to +dog doctoring, bound up, after which the creature came close to his master, and +fell asleep under his hand.</p> + +<p>It was a very faint hand. Movement or speech alike brought blood to the +mouth, and Stead's ruddy checks were becoming deadly white. He struggled to say, +"You and Ben guard it! Say a prayer, Pat," and then the two women +really thought that in the gush that followed all was over, and Nanny marvelled +at the stunned calm in which Patience went over the Lord's Prayer, and such +Psalms as she could remember.</p> + +<p>Steps came, and Nanny shrieked. Then she saw it was her husband and the other +two men.</p> + +<p>"Made off to the town," said Peter, gruffly.</p> + +<p>"How now--hurt?"</p> + +<p>'O, Peter, they have made an end of the poor lad. Died like a lamb, even +now."</p> + +<p>"No, no," said Peter, as he came close to the bed with his more +experienced eye; "he ain't dead. 'Tis but a swoon. Hast any strong waters, +Pat? No, I'll be bound. Ho, you now, Bill, run and knock them up at the Elmwood +Arms, and bring down a gill."</p> + +<p>"And call Goody Grace," entreated Patience, "she will know +best what to do."</p> + +<p>On the whole, Peter's military experience was more hopeful, if not more +helpful than Goody Grace's. He was the only person who persisted in declaring +that such wounds were not always mortal, though he agreed in owning that the +inward bleeding was the worst sign. Stead did not attempt to speak again, but +lay there deadly white and with a stricken look on his face, which Patience +could not bear to see, and she ascribed to the conviction that the wretched +little Emlyn must have betrayed his secret.</p> + +<p>The hut was over-full of volunteers of assistance and enquiry the next day, +including the squire and Master Woodley; but nobody seemed to guess at the real +object of the robbers' attack, everybody thinking they had come for the savings +which Stead was known to be making towards rebuilding the farmhouse.</p> +<p>Mr. Elmwood was very indignant and took Pierce, and Blane the constable, into +Bristol to see whether the felons could be captured and brought to justice, but +they proved to have gone down to the wharf, and to have got on board a vessel +which had dropped down the river in the early morning. They were also more than +suspected of being no other than buccaneers who plied their trade of piracy in +the West Indies. The younger Ayliffe had gone with them, and was by no means +above suspicion.</p> + +<p>Mr. Elmwood also brought out a barber surgeon to see young Kenton, a thing +which his sister would not have dared to propose. But there was not much to be +done, the doctor decided that the bullet was where the attempt at extraction +would be fatal, and that the only hope of even partial recovery was in perfect +stillness and silence--and this Patience could promise to ensure as far as in +her lay. Instructions on dressing the wound were given to her, and she was to +send in to the barber's shop if ointment or other appliances were needed. This +was all that she was to expect, and more indeed than she had thought feasible; +for folks of their condition were sick and got well, lived or died without the +aid of practitioners above the skill of Goody Grace. However, he gave her very +little hope, though he would not pronounce that her brother was dying. A few +days would decide, and quiet was the only chance.</p> + +<p>Scarcely however were the visitors gone, and Stead left to what rest pain +would allow him after being handled by the surgeon, when a sound of sobbing was +heard outside. "Oh! oh! I'm afraid to go in! Ben! Oh! tell me, is he not +dead? I'm the most miserable maid in the world if he is."</p> + +<p>"He's alive, small thanks to you," responded Ben, who had somehow +arrived at a knowledge of the facts, while Rusha, who was milking, buried her +head in Daisy's side, and would not even look at her. Patience felt in utter +despair, and longed to misunderstand Stead's signs to her to open the door. She +tried to impress the need of quiet, but Emlyn darted in, her hood pushed back, +her hair flying, her dress disordered, looking half wild, and dropping on the +floor, she crouched there with clasped hands, crying "Oh! oh! he looks like +death. He'll die and I'm the most--"</p> + +<p>"If you make all that noise and tumult he will," said Patience, who +could bear no more. "Are you come here to finish what you have done? Do go +away."</p> + +<p>"Oh! but I must tell you! They said it was for the King, and that he had +the right. Yes they did, and they swore that they would hurt no one."</p> + +<p>Stead looked to a certain extent pleased, but Patience broke out, "As if +you did not know he would rather die than give up his trust."</p> + +<p>"I thought he would never know--"</p> + +<p>"Robber!" said Patience. "Go! You have done harm enough +already."</p> + +<p>"But I must tell you," persisted Emlyn. "I used to see Dick +Glass among Lord Goring's troopers, and he is from our parts, and he has been +with Prince Rupert. There was a plot, I know there is, and both the Master +Ayliffes are in it, and we were to go and raise Worcestershire, only they wanted +money, and Dick was to--to wed me--and set us across the river this morning, +when they had got the treasure. 'Twas for the King. And now they are all gone, +Master Philip and all, and master says they are flibustiers, and pirates, and +robbers; and Mrs. Lightfoot's boy came and said Stead Kenton was shot dead at +his house door, and then I was neither to have nor to hold, but I ran off here +like one distraught, for I never loved anyone like you Stead."</p> +<p>"Pretty love!" said Patience. "Oh! if you think you love him, +go and let him be at peace."</p> + +<p>"I do! I do!" cried the girl, quite unmanageable. "Only it +made me mad that he should heed an old chest and a musty parson more than me, +and so I took up with Dick, and he over persuaded me with his smooth tongue that +we would raise folk for the King."</p> + +<p>Stead held out his hand.</p> + +<p>"Oh! Stead, Stead, you are always kinder than Patience! You forgive me, +dear old Stead, do not you? And I'll tend you day and night, and you shall not +die, and I'll wed you, if you have nought but the shirt to your back."</p> + +<p>Patience felt nearly distracted at the notion of Emlyn there day and night, +but at that instant Goody Grace, who had been to her home in preparation for +spending the night in nursing, walked in.</p> + +<p>"How now, mistress, what are you about here?"</p> + +<p>"She wants to stay and tend him, and I don't know whether she has come +with her mistress's knowledge," sighed Patience.</p> + +<p>"Fine tendance!" said the old woman. "My lady wants to kill +him outright. Nay, nay, my young madam, we want none of your airs and flights +here. You can do no good, except by making yourself scarce--you that can't hold +your tongue a moment"</p> + +<p>Stead here whispered, "Her mistress, will she forgive her?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, no fear but that she will," said Emlyn, who perhaps had +revolved in her mind, since her first impulse, what it would be to nurse Stead +in that hovel, with two such displeased companions as Goody and Patience. More +to pacify Steadfast's uneasy eyes than for her own sake, Patience gave her a +drink of milk and a piece of bread, and Peter coming just then to ask if he +could help Ben with the cattle, undertook to see her safely on her way, since +twilight was coming on. Sobered and awestruck by the silence and evident +condemnation of all around, she ended by flinging herself on her knees by the +bed, and saying "Stead, Stead, you forgive me, though no one else +does?"</p> + +<p>"Poor child--I do--as I hope--"</p> + +<p>"The blood again. You've done it now," exclaimed Goody Grace. +"Away with you!"</p> + +<p>Peter fairly dragged her out, while the women attended to Stead.</p> + +<p>But he let her wait outside till they heard, "Not dead, but not far from +it"</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER XXII.<br> +EMLYN'S TROTH.</h3> + +<p>"Woman's love is writ in water,<br> +Woman's faith is traced in sand."<br> +AYTOUN.</p></center> + +<p>Day after day Steadfast Kenton lingered between life and death, and though +the external wound healed, there was little relief to the deeper injury which +could not be reached, and which the damps and chills of autumn and winter could +only aggravate.</p> + +<p>He could move little, and speak even less; and suffered much, both from pain +and difficulty of breathing, as he lay against sacks and pillows on his bed, or +sat up in an elbow chair which Mrs. Elmwood lent him. Everybody was very kind in +those days of danger. Mrs. Elmwood let Rusha come on many an afternoon to help +her sister, and always bringing some posset, or cordial, or dainty of some sort +to tempt the invalid. Goody Grace, Mrs. Blane, Dame Oates, Nanny Pierce vied +with each other in offers of sitting up with him; Andrew, the young miller, came +out of his way to bring a loaf of white bread, and to fetch the corn to be +ground. Peter Pierce, Rusha's lover, and more old comrades than Patience quite +desired, offered their services in aiding Ben with the cattle and other +necessary labours, but as the first excitement wore off, these volunteers became +scantier, and when nothing was to be heard but "just the same," +nothing to be seen but a weak, wan figure sitting wrapped by the fire, the +interest waned, and the gulley was almost as little frequented as before. Poor +Ben's schooling had, of course, to be given up, and it was well that he was +nearly as old as Stead had been when they were first left to themselves. Happily +his fifteen months of study had not made him outgrow his filial obedience and +devotion to the less instructed elder brother and sister, who had taken the +place of the parents he had never known. Benoni, child of sorrow, he had been +named, and perhaps his sickly babyhood and the mournful times around had tended +to make him a quiet boy, without the tearing spirits that would have made him +eager to join the village lads in their games. Indeed they laughed at him for +his poverty and scholarship, and called him Jack Presbyter, Puritan, bookworm, +and all the opprobrious names they could think of, though no one ever less +merited sectarian nicknames than he, as far as doctrine went. For, bred up on +Dr. Eales' books, and obliged to look out on the unsettled state of religious +matters, he was as staunch a churchman as his brother, and fairly understood the +foundations of his faith. Poor boy, the check to his studies disappointed him, +and he spent every leisure moment over his Latin accidence or in reading. Next +to the stories in the Bible, he loved the Maccabees, because of the likeness to +the persecuted state of the Church; and he knew the Morte d'Arthur almost by +heart, and thought it part of the history of England. Especially he loved the +part that tells of the Holy Grail, the Sacred Cup that was guarded by the maimed +King Pelles, and only revealed to the pure in heart and life. Stead had fully +confided to him the secret of the cave, in case he should be the one left to +deliver up the charge; and, in some strange way, the boy connected the treasure +with the Saint Grail, and his brother with the maimed king. So he worked very +hard, and Patience was capable of a good deal more than in her earlier days. +Stead, helpless as he was, did not require constant attendance, and knew too +well how much was on his sister's hands to trouble her when he could possibly +help doing so. Thus they rubbed on; though it was a terrible winter, and they +often had to break in on the hoard which was to have built the house, sometimes +for needments for the patient, sometimes to hire help when there was work beyond +the strength of Patience and Ben, who indeed was too slender to do all that +Stead had done.</p> + +<p>Ben did not shine in going to market. He was not big enough to hold his own +against rude lads, and once came home crying with his donkey beaten and his eggs +broken; moreover, he was apt to linger at stalls of books and broadsheets. As +soon as Patience could venture to leave her brother, she was forced to go to +market herself; and there was a staidness and sobriety about her demeanour that +kept all impertinence at a distance. Poor Patience, she was not at all the +laughing rustic beauty that Emlyn would have been at market. She would never +have been handsome, and though she was only a few years over twenty, she was +beginning to look weather-beaten and careworn, like the market women about her, +mothers of half-a-dozen children.</p> + +<p>Now and then she saw Emlyn in all her young, plump beauty, but looking much +quieter, and always coming to her for news of Steadfast. There were even tears +in those bright eyes when she heard how much he suffered. The girl had evidently +been greatly sobered by the results of her indiscretion, and the treachery into +which it had led her. She probably cared more for Steadfast than for anyone else +except herself, and was shocked and grieved at his condition; and she had +moreover discovered how her credulity had been played upon, and that she had had +a narrow escape of being carried off by a buccaneer.</p> + +<p>Her master too had been called to order by the authorities, fined and +threatened for permitting Royalist plots to be hatched in his house. He had been +angered by the younger Ayliffe's riotous doings, and his wife had been +terrified. There had been a general reformation in which Emlyn had only escaped +dismissal through her mistress's favour, pleading her orphanhood, her +repentance, and her troth plight to the good young man who had been attacked by +those dissolute fellows, though Mrs. Henshaw little knew how accountable was her +favourite maid for the attack.</p> + +<p>So good and discreet was Emlyn, so affectionate her messages to Stead, and so +much brightness shone in his face on hearing them; there was so much pleasure +when she sent him an orange and he returned the snowdrops he had made Rusha +gather, that Patience began to believe that Stead was right--that the shock was +all the maiden needed to steady her--and that all would end as he hoped, when he +should be able to resume his labours, and add to the sadly reduced hoard.</p> + +<p>It was not, however, till the March winds were over that Stead made any +decided step towards recovery, and began to prefer the sun to the fire, and to +move feebly and slowly about the farmyard, visiting the animals, too few in +number, for his skilled attention had been missed. As summer came on he was able +to do a little more, herd them with Growler's help, and gradually to undertake +what required no exertion of strength or speed, and there he stopped short--all +the sunny months of summer could do no more for him than make him fit to do such +work as an old man of seventy might manage.</p> + +<p>He was persuaded, much against his will, to ride the white horse into Bristol +at a foot-pace to consult once more the barber surgeon. That worthy, who was +unusually sagacious for his time and had had experience in the wars, told him +that his recovery was a marvel, but that with the bullet where it was lodged, he +could scarcely hope to enjoy much more health or comfort than at present. It +could not be reached, but it might shift, when either it would prove fatal or +become less troublesome; and as a friend and honest man, he counselled the poor +youth not to waste his money nor torture himself by having recourse to remedies +or doctors who could do no real good.</p> + +<p>Stead thanked the barber, paid his crown, and slowly made his way to Mrs. +Lightfoot's, where he was to rest, dine, and see Emlyn.</p> + +<p>Kind Mrs. Lightfoot shed tears when she saw the sturdy, ruddy youth grown so +thin and pale; and as to Emlyn, she actually stood silent for three minutes.</p> + +<p>The two were left together in Mrs. Lightfoot's kitchen, for Patience was at +market, and their hostess had to mind her trade.</p> + +<p>Stead presently told Emlyn somewhat of the doctor's opinion, and then, +producing his portion of the tester, and with lips that trembled in spite of +himself, said that he had come to give Emlyn back her troth plight.</p> + +<p>"Oh! Stead, Stead," she cried, bursting into tears. "I thought +you had forgiven me."</p> + +<p>"Forgiven you! Yea, truly, poor child, but--"</p> + +<p>"But only when you were sick! You cast me off now you are whole."</p> + +<p>"I shall never be whole again, Emlyn."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe Master Willis. He is nought but a barber," she +exclaimed passionately. "I know there are physicians at the Bath who would +cure you; or there's the little Jew by the wharf; or the wise man on Durdham +Down. But you always are so headstrong; when you have made up your mind no one +can move you, and you don't care whose heart you break," she sobbed.</p> + +<p>"Hearken, little sweet," said Stead. "'Tis nought but that I +wot that it would be ill for you to be bound to a poor frail man that will never +be able to keep you as you should be kept. All I had put by is well nigh gone, +and I'm not like to make it up again for many a year, even if I were as strong +as ever."</p> + +<p>"And you won't go to the Jew, or the wise man, or the Bath?"</p> + +<p>"I have not the money."</p> + +<p>"But I will--I will save it for you!" cried Emlyn, who never had +saved in her life. "Or look here. Master Henshaw might give you a place in +his office, and then there would be no need to dwell in that nasty, damp gulley, +but we could be in the town. I'll ask my mistress to crave it from him."</p> + +<p>Stead could not but smile at her eagerness, but he shook his head.</p> + +<p>"It would be bootless, sweetheart, I cannot carry weights."</p> + +<p>"No, but you can write."</p> + +<p>"Very scurvily, and I cannot cypher."</p> + +<p>For Stead, like everyone else at Elmwood, kept his accounts by tally and in +his head, and the mysteries of the nine Arabic figures were perfectly unknown to +him. However, Emlyn stuck to the hope, and he was so far inspired by it that he +ceased to insist on giving up the pledges of the betrothal, and he lay on the +settle in quiet enjoyment of Emlyn's castle building, as she sat on a stool by +his side, his hand on her shoulder, somewhat as it was wont to lie on Growler's +head. And in spite of Master Willis's opinion, he rode home to the gulley a new +man, assuring Patience, on the donkey by his side, that there was more +staunchness and kindness in little Emlyn than ever they had thought for. Even +the ferryman who put them over the river declared that the doctor must have done +Master Kenton a power of good, and Stead smiled and did not contradict him.</p> + +<p>Stead actually consulted Mr. Woodley how to learn cyphering beyond what Ben +had acquired at school; and the minister lent him a treatise, over which he +pored with a board and a burnt stick for many an hour when he was out on the +common with the cattle, or on the darkening evenings in the hut. Ben saw his way +into those puzzles with no more difficulty than whetted his appetite, worked out +sum after sum, and explained them to his brother, to the admiration of both his +elders, till frowns of despair and long sighs from Stead brought Patience to +declare he was mazing himself, and insist on putting out the light.</p> + +<p>Stead had more time for his studies than he could wish, for the cold of +winter soon affected the injured lungs; and, moreover, the being no longer able +to move about rapidly caused the damp and cold of the ravine to produce +rheumatism and attendant ills, of which, in his former healthy, out-of-door +life, he had been utterly ignorant, and he had to spend many an hour breathless, +or racked with pain in the poor little hovel, sometimes trying to give his mind +to the abstruse mysteries of multiplication of money, but generally in vain, and +at others whiling away the time with his books, for though there were only seven +of them, including Bible and Prayer-book, a very little reading could be the +text of so much musing, that these few perfectly sufficed him. And then he was +the nurse of any orphaned lamb or sick chicken that Patience was anxious about, +and his care certainly saved many of those small lives.</p> + +<p>The spring, when he came forth again, found him on a lower level, less strong +and needing a stick to aid his rheumatic knee.</p> + +<p>Not much was heard of Emlyn that spring. She did not come to market with her +mistress, and Patience was not inclined to go in quest of her, having a secret +feeling that no news might be better for Stead than anything she was likely to +hear; while as to any chance of their coming together, the Kentons had barely +kept themselves through this winter, and Steadfast's arithmetic was not making +such progress as would give him a place at a merchant's desk.</p> + +<p>Patience, however, was considerably startled when, one fine June day, she saw +Mrs. Henshaw's servant point her out to two tall soldierly-looking men, +apparently father and son.</p> + +<p>"Good morrow to you, honest woman," said the elder. "I am told +it is you who have been at charges for many years for my brother's daughter, +Emlyn Gaythorn."</p> + +<p>Patience assented.</p> + +<p>"You have been right good to her, I hear; and I thank you for that same, +and will bear what we may of the expense," he added, taking out a heavy bag +from his pouch.</p> + +<p>He went on to explain that he and his son having gone abroad with his master +had been serving with the Dutch, and had made some prize money. Learning on the +peace that a small inheritance in Worcestershire had fallen to the family, they +had returned, and found from Lady Blythedale that the brother's daughter was +supposed to be alive somewhere near Bristol. She had a right to half, and being +honourable men, they had set out in search of her, bringing letters from the +lady to Mr. Henshaw, whose house was still a centre of inquiry for persons in +the Cavalier interest. There, of course, they had discovered Emlyn; and Master +Gaythorn proceeded to say that it had been decided that the estate should not be +broken up, but that his son should at once wed her and unite their claims.</p> + +<p>"But, sir," exclaimed Patience, "she is troth plight to my +brother."</p> + +<p>"So she told me, but likewise that he is a broken man and sickly, and +had offered to restore her pledge."</p> + +<p>Patience could not deny it, though she felt hotly indignant.</p> + +<p>"She charged me to give it back to you," added the uncle; "and +to bid you tell the young man that we are beholden to you both; but that since +the young folk are to be wedded to-morrow morn, and then to set forth for +Worcestershire, there is no time for leave-takings."</p> + +<p>"I do not wonder!" exclaimed Patience, "that she has no face +to see us. She that has been like a child or a sister to us, to leave us thus! O +my brother!"</p> + +<p>"Come, come, my good woman, best not make a pother." Poor +Patience's homely garb and hard-worked looks shewed little of the yeoman class +to which she belonged. "You've done your duty by the maid and here's the +best I have to make it up."</p> + +<p>Patience could not bring herself to take the bag, and he dropped it into her +basket "I am sorry for the young man, your brother, but he knew better than +to think to wed her as he is. And 'tis better for all there should be no women's +tears and foolishness over it."</p> + +<p>"Is she willing?" Patience could not but ask.</p> + +<p>"Willing?" Both men laughed. "Aye, what lass is not willing to +take a fine, strapping husband, and be a landed dame? She gave the token back of +her own free will, eh, Humfrey; and what did she bid us say?"</p> + +<p>"Her loving greetings to-- What were their Puritanical names?" said +the son contemptuously. "Aye, and that she pitied the poor clown down +there, but knew he would be glad of what was best for her."</p> + +<p>"So farewell, good mistress," said Master Gaythorn, and off they +clanked together; and Patience, looking after them, could entirely believe that +the handsome buff coat, fringed belt, high boots, and jauntily cocked hat would +have driven out the thought of Stead in his best days. And now that he was bent, +crippled, weak, helpless,--"and all through her, what hope was then," +thought Patience, "yet if she had loved him, or there had been any truth in +her, she could have wedded him now, and he would have been at ease through life! +A little adder at our hearth! We are well quit of her, if he will but think so, +but how shall I ever tell him?"</p> + +<p>She did not rush in with the tidings but came home slowly, drearily, so that +Stead, who was sitting outside by the door, peeling rushes, gathered that +something was amiss, and soon wormed it out of her, while her tears dropped fast +for him. Still, as ever, he spoke little. He said her uncle was right in sparing +tears and farewells, no doubt reserving to himself the belief that it was +against her will. And when Patience could not help declaring that the girl might +have made him share her prosperity, he said, "I'm past looking after her +lands. Her uncle would say so. 'Tis his doing; I am glad of what is best for my +darling as was. There's an end of it, Patience--joy and grief. And I thank God +that the child is safely cared for at last."</p> + +<p>He tried to be as usual, but he was very ill that night.</p> + +<p>Patience found the money in her basket. She hated it and put it aside, and it +was only some time after that she was constrained to use it, only then telling +Stead whence it came, when he could endure to hear that the uncle had done his +best to be just.</p> +<p> </p> + +<center><h3>CHAPTER XXIII.<br> +FULFILMENT.</h3> + +<p>"My spirit heats her mortal bars,<br> +As down dark tides the glory glides,<br> +And mingles with the stars."<br> +TENNYSON.</p></center> + +<p>The year 1660 had come, and in the autumn, just as harvest was over, and the +trees on the slopes were taking tints of red, yellow, and brown, an elderly +clergyman, staff in hand, came slowly up the long lane leading to Elmwood, +whence he had been carried, bound to his horse, seventeen years before.</p> + +<p>He had not suffered as much as some of his fellow priests. After a term of +imprisonment in London, he had been transported to the plantations, namely, the +American settlements, and had fallen in with friends, who took him to Virginia. +This was chiefly colonized by people attached to the Church, who made him +welcome, and he had ministered among them till the news arrived of the +Restoration of Charles II, and likewise that the lawful incumbents of benefices, +who had been driven out, were reinstated by Act of Parliament. Mr. Holworth's +Virginian friends would gladly have kept him with them, but he felt that his +duty was to his original flock, and set out at once for England, landing at +Bristol. There, however, he waited, like the courteous man he was, to hold +communication with his people, till he had written to Mr. Elmwood, and made +arrangements with him and Master Woodley.</p> + +<p>They were grieved, but they were both men who had a great respect for law and +parliament, so they made no difficulties. Mr. and Mrs. Woodley retired to the +hall and left the parsonage vacant, after the minister had preached a farewell +sermon in the church which made everyone cry, for he was a good man and had made +himself loved, and there were very few in the parish who could understand that +difference between the true Church and a body without bishops. Mr. Holworth had +in the meantime gone to Wells to see his own Bishop Piers, an old man of +eighty-six, and it was from thence that he was now returning. He had not chosen +to enter his parish till the intruded minister had resigned the charge, but he +had been somewhat disappointed that none of his old flock, not even any Kentons, +who had so much in charge, had come in to see him. He now arrived in this quiet +way, thinking that it would not be delicate to the feelings of the squire and +ex-minister to let the people get up any signs of joy or ring the bells, if they +were so inclined. Indeed, he was much afraid from what he had been able to learn +that it would be only the rougher sort, who hated Puritan strictness and wanted +sport and revelry, who would give him an eager welcome.</p> + +<p>So he first went quietly up to the church, which he found full of benches and +pews, with the Altar table in the middle of the nave, and the squire's +comfortable cushioned seat at the east end. He knelt on the step for a long +time, then made a brief visit to his own house, where the garden was in +beautiful order, but only a room or two were furnished with goods he had bought +from the Woodleys, and these were in charge of a servant he had hired at +Bristol.</p> + +<p>Thence the old man went out into the village, and his first halt was at the +forge, where Blane, who had grown a great deal stouter and more grizzled, +started at sight of his square cap.</p> + +<p>"Eh! but 'tis the old minister! You have come in quietly, sir! I am +afraid your reverence has but a sorry welcome."</p> + +<p>"I do not wonder you are grieved to part with Master Woodley."</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, he be a good man and a powerful preacher, though no doubt +your reverence has the best right, and for one, I'm right glad to see an old +face again. We would have rung the bells if we had known you were coming."</p> + +<p>"That would have been hard on Master Woodley. I am only glad they are +not melted. But how is it with all my old friends, Harry? Poor Sir George writ +me that old clerk North died of grief of the rifling of the church; and that +John Kenton had been killed by some stragglers. What became of his +children?"</p> + +<p>"That eldest lad went off to the Parliament army, and came swaggering +here in his buff coat and boots like my Lord Protector himself, they say he has +got a castle and lands in Ireland. Men must be scarce, say I, if they have had +to make a gentleman of Jeph Kenton."</p> + +<p>"And the rest?"</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, I'm afraid that poor lad, Stead, is in poor plight. You +mind, he was always a still, steady, hard-working lad, and when his father was +killed, and his house burnt, and his brother ran away, the way he and his sister +turned to was just wonderful. They went to live in an old hut in the gulley down +there, and they have made the place so tidy as it does your heart good to look +at it. They bred up the young ones, and the younger girl is well married to one +of the Squire's folks, and everyone respected them. But, as ill-luck would have +it, some robbers from Bristol seem to have got scent of their savings. Some said +that the Communion Cup was hid somewhere there."</p> + +<p>Mr. Holworth made an anxious sound of interrogation.</p> + +<p>"Well, I did see the corporal, when the Parliament soldiers were at +Bristol, flog Stead shamefully to know where it was, and never get a word out of +him, whether or no; and as he was a boy who would never tell a lie, it stands to +reason he knew where they were."</p> + +<p>"But how did anyone guess at his knowing?" asked Mr. Holworth.</p> + +<p>"His brother might have thought it likely, poor John being thick with +your reverence," said Blane. "After that I thought, myself, that he +ought to give them up to Master Woodley, if so be he had them; but I could never +get a hint from him. The talk went that old Dr. Eales, you mind him, sir, before +he died, came out and held a prelatist service, begging your pardon, sir, and +that the things were used. Stead got into trouble with Squire about it."</p> + +<p>"But the robbers, how was that? You said he was hurt!"</p> + +<p>"Sore hurt, sir; and he has never got the better of it, though 'tis nigh +upon four years ago. There was a slip of a wench he picked up as a child after +the fight by Luck's mill, and bred up; a fair lass she grew up to look on, but a +light-headed one. She went to service at Bristol, and poor Stead was troth +plight to her, hoped to save and build up the house again, never knowing, not +he, poor rogue, of her goings on with the sailors and all the roistering lads +about her master's house. 'Tis my belief she put those rascals on the track, +whether she meant it or not. Stead made what defence he could, stood up like a +man against the odds, three to one, and got a shot in the side, so that he was +like to die then. Better for him, mayhap, if he had at once, for it has been +nought but a lingering ever since, never able to do a day's work, though that +wench, Patience, and the young lad, Ben, have fought it out wonderfully. That I +will say."</p> + +<p>Mr. Holworth had tears in his eyes, and trembled with emotion.</p> + +<p>"The dear lad," he said. "Where is he? I must go and see +him."</p> + +<p>"He bides in the gulley, sir; he has been there ever since the +farm-house was burnt."</p> + +<p>Ere long Mr. Holworth was on his way to the gulley. What had been only a +glade reaching from rock to stream, hidden in copsewood, was now an open space +trodden by cattle, with the actual straw-yard more in the rear, but with a goat +tethered on it and poultry running about. It was a sunny afternoon, and in a +wooden chair placed so as to catch the warmth, with feet on a stool, sat, +knitting, a figure that Mr. Holworth at first thought was that of an aged man; +but as he emerged from the wood, and the big dog sprang up and barked, there was +a looking up, an instant silencing of the dog, a rising with manifest effort, a +doffing of the broad-brimmed hat, and the clergyman beheld what seemed to him +his old Churchwarden's face, only in the deadly pallor of long-continued +illness, and with the most intense, unspeakable look of happiness and welcome +afterwards irradiating it, a look that in after years always came before Mr. +Holworth with the "Nunc dimittis."</p> + +<p>Dropping the knitting, and holding by the chair, he stood trembling and +quivering with gladness, while, summoned by the dog's bark, Patience, pail in +hand, appeared on one side, and Ben, tall and slight, with his flail, on the +other.</p> + +<p>"My dear lad," was all Mr. Holworth could say, as he took the thin, +blanched hand, put his arm round the shoulders, and reseated Stead, still +speechless with joy. Patience, curtseying low, came up anxiously, showing the +same honest face as of old, though work and anxiety had traced their lines on +the sun-burnt complexion, and Ben stood blushing, and showing his keener, more +cultivated face, as the stranger turned to greet them so as to give Steadfast +time to recover himself.</p> + +<p>"Oh! sir, but we are glad to see your reverence," cried Patience. +"Will you go in, or sit by Stead? Ben, fetch a chair."</p> + +<p>"And is this fine strapping fellow, the sickly babe that you were never +to rear, Patience?"</p> + +<p>"God has been very good to us, sir," said Patience.</p> + +<p>"And this is best of all," said Stead, recovering breath and +speech. "I thank Him that I have lived to see this day! It is all safe, +sir."</p> + +<p>"And you, you faithful guardian, you have suffered for it."</p> + +<p>If it had not been for Blane's partial revelations, Mr. Holworth never would +have extracted the full story of how for that sacred trust, Steadfast Kenton had +endured threats and pain, and had foregone ease, prosperity, latterly happiness, +and how finally it had cost him health, nay life itself, for he was as surely +dying of the buccaneer's pistol shot, as though he had been slain on the spot.</p> + +<p>Long illness, with all the thought and reflection it had brought, had so far +changed and refined Stead that his awkward bashfulness and lack of words had +passed from him, and when he saw the clergyman overcome with emotion at the +thought of all he had undergone he said,</p> + +<p>"Never heed it, your reverence, it has come to be all joy to me to have +had a little to bear for the Master! 'Tis hard on Patience and Ben, but they are +very good to me; and being sick gives time for such comforts as God sends me. It +is more than all I could have had here."</p> + +<p>"I am sure of that, my dear boy. I was not grieving that I gave you the +trust, but thinking what a blessed thing it is to have kept it thus +faithfully."</p> + +<p>Two Sundays later, the Feast was again meetly spread in Elmwood Church, the +Altar restored to its place, and all as reverently arranged as it could yet be +among the broken carved work.</p> + +<p>In some respects it was a mournful service, few there were who after the +lapse of seventeen years even remembered the outlines of the old forms; and the +younger people knew not when to kneel or stand. There were few who could read, +and even for those who could there were only four Prayer-books in the church, +the clergyman's, the clerk's, the Kentons', and one discovered by an old Elmwood +servant. The Squire's family came not; Goody Grace was dead, and though Rusha +tried to instruct her husband and her little girl, she herself was much at a +loss.</p> + +<p>To Mr. Holworth it was almost like that rededication of the Temple when the +old men wept at the thought of the glory of the former house, but there were +some on whom his eye rested with joy and peace. There were Blane and his wife, +good and faithful though ignorant; there were the old miller and his son, who +had come all that distance since there had as yet been no restoration in their +church, and the goings on of Original-Sin Hopkins and his friends had thoroughly +disgusted them, and made the old man yearn towards the church of his youth, and +there was the little group of three, the toil-worn but sweet-faced sister, calm +and restful, though watchful; the tall youth with thoughtful, earnest, +awe-struck face, come for his first Communion, for which through those many +years he had been taught to pray and long, and between them the wasted form and +wan features lighted up with that wonderful radiance that had come on them with +the sense that the trust was fulfilled, only it was brighter, calmer, higher, +than even at the greeting of the vicar. Did Steadfast see only the burnished +gold of the Chalice and paten he had guarded for seventeen years at the cost of +toil, danger, suffering, love, and life itself? Did he not see and feel far +beyond those outward visible signs in which others, who had not yet endured to +the end, could only as yet put their trust by faith?</p> + +<p>Mr. Holworth, as he stood over him and saw the upturned eye, was sure it was +so. No doubt indeed Ben thought so too, but poor imaginative Ben had somehow +fancied it would be with his brother as with the King who guarded that other +sacred Cup, and when all was over, was quite disappointed that Stead needed his +strong arm as much as ever, nay more, for on coming out into the air and +sunshine a faintness and exhaustion came on, and they had to rest him in the +porch before he could move.</p> + +<p>"O Stead, I thought it would have healed you," the lad said.</p> + +<p>Stead slightly smiled. "Healed? I shall soon be healed altogether, +Ben," he said. He had with great difficulty and very slowly walked to +church, and Mr. Holworth wished him to come and rest at the Vicarage, but he was +very anxious to get home, and after he had taken a little food, Andrew Luck +offered to share with Ben and Rusha's husband the carrying him back between them +on an elbow chair.</p> + +<p>This pleased him, and he looked up to Andrew and said, "You are in the +same mind as long ago?"</p> + +<p>"I never found anyone else I could lay my mind to, since my poor +Kitty," said Andrew.</p> + +<p>"She will come to you--soon," said Stead. "She'll have a sore +heart, but you will be good to her."</p> + +<p>"That I will. And little Bess and Kate shall come and tell her how they +want her."</p> + +<p>Stead smiled and his lips moved in thankfulness.</p> + +<p>"And if Ben would come with her," added Andrew, "I'd be a +brother to him."</p> + +<p>"Parson wants Ben," said Stead. "He says he can make a scholar +of him, and maybe a parson, and it will not be so lonesome in the +vicarage."</p> + +<p>"And your farm?"</p> + +<p>"Rusha and her man take that. They have saved enough to build the house. +Yes, all is well. It is great peace and thankfulness."</p> + +<p>Patience returned with the cushions she had borrowed and they brought +Steadfast home, very much exhausted, and not speaking all the way. Perhaps the +unusual motion and exertion had made the bullet change its place, for he hardly +uttered another word, and that night, as he had said to Ben, he was healed for +ever of all his ills.</p> + +<p>The funeral sermon that Mr. Holworth preached the next Sunday, was on the +text so dear to all the loyal hearts who remembered the White King's coronation +text--</p> + +<p>"Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of +life."</p> + +<p> </p> +<center><h3>THE END</h3></center> + +<pre> + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Under the Storm, by Charlotte M. 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