diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old/tfray10.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/tfray10.txt | 11234 |
1 files changed, 11234 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/old/tfray10.txt b/old/tfray10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f3e804f --- /dev/null +++ b/old/tfray10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11234 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Through the Fray, by G. A. Henty +#21 in our series by G. A. Henty + +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: Through the Fray + A Tale of the Luddite Riots + +Author: G. A. Henty + +Release Date: August, 2005 [EBook #8732] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on August 5, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THROUGH THE FRAY *** + + + + +Produced by Martin Robb + + + + +THROUGH THE FRAY + +A TALE OF THE LUDDITE RIOTS + +BY G. A. HENTY + + + +PREFACE + + +My Dear Lads: + +The beginning of the present century, glorious as it was for British +arms abroad, was a dark time to those who lived by their daily +labor at home. The heavy taxation entailed by the war, the injury +to trade, and the enormous prices of food, all pressed heavily +upon the working classes. The invention of improved machinery, vast +as has been the increase of trade which it has brought about, at +first pressed heavily upon the hand workers, who assigned all their +distress to the new inventions. Hence a movement arose, which did +much damage and for a time threatened to be extremely formidable. +It had its ramifications through all the manufacturing districts +of England, the object being the destruction of the machinery, and +a return to the old methods of work. The troubles which occurred +in various parts of the country were known as the Luddite Riots, +and the secret body which organized them was called King or General +Lud. In the present story I have endeavored to give you an idea +of the state of things which prevailed in Yorkshire, where, among +the croppers and others employed in the woolen manufactures, was +one of the most formidable branches of the secret association. The +incidents of the murder of Mr. Horsfall and the attack upon Mr. +Cartwright's mill are strictly accurate in all their details. + +In this story I have left the historical battlefields, across so +many of which I have taken you, and have endeavored to show that +there are peaceful battles to be fought and victories to be won every +jot as arduous and as difficult as those contested under arms. In +"Facing Death" my hero won such a battle. He had to fight against +external circumstances, and step by step, by perseverance, pluck, +and determination, made his way in life. In the present tale +my hero's enemy was within, and although his victory was at last +achieved the victor was well nigh worsted in the fray. We have all +such battles to fight, dear lads; may we all come unscathed and +victorious through the fray! + +Yours sincerely, + +G. A. Henty + + + +CHAPTER I: A FISHING EXPEDITION + + +It has just struck one, and the boys are streaming out from the +schoolroom of Mr. Hathorn's academy in the little town of Marsden +in Yorkshire. Their appearance would create some astonishment in +the minds of lads of the present generation, for it was the year +1807, and their attire differed somewhat materially from that now +worn. They were for the most part dressed in breeches tight at +the knee, and buttoning up outside the close fitting jacket nearly +under the arms, so that they seemed almost devoid of waist. At the +present moment they were bareheaded; but when they went beyond the +precincts of the school they wore stiff caps, flat and very large +at the top, and with far projecting peaks. + +They were not altogether a happy looking set of boys, and many of +their cheeks were stained with tears and begrimed with dirt from +the knuckles which had been used to wipe them away; for there was +in the year 1807 but one known method of instilling instruction +into the youthful mind, namely, the cane, and one of the chief +qualifications of a schoolmaster was to be able to hit hard and +sharp. + +Mr. Hathorn, judged by this standard, stood very high in his +profession; his cane seemed to whiz through the air, so rapidly +and strongly did it descend, and he had the knack of finding out +tender places, and of hitting them unerringly. + +Any one passing in front of the schoolhouse during the hours when +the boys were at their lessons would be almost sure to hear the +sharp cracks of the cane, followed sometimes by dead silence, when +the recipient of the blows was of a sturdy and Spartan disposition, +but more frequently by shrieks and cries. + +That Hathorn's boys hated their master was almost a matter of +course. At the same time they were far from regarding him as an +exceptional monster of cruelty, for they knew from their friends +that flogging prevailed almost everywhere, and accepted it as a +necessary portion of the woes of boyhood. Indeed, in some respects, +when not smarting under the infliction, they were inclined to believe +that their lot was, in comparison with that of others, a fortunate +one; for whereas in many schools the diet was so poor and bad that +the boys were half starved, at Hathorn's if their food was simple +and coarse it was at least wholesome and abundant. + +Mr. Hathorn, in fact, intended, and as he quite believed with success, +to do his duty by his boys. They were sent to him to be taught, and +he taught them through the medium then recognized as most fitting +for the purpose--the cane; while, as far as an abundance of +porridge for breakfast, and of heavy pudding at dinner, with twice +a week an allowance of meat, the boys were unstinted. He would +indeed point with pride to his pupils when their parents assembled +at the annual presentation of prizes. + +"Look at them!" he would say proudly. "None of your half starved +skeletons here--well filled out and in good condition every boy +of them--no stint of porridge here. It keeps them in good health +and improves their learning; for, mark you, a plump boy feels the +cane twice as much as a skinny one; it stings, my dear sir, it +stings, and leaves its mark; whereas there is no getting at a boy +whose clothes hang like bags about him." + +This was no doubt true, and the boys themselves were conscious of +it, and many had been the stern resolutions made while smarting in +agony that henceforward food should be eschewed, or taken only in +sufficient quantities to keep life together. But boys' appetites +are stronger than boys' resolutions, and in the end there was never +any marked falling off in the consumption of viands at Hathorn's. + +Like other things punishment fails when administered in excess. There +was no disgrace whatever in what was common to all, for although +some of the boys of superior ability and perseverance would escape +with a smaller amount of punishment than their fellows, none could +hope to escape altogether. Thus it was only the pain that they had +to bear, and even this became to some extent deadened by repetition, +and was forgotten as soon as inflicted, save when a sudden movement +caused a sharp pain in back or leg. Once in the playground their +spirits revived, and except a few whose recent punishment incapacitated +them for a time from active exercise, the whole were soon intent +upon their games. + +One only of the party wore his cap, and he after a few minutes left +the others, and went toward a door which led from the playground +into the road. + +"Don't be long, Sankey; come back as soon as you can, you know we +agreed to go fishing this afternoon." + +"All right, Tompkins; I will come back directly I have done my +dinner. I expect I shall have finished quite as soon as you will." + +Edward Sankey, who was regarded with envy by his schoolfellows, +was the only home boarder at Hathorn's; for, as a general thing, +the master set his face against the introduction of home boarders. +They were, he considered, an element of disturbance; they carry +tales to and from the school; they cause discontent among the +other boys, and their parents are in the habit of protesting and +interfering. Not, indeed, that parents in those days considered it +in any way a hardship for their boys to suffer corporal punishment; +they had been flogged at school, and they believed that they had +learned their lessons all the better for it. Naturally the same thing +would happen to their sons. Still mothers are apt to be weak and +soft hearted, and therefore Mr. Hathorn objected to home boarders. + +He had made an exception in Sankey's case; his father was of a +different type to those of the majority of his boys; he had lost +his leg at the battle of Assaye, and had been obliged to leave the +army, and having but small means beyond his pension, had settled +near the quiet little Yorkshire town as a place where he could +live more cheaply than in more bustling localities. He had, when he +first came, no acquaintances whatever in the place, and therefore +would not be given to discuss with the parents of other boys the +doings in the school. Not that Mr. Hathorn was afraid of discussion, +for he regarded his school as almost perfect of its kind. Still +it was his fixed opinion that discussion was, as a general rule, +unadvisable. Therefore, when Captain Sankey, a few weeks after taking +up his residence in the locality, made a proposal to him that his +son should attend his school as a home boarder, Mr. Hathorn acceded +to the proposition, stating frankly his objections, as a rule, to +boys of that class. + +"I shall not interfere," Captain Sankey said. "Of course boys must +be thrashed, and provided that the punishment is not excessive, +and that it is justly administered, I have nothing to say against +it. Boys must be punished, and if you don't flog you have to confine +them, and in my opinion that is far worse for a boy's temper, +spirit, and health." + +So Ned Sankey went to Hathorn's, and was soon a great favorite there. +Just at first he was regarded as a disobliging fellow because he +adhered strictly to a stipulation which Mr. Hathorn had made, that +he should not bring things in from the town for his school fellows. +Only once a week, on the Saturday half holiday, were the boys allowed +outside the bounds of the wall round the playground, and although +on Wednesday an old woman was allowed to come into those precincts +to sell fruit, cakes, and sweets, many articles were wanted in +the course of the week, and the boys took it much amiss for a time +that Ned refused to act as their messenger; but he was firm in his +refusals. His father had told him not to do so, and his father's +word was law to him; but when the boys saw that in all other respects +he was a thoroughly good fellow, they soon forgave him what they +considered his undue punctiliousness, and he became a prime favorite +in the school. + +It is due to Mr. Hathorn to say that no fear of interference +induced him to mitigate his rule to thrash when he considered that +punishment was necessary, and that Ned received his full share of +the general discipline. He was never known to utter a cry under +punishment, for he was, as his school fellows said admiringly, as +hard as nails; and he was, moreover, of a dogged disposition which +would have enabled him, when he had once determined upon a thing, +to carry it through even if it killed him. Mr. Hathorn regarded +this quality as obstinacy, the boys as iron resolution; and while +the former did his best to conquer what he regarded as a fault, the +boys encouraged by their admiration what they viewed as a virtue. + +At home Ned never spoke of his punishments; and if his father +observed a sudden movement which told of a hidden pain, and would +say cheerfully, "What! have you been getting it again, Ned?" the +boy would smile grimly and nod, but no complaint ever passed his +lips. + +There was no disgrace in being flogged--it was the natural lot +of schoolboys; why should he make a fuss about it? So he held his +tongue. But Mr. Hathorn was not altogether wrong. Ned Sankey was +obstinate, but though obstinate he was by no means sulky. When he +made up his mind to do a thing he did it, whether it was to be at +the top of his class in order to please his father, or to set his +teeth like iron and let no sound issue from them as Mr. Hathorn's +cane descended on his back. + +Ned Sankey was about fourteen years of age. He had a brother and +a sister, but between them and himself was a gap of four years, as +some sisters who had been born after him had died in infancy. Ned +adored his father, who was a most kind and genial man, and would +have suffered anything in silence rather than have caused him any +troubles or annoyance by complaining to him. + +For his mother his feelings were altogether different. She was a +kindly and well intentioned woman, but weak and silly. On leaving +school she had gone out to join her father in India. Captain +Sankey had sailed in the same ship and, taken by her pretty face +and helpless, dependent manner, he had fallen in love with her, +knowing nothing of her real disposition, and they had been married +upon their arrival at the termination of the voyage. So loyal +was his nature that it is probable Captain Sankey never admitted +even to himself that his marriage had been a mistake; but none of +his comrades ever doubted it. His wife turned out one of the most +helpless of women. Under the plea of ill health she had at a very +early period of their marriage given up all attempt to manage the +affairs of the household, and her nerves were wholly unequal to +the strain of looking after her children. It was noticeable that +though her health was unequal to the discharge of her duties, she +was always well enough to take part in any pleasure or gayety which +might be going on; and as none of the many doctors who attended her +were able to discover any specific ailment, the general opinion +was that Mrs. Sankey's ill health was the creation of her own +imagination. This, however, was not wholly the case. She was not +strong; and although, had she made an effort, she would have been +able to look after her children like other women, she had neither +the disposition nor the training to make that effort. + +Her son regarded her with the sort of pity, not unmingled with +contempt, with which young people full of life and energy are apt +to regard those who are weak and ailing without having any specific +disease or malady which would account for their condition. + +"All the bothers fall upon father," he would say to himself; "and +if mother did but make up her mind she could take her share in them +well enough. There was he walking about for two hours this evening +with little Lucy in his arms, because she had fallen down and hurt +herself; and there was mother lying on the sofa reading that book +of poetry, as if nothing that happened in the house was any affair +of hers. She is very nice and very kind, but I do wish she wouldn't +leave everything for father to do. It might have been all very well +before he lost his leg, but I do think she ought to make an effort +now." + +However, Mrs. Sankey made no effort, nor did her husband ever hint +that it would be better for herself as well as her family if she +did so. He accepted the situation as inevitable, and patiently, +and indeed willingly, bore her burden as well as his own. + +Fortunately she had in the children's nurse an active and trustworthy +woman. Abijah Wolf was a Yorkshire woman. She had in her youth +been engaged to a lad in her native village. In a moment of drunken +folly, a short time before the day fixed for their wedding, he +had been persuaded to enlist. Abijah had waited patiently for him +twelve years. Then he had returned a sergeant, and she had married +him and followed him with his regiment, which was that in which +Captain Sankey--at that time a young ensign--served. When the +latter's first child was born at Madras there was a difficulty in +obtaining a white nurse, and Mrs. Sankey declared that she would +not trust the child to a native. Inquiries were therefore made in +the regiment, and Sergeant Wolf's wife, who had a great love for +children although childless herself, volunteered to fill the post +for a time. A few months afterward Sergeant Wolf was killed in a +fight with a marauding hill tribe. His widow, instead of returning +home and living on the little pension to which she was entitled at +his death, remained in the service of the Sankeys, who soon came +to regard her as invaluable. + +She was somewhat rough in her ways and sharp with her tongue; but +even Mrs. Sankey, who was often ruffled by her brusque independence, +was conscious of her value, and knew that she should never obtain +another servant who would take the trouble of the children so entirely +off her hands. She retained, indeed, her privilege of grumbling, +and sometimes complained to her husband that Abijah's ways were +really unbearable. Still she never pressed the point, and Abijah +appeared established as a permanent fixture in the Sankeys' household. +She it was who, when, after leaving the service, Captain Sankey +was looking round for a cheap and quiet residence, had recommended +Marsden. + +"There is a grand air from the hills," she said, "which will be +just the thing for the children. There's good fishing in the stream +for yourself, captain, and you can't get a quieter and cheaper place +in all England. I ought to know, for I was born upon the moorland +but six miles away from it, and should have been there now if I +hadn't followed my man to the wars." + +"Where are you going, Master Ned?" she asked as the boy, having +finished his dinner, ran to the high cupboard at the end of the +passage near the kitchen to get his fishing rod. + +"I am going out fishing, Abijah." + +"Not by yourself, I hope?" + +"No; another fellow is going with me. We are going up into the +hills." + +"Don't ye go too far, Master Ned. They say the croppers are drilling +on the moors, and it were bad for ye if you fell in with them." + +"They wouldn't hurt me if I did." + +"I don't suppose they would," the nurse said, "but there is never +no saying. Poor fellows! they're druv well nigh out of their senses +with the bad times. What with the machines, and the low price of +labor, and the high price of bread, they are having a terrible time +of it. And no wonder that we hear of frame breaking in Nottingham, +and Lancashire, and other places. How men can be wicked enough to +make machines, to take the bread out of poor men's mouths, beats +me altogether." + +"Father says the machinery will do good in the long run, Abijah +--that it will largely increase trade, and so give employment to +a great many more people than at present. But it certainly is hard +on those who have learned to work in one way to see their living +taken away from them." + +"Hard!" the nurse said. "I should say it were hard. I know the +croppers, for there were a score of them in my village, and a rough, +wild lot they were. They worked hard and they drank hard, and the +girl as chose a cropper for a husband was reckoned to have made a +bad match of it; but they are determined fellows, and you will see +they won't have the bread taken out of their mouths without making +a fight for it." + +"That may be," Ned said, "for every one gives them the name of a +rough lot; but I must talk to you about it another time, Abijah, +I have got to be off;" and having now found his fishing rod, his +box of bait, his paper of books, and a basket to bring home the fish +he intended to get, Ned ran off at full speed toward the school. + +As Abijah Wolf had said, the croppers of the West Riding were a +rough set. Their occupation consisted in shearing or cropping the +wool on the face of cloths. They used a large pair of shears, which +were so set that one blade went under the cloth while the other +worked on its upper face, mowing the fibers and ends of the wool to +a smooth, even surface. The work was hard and required considerable +skill, and the men earned about twenty-four shillings a week, a +sum which, with bread and all other necessities of life at famine +prices, barely sufficed for the support of their families. The +introduction of power looms threatened to abolish their calling. +It was true that although these machines wove the cloth more evenly +and smoothly than the hand looms, croppers were still required to +give the necessary smoothness of face; still the tendency had been +to lower wages. + +The weavers were affected even more than the croppers, for strength +and skill were not so needed to tend the power looms as to work the +hand looms. Women and boys could do the work previously performed +by men, and the tendency of wages was everywhere to fall. + +For years a deep spirit of discontent had been seething among the +operatives in the cotton and woolen manufactures, and there had been +riots more or less serious in Derbyshire, Nottingham, Lancashire +and Yorkshire, which in those days were the headquarters of these +trades. Factories had been burned, employers threatened and attacked, +and the obnoxious machines smashed. It was the vain struggle of +the ignorant and badly paid people to keep down production and to +keep up wages, to maintain manual labor against the power of the +steam engine. + +Hitherto factories had been rare, men working the frames in their +own homes, and utilizing the labor of their wives and families, +and the necessity of going miles away to work in the mills, where +the looms were driven by steam, added much to the discontent. + +Having found his fishing appliances Ned hurried off to the school, +where his chum Tompkins was already waiting him, and the two set +out at once on their expedition. + +They had four miles to walk to reach the spot where they intended +to fish. It was a quiet little stream with deep pools and many +shadows, and had its source in the heart of the moorlands. Neither +of them had ever tried it before, but they had heard it spoken +of as one of the best streams for fish in that part. On reaching +its banks the rods were put together, the hooks were baited with +worms, and a deep pool being chosen they set to work. After fishing +for some time without success they tried a pool higher up, and so +mounted higher and higher up the stream, but ever with the same +want of success. + +"How could they have said that this was a good place for fish?" +Tompkins said angrily at last. "Why, by this time it would have +been hard luck if we had not caught a dozen between us where we +usually fish close to the town, and after our long walk we have +not had even a bite." + +"I fancy, Tompkins," Ned said, "that we are a couple of fools. +I know it is trout that they catch in this stream, and of course, +now I think of it, trout are caught in clear water with a fly, not +with a worm. Father said the other day he would take me out some +Saturday and give me a lesson in fly fishing. How he will laugh +when I tell him we have wasted all our afternoon in trying to catch +trout with worms!" + +"I don't see anything to laugh at," Tompkins grumbled. "Here we +waste a whole half holiday, and nothing to show for it, and have +got six or seven miles at least to tramp back to school." + +"Well, we have had a nice walk," Ned said, "even if we are caught +in the rain. However, we may as well put up our rods and start. I +vote we try to make a straight cut home; it must be ever so much +shorter to go in a straight line than to follow all the windings +of this stream." + +They had long since left the low lands, where trees and bushes +bordered the stream, and were in a lonely valley where the hills +came down close to the little stream, which sparkled among the +boulders at their feet. The slopes were covered with a crop of short +wiry grass through which the gray stone projected here and there. +Tiny rills of water made their way down the hillside to swell the +stream, and the tinge of brown which showed up wherever these found +a level sufficient to form a pool told that they had their source +in the bogs on the moorland above. Tompkins looked round him rather +disconcertedly. + +"I don't know," he said. "It's a beastly long way to walk round; +but suppose we got lost in trying to make our way across the hills." + +"Well, just as you like," Ned said, "I am game to walk back the +way we came or to try and make a straight cut, only mind don't you +turn round and blame me afterward. You take your choice; whichever +you vote for I am ready to do." + +"My shoes are beginning to rub my heels," Tompkins said, "so I +will take the shortest way and risk it. I don't see we can go far +out of our way." + +"I don't see that we can," Ned replied. "Marsden lies to the east, +so we have only to keep our backs to the sun; it won't be down for +another two hours yet, and before that we ought to be in." + +By this time they had taken their rods to pieces, wound up their +lines, and were ready to start. A few minutes' sharp climbing took +them to the top of the slope. They were now upon the moor, which +stretched away with slight undulations as far as they could see. + +"Now," Ned said, "we will make for that clump of rocks. They seem +to be just in the line we ought to take, and by fixing our eyes +upon them we shall go straight." + +This, however, was not as easy to do as Ned had fancied; the ground +was in many places so soft and boggy that they were forced to make +considerable detours. Nevertheless the rocks served as a beacon, +and enabled them to keep the right direction; but although they made +their way at the best of their speed it was an hour after starting +before they approached the rock. + +When they were within fifty yards of it a figure suddenly rose. It +was that of a boy some fifteen years of age. + +"Goa back," he shouted; "dang yer, what be'est a cooming here vor?" + +The two boys stopped astonished. + +"We are going to Marsden," Ned replied; "but what's that to you?" + +"Doan't ee moind wot it be to oi," the boy said; "oi tell ee ee +can't goa no further; yoi've got ter go back." + +"We shan't go back," Ned said; "we have got as much right to go +this way as you have. This is not your land; and if it is, we ain't +hurting it." + +By this time they were at the foot of the pile of rocks, and the +lad was standing some ten feet above them. + +"Oi tell ee," he repeated doggedly, "yoi've got vor to go back." + +The boy was so much bigger and stronger than either Ned or his +companion that the former, although indignant at this interference, +did not deem it prudent to attempt to climb the crag, so he said +to Tompkins: "Of course we ain't going back, but we had better take +a turn so as to get out of the way of this fellow." + +So saying they turned to the right and prepared to scout round the +rock and continue their way; but this did not suit their obstructor. + +"If ee doan't go back at oncet oi'll knock the heads off thee +shoulders." + +"We can't go back," Tompkins said desperately, "we are both as +tired as we can be, and my heel is so sore that I can hardly walk. +We shouldn't get to Marsden tonight if we were to turn back." + +"That's nowt to oi," the boy said. "Oi bain't a-going to let ee +pass here." + +"What are we to do, Ned?" Tompkins groaned. + +"Do!" Ned replied indignantly. "Why, go on, of course. Marsden +cannot be more than three miles off, and I ain't going to walk +twelve miles round to please this obstinate brute." + +"But he is ever so much bigger than we are," Tompkins said doubtfully. + +"Well, there are two of us," Ned said, "and two to one is fair +enough when he is as big as the two of us together." + +"We are going on," he said to the boy, "and if you interfere with +us it will be the worse for you." + +The boy descended leisurely from his position on the rocks. + +"Oi don't want to hurt ee, but oi've got to do as oi were bid, and +if ee doan't go back oi've got to make ee. There be summat a-going +on thar," and he jerked his head behind him, "as it wouldn't be +good vor ee to see, and ye bain't a-going vor to see it." + +But Ned and Tompkins were desperate now, and dropping their rods +made a rush together against him. + + + +CHAPTER II: THE FIGHT ON THE MOOR + + +The lad threw himself into a position of defense as the two boys +rushed at him. + +"Oi doan't want vor to hurt ee," he said again, "but if ee will +have it, why, it won't be moi vault;" and swinging his arm round, +he brought it down with such force upon the nose of Tompkins that +the latter was knocked down like a ninepin, and, once down, evinced +no intention of continuing the conflict. + +In Ned, however, the lad found an opponent of a different stamp. +The latter saw at once that his opponent's far greater weight and +strength rendered it hopeless for him to trust to close fighting, +and he worked round and round him, every now and then rushing at +him and delivering a telling blow, and getting off again before +his heavy and comparatively unwieldy companion could reply. + +Once or twice, indeed, the lad managed to strike him as he came in, +each time knocking him fairly off his feet; but in the fair spirit +which at that time animated English men and boys of all classes he +allowed Ned each time to regain his feet without interference. + +"Thou bee'st a plucky one," he said, as Ned after his third fall +again faced him, "but thou bain't strong enough for oi." + +Ned made no reply, but nerved himself for a fresh effort. The blows +he had received had been heavy, and the blood was streaming from +his face; but he had no idea of giving in, although Tompkins, in +spite of his calls and reproaches, refused to raise himself beyond +a sitting position. + +"It's no good, Ned," he replied, "the brute is too big for us, and +I'd rather try to walk home all the way round than get another like +the last. My nose feels as big as my head." + +Ned hardly heard what his companion said. He would have been killed +rather than yield now, and gathering all his strength he sprang at +his opponent like a tiger. Avoiding the blow which the boy aimed +at him, he leaped upon him, and flung his arms round his neck. The +sudden shock overthrew him, and with a crash both boys came to the +ground together. + +Ned at once loosened his hold, and springing to his feet again, +awaited the rising of his opponent. The latter made a movement to +get up, and then fell back with a cry. + +"Thou hast beaten me," he said. "Oi think moi leg be broke." + +Ned saw now that as the lad had fallen his leg had been twisted +under him, and that he was unable to extricate it. In a moment he +was kneeling before the prostrate lad. + +"Oh! I am sorry," he exclaimed; "but you know I didn't mean to do +it. Here, Tompkins, don't sit there like a fool, but come and help +me move him and get his leg straight." + +Although the boys did this as gently as they could, a groan showed +how great was the agony. + +"Where is it?" Ned asked. + +"Aboove the knee somewhere," the lad said, and Ned put his hand +gently to the spot, and to his horror could feel something like +the end of a bone. + +"Oh! dear, what is to be done? Here, Tompkins, either you or I must +go on to the town for help." + +"It's getting dark already," Tompkins said; "the sun has set some +time. How on earth is one to find the way?" + +"Well, if you like I will go," Ned said, "and you stop here with +him," + +The lad, who had been lying with closed eyes and a face of ghastly +pallor, now looked up. + +"There be soom men not a quarter of a mile away; they be a-drilling, +they be, and oi was sot here to stop any one from cooming upon +em; but if so bee as thou wilt go and tell em oi has got hurt, oi +don't suppose as they will meddle with ye." + +Ned saw now why the lad had opposed his going any further. Some of +the croppers were drilling on the moor, and the boy had been placed +as sentry. It wasn't a pleasant business to go up to men so engaged, +especially with the news that he had seriously injured the boy they +had placed on watch. But Ned did not hesitate a moment. + +"You stop here, Tompkins, with him," he said quietly, "I will go +and fetch help. It is a risk, of course, but we can't let him lie +here." + +So saying, Ned mounted the rock to get a view over the moor. No +sooner had he gained the position than he saw some thirty or forty +men walking in groups across the moor at a distance of about half +a mile. They had evidently finished their drill, and were making +their way to their homes. This at least was satisfactory. He would +no longer risk their anger by disturbing them at their illegal +practices, and had now only to fear the wrath which would be excited +when they heard what had happened to the boy. + +He started at a brisk run after them, and speedily came up to the +last of the party. They were for the most part men between twenty +and thirty, rough and strongly built, and armed with billhooks and +heavy bludgeons, two or three of them carrying guns. + +One of them looked round on hearing footsteps approaching, and gave +a sudden exclamation. The rest turned, and on seeing Ned, halted +with a look of savage and menacing anger on their faces. + +"Who be'est, boy? dang ee, what brings ye here?" + +Ned gulped down the emotion of fear excited by their threatening +appearance, and replied as calmly as he could: "I am sorry to say +that I have had a struggle with a boy over by that rock yonder. +We fell together, and he has broken his leg. He told me if I came +over in this direction I should find some one to help him." + +"Broaken Bill's leg, did'st say, ye young varmint?" one of the men +exclaimed. "Oi've a good moinde to wring yer neck." + +"I am very sorry," Ned said; "but I did not mean it. I and another +boy were walking back to Marsden from fishing, and he wouldn't let +us pass; it was too far to go back again, so of course we had to +try, and then there was a fight, but it was quite an accident his +breaking his leg." + +"Did'st see nowt afore ye had the voight?" one of the other men +inquired. + +"No," Ned replied; "we saw no one from the time we left the stream +till we met the boy who would not let us pass, and I only caught +sight of you walking this way from the top of the rock." + +"If 'twere a vair voight, John, the boy bain't to be blamed, though +oi be main grieved about thy brother Bill; but we'd best go back +for him, voor on us. And moind, youngster, thee'd best keep a quiet +tongue in thy head as to whaat thou'st seen here." + +"I haven't seen anything," Ned said; "but of course if you wish it +I will say nothing about it." + +"It were best for ee, for if thou go'st aboot saying thou'st seen +men with guns and clubs up here on the moor, it ull be the worsest +day's work ee've ever done." + +"I will say nothing about it," Ned replied, "but please come on at +once, for I am afraid the boy is in terrible pain." + +Four of the men accompanied Ned back to the rock. + +"Hullo, Bill! what's happened ee?" his brother asked. + +"Oi've had a fight and hurted myself, and broke my leg; but it wa'nt +that chap's fault; it were a vair voight, and a right good 'un he +be. Doan't do nowt to him." + +"Well, that's roight enough then," the man said, "and you two young +'uns can go whoam. Marsden lies over that way; thou wilt see it +below ye when ye gets to yon rock over there; and moind what I told +ee." + +"I will," Ned said earnestly; "but do let me come up to see how he +is getting on, I shall be so anxious to know." + +The man hesitated, but the lad said, "Let um coom, John, he bee a +roight good un." + +"Well, if thou would'st like it, Bill, he shall coom." + +"If thou coom oop to Varley and ask vor Bill Swinton, anyone will +show ee the place." + +"Goodby," Ned said to the boy, "I am so sorry you have got hurt. +I will come and see you as soon as I can." + +Then he and Tompkins set off toward the rock the man had pointed +out, which by this time, in the fast growing darkness, could scarce +be made out. They would indeed probably have missed it, for the +distance was fully a mile and a half; but before they had gone many +yards one of the four men passed by them on a run on his way down +to Marsden to summon the parish doctor, for a moment's examination +had sufficed to show them that the boy's injury was far too serious +to treat by themselves. + +Tired as the boys were, they set off in his footsteps, and managed +to keep him in sight until they reached the spot whence Marsden +could be seen, and they could no longer mistake the way. + +"Now, look here, Tompkins," Ned said as they made their way down +the hill; "don't you say a word about this affair. You haven't got +much to boast about in it, sitting there on the grass and doing +nothing to help me. I shan't say anything more about that if you +hold your tongue; but if you blab I will let all the fellows know +how you behaved." + +"But they will all notice my nose directly I get in," Tompkins +said. "What am I to say?" + +"Yes, there's no fear about their not noticing your nose," Ned +replied. "I don't want you to tell a lie. You can say the exact +truth. We were coming home across the moors; a boy interfered with +us, and would not let us pass; we both pitched into him, and at +last he got the worst of it, and we came home." + +"But what's the harm of saying that you and he fell, and he broke +his leg?" + +"A great deal of harm," Ned replied. "If it was known that a boy's leg +got broke in a fight with us it would be sure to come to Hathorn's +ears; then there would be an inquiry and a row. Like enough he +would go up to see the boy and inquire all about it. Then the men +would suppose that we had broken our words, and the next time you +and I go out on a fishing expedition there's no saying what mightn't +happen to us. They are a rough lot those moor men, and don't stick +at trifles." + +"I will say nothing about it," Tompkins replied hastily; "you may +rely on that. What a lucky fellow you are to be going home! Nothing +will be said to you for being an hour late. I shall get a licking +to a certainty. How I do hate that Hathorn, to be sure!" + +They now came to the point where the road separated and each hurried +on at his best speed. + +"You are late tonight, Ned," the boy's father said when he entered. +"I don't like your being out after dark. I don't mind how far you +go so that you are in by sunset; but, halloo!" he broke off, as he +caught sight of the boy's face as he approached the table at which +the rest of the party were sitting at tea; "what have you been +doing to your face?" + +Captain Sankey might well be surprised. One of the boy's eyes was +completely closed by a swelling which covered the whole side of +his face. His lip was badly cut, and the effect of that and the +swelling was to give his mouth the appearance of being twisted +completely on one side. + +"Oh! there's nothing the matter," Ned replied cheerfully; "but I +had a fight with a boy on the moor." + +"It is dreadful!--quite dreadful!" Mrs. Sankey said; "your going +on like this. It makes me feel quite faint and ill to look at you. +I wonder you don't get killed with your violent ways." + +Ned made no reply but took his seat at the table, and fell to work +upon the hunches of thick brown bread and butter. + +"I will tell you about it afterward, father," he said; "it really +wasn't my fault." + +"I am sure I don't wish to hear the story of your quarrels and +fighting, Edward," Mrs. Sankey said; "the sight of you is quite +enough to upset my nerves and make me wretched. Of course if your +father chooses to support you in such goings on I can say nothing. +Neither he nor you seem to remember how trying such things as these +are to any one with a broken constitution like mine." + +Captain Sankey, knowing from experience how useless it was to attempt +to argue with his wife when she was in this mood, continued to eat +his meal placidly. Ned seized his mug of milk and water, and took +an impatient drink of it. + +"Is there anything I had better do for my face?" he asked his father +presently. + +"I don't think anything you can do, Ned, will make you presentable +for the next few days. I believe that a raw beefsteak is the best +thing to put on your eye, but is not such a thing in the house, and +if there was, I don't think that I should be justified in wasting +it for such a purpose. I should say the next best thing would be to +keep a cloth soaked in cold water on your face; that will probably +take down the swelling to some extent." + +After tea Ned repaired to the kitchen, where Abijah, with much +scolding and some commiseration, applied a wet cloth to his face, +and fastened a handkerchief over it to keep it in its place. Then +the boy went into the little room which his father called his +study, where he used to read the papers, to follow the doings of +the British armies in the field, and above all to smoke his pipe +in quiet. He laughed as Ned entered. + +"You look like a wounded hero, indeed, Ned. Now sit down, my boy, +and tell me about this business; not, you know, that I have any +objection to your fighting when it's necessary. My experience is +that it is the nature of boys to fight, and it is no use trying +to alter boys' nature. As I have always told you, don't get into +a fight if you can help it; but, if you once begin, fight it out +like a man." + +"Well, I couldn't help it this time, father, and I will tell you +all about it. I promised not to tell; but what was meant by that +was that I should not tell any one who would do anything about it; +and as I know you won't, why, of course I can tell you." + +"I don't know what you mean in the least, Ned; a promise, whatever +it is about, is a promise." + +"I know, father, but all that was meant in my case was that I would +say nothing which would cause injury to those to whom I promised; +and it will do them no injury whatever by telling you in confidence. +Besides, it is probable you may learn about it in some other way; +because, unfortunately, I broke the other fellow's leg very badly, +and there is no saying what may come of it, so I think you ought +to know all the circumstances." + +"Very well, Ned," his father said quietly; "this seems to be a +serious business. Go on, my boy." + +Ned related the whole circumstances, his father saying no word +until he had finished. + +"You have been in no way to blame in the matter, nor could you have +acted otherwise. The breaking of the boy's leg is unfortunate, but +it was a pure accident, and even the boy's friends did not blame +you in the matter. As to the illegal drilling, that is no new thing; +it has been known to be going on for many months, and, indeed, in +some places for years. The authorities take but little notice of +it. An outbreak of these poor fellows would, indeed, constitute a +considerable local danger. Mills might be burned down, and possibly +some obnoxious masters killed, but a few troops of dragoons, or +half a regiment of light infantry, would scatter them like chaff. + +"The Irish rebellion thirteen years ago was a vastly more formidable +affair. There it may be said that the whole country was in arms, +and the element of religious fanaticism came into play; but in +spite of that the resistance which they opposed to the troops was +absolutely contemptible; however, it is just as well that you did +not see them drill, because now, if by any chance this lad should +die, and inquiry were made about it, there would be no occasion +for you to allude to the subject at all. You would be able to say +truthfully that finding that he was hurt, you went off, and happened +to come upon four men on the moor and brought them to his assistance." + +"I promised to go up to see the boy, father. I suppose that there +is no harm?" + +"None at all, Ned, it is only natural that you should entertain +the wish; in fact you have injured him seriously, and we must do +all in our power to alleviate his pain. I will go in the morning +and see Dr. Green. I shall, of course, tell him that the boy was +hurt in a tussle with you, and that you are very sorry about it. +The fact that he is some two years older, as you say, and ever so +much stronger and bigger, is in itself a proof that you were not +likely to have wantonly provoked a fight with him. I shall ask the +doctor if there is anything in the way of food and comforts I can +send up for him." + +Accordingly, the next morning, the first thing after breakfast, +Captain Sankey went out and called upon the doctor. Ned awaited +his return anxiously. + +"The doctor says it's a bad fracture, Ned, a very bad fracture, +and the boy must have had his leg curiously twisted under him for +the bone to have snapped in such a way. He questions whether it +will be possible to save the leg; indeed, he would have taken it +off last night, but the boy said he would rather die, and the men +were all against it. By the help of half a dozen men he got the +bones into their places again, and has bandaged the leg up with +splints; but he is very doubtful what will come of it." + +Ned was crying now. + +"I would give anything if it hadn't happened, father, and he really +seemed a nice fellow. He said over and over again he didn't want +to hurt us, and I am sure he didn't, only he thought he oughtn't +to let us pass, and as we would go on he had to stop us." + +"Well, it can't be helped, Ned," his father said kindly. "It is +very natural that you should be grieved about it; but you see it +really was an accident; there was nothing willful or intentional +about it, and you must not take it to heart more than you can help." + +But Ned did take it to heart, and for the next fortnight was very +miserable. The doctor's reports during that time were not hopeful. +Fever had set in, and for some days the boy was delirious, and +there was no saying how it would turn out. At the end of that time +the bulletins became somewhat more hopeful. The lad was quiet now +from the complete exhaustion of his strength. He might rally or he +might not; his leg was going on favorably. No bad symptom had set +in, and it was now purely a question of strength and constitution +whether he would pull through it. + +Mrs. Sankey had been kept in entire ignorance of the whole matter. +She had once or twice expressed a languid surprise at Ned's altered +manner and extreme quietness; but her interest was not sufficient +for her to inquire whether there were any reasons for this change. +Abijah had been taken into Captain Sankey's counsels, and as soon +as the fever had abated, and the doctor pronounced that the most +nourishing food was now requisite, she set to work to prepare +the strongest broths and jellies she could make, and these, with +bottles of port wine, were taken by her every evening to the doctor, +who carried them up in his gig on his visits to his patient in the +morning. On the third Saturday the doctor told Ned that he considered +that the boy had fairly turned the corner and was on the road +to recovery, and that he might now go up and see him. His friends +had expressed their warm gratitude for the supplies which had been +sent up, and clearly cherished no animosity against Ned. The boy +had been informed of the extreme anxiety of his young antagonist +as to his condition, and had nodded feebly when asked if he would +see Ned should he call upon him. It was therefore without any +feeling of trepidation as to his reception that Ned on the Saturday +afternoon entered Varley. + +Varley was a scattered village lying at the very edge of the moor. +The houses were built just where the valley began to dip down from +the uplands, the depression being deep enough to shelter them from +the winds which swept across the moor. Some of those which stood +lowest were surrounded by a few stumpy fruit trees in the gardens, +but the majority stood bleak and bare. From most of the houses the +sound of the shuttle told that hand weaving was carried on within, +and when the weather was warm women sat at the doors with their +spinning wheels. The younger men for the most part worked as croppers +in the factories in Marsden. + +In good times Varley had been a flourishing village, that is to say +its inhabitants had earned good wages; but no one passing through +the bare and dreary village would have imagined that it had ever +seen good days, for the greater proportion of the earnings had gone +in drink, and the Varley men had a bad name even in a country and +at a time when heavy drinking was the rule rather than the exception. +But whatever good times it may have had they were gone now. Wages +had fallen greatly and the prices of food risen enormously, and +the wolf was at the door of every cottage. No wonder the men became +desperate, and believing that all their sufferings arose from the +introduction of the new machinery, had bound themselves to destroy +it whatever happened. + +A woman of whom he inquired for John Swinton's cottage told him +that it was the last on the left. Although he told himself that he +had nothing to be afraid of, it needed all Ned's determination to +nerve himself to tap at the door of the low thatched cottage. A +young woman opened it. + +"If you please," Ned said, "I have come to see Bill; the doctor +said he would see me. It was I who hurt him, but indeed I didn't +mean to do it." + +"A noice bizness yoi've made of it atween ee," the woman said, but +in a not unkind voice. "Who'd ha' thought as Bill would ha' got +hurted by such a little un as thou be'st; but coom in, he will be +main glad to see ee, and thy feyther ha' been very good in sending +up all sorts o' things for him. He's been very nigh agooing whoam, +but I believe them things kept un from it." + +The cottage contained but two rooms. In a corner of the living +room, into which Ned followed the woman, Bill Swinton lay upon a +bed which Captain Sankey had sent up. Ned would not have known him +again, and could scarce believe that the thin, feeble figure was +the sturdy, strong built boy with whom he had struggled on the +moor. His eyes filled with tears as he went up to the bedside. + +"I am so sorry!" he said; "I have grieved so all the time you have +been ill." + +"It's all roight, young un," the boy said in a low voice, "thar's +no call vor to fret. It warn't thy fault; thou couldn't not tell +why oi would not let ee pass, and ye were roight enough to foight +rather than to toorn back. I doan't blame ee nohow, and thou stoodst +up well agin me. Oi doan't bear no malice vor a fair foight, not +loikely. Thy feyther has been roight good to oi, and the things he +sends oi up has done oi a power o' good. Oi hoap as how they will +let oi eat afore long; oi feels as if oi could hearty, but the +doctor he woin't let oi." + +"I hope in a few days he will let you," Ned said, "and then I am +sure father will send you up some nice things. I have brought you +up some of my books for you to look at the pictures." + +The boy looked pleased. + +"Oi shall like that," Bill said; "but oi shan't know what they be +about." + +"But I will come up every Saturday if you will let me, and tell +you the stories all about them." + +"Willee now? That will be main koinde o' ye." + +"I don't think you are strong enough to listen today," Ned said, +seeing how feebly the boy spoke; "but I hope by next Saturday you +will be much stronger. And now I will say goodby, for the doctor +said that I must not talk too long." + +So saying Ned left the cottage and made his way back to Marsden in +better spirits than he had been for the last three weeks. + +From that time Ned went up regularly for some weeks every Saturday +to see Bill Swinton, to the great disgust of his schoolfellows, who +could not imagine why he refused to join in their walks or games +on those days; but he was well repaid by the pleasure which his +visits afforded. The days passed very drearily to the sick boy, +accustomed as he was to a life spent entirely in the open air, and +he looked forward with eager longing to Ned's visits. + +On the occasion of the second visit he was strong enough to sit +up in bed, and Ned was pleased to hear that his voice was heartier +and stronger. He listened with delight as Ned read through the +books he had brought him from end to end, often stopping him to ask +questions as to the many matters beyond his understanding, and the +conversations on these points were often so long that the continuance +of the reading had to be postponed until the next visit. To Bill +everything he heard was wonderful. Hitherto his world had ended at +Marsden, and the accounts of voyages and travels in strange lands +were full of surprise and interest to him. Especially he loved to +talk to Ned of India, where the boy had lived up to the time when +his father had received his wound, and Ned's account of the appearance +and manners of the people there were even more interesting to him +than books. + +At the end of two months after Ned's first visit Bill was able +to walk about with a stick, and Ned now discontinued his regular +visits; but whenever he had a Saturday on which there was no +particular engagement he would go for a chat with Bill, for a strong +friendship had now sprung up between the lads. + +On Ned's side the feeling consisted partly of regret for the pain +and injury he had inflicted upon his companion, partly in real liking +for the honesty and fearlessness which marked the boy's character. +On Bill's side the feeling was one of intense gratitude for the +kindness and attention which Ned had paid him, for his giving up +his play hours to his amusement, and the pains which he had taken +to lighten the dreary time of his confinement. Added to this there +was a deep admiration for the superior knowledge of his friend. + +"There was nothing," he often said to himself, "as oi wouldn't do +for that young un." + + + +CHAPTER III: A CROPPER VILLAGE + + +Bad as were times in Varley, the two public houses, one of which +stood at either end of the village, were for the most part well +filled of an evening; but this, as the landlords knew to their +cost, was the result rather of habit than of thirst. The orders +given were few and far between, and the mugs stood empty on the +table for a long time before being refilled. In point of numbers the +patrons of the "Brown Cow" and the "Spotted Dog" were not unequal; +but the "Dog" did a larger trade than its rival, for it was the +resort of the younger men, while the "Cow" was the meeting place of +the elders. A man who had neither wife nor child to support could +manage even in these hard times to pay for his quart or two of +liquor of an evening; but a pint mug was the utmost that those who +had other mouths than their own to fill could afford. + +Fortunately tobacco, although dear enough if purchased in the towns, +cost comparatively little upon the moors, for scarce a week passed +but some lugger ran in at night to some little bay among the cliffs +on the eastern shore, and for the most part landed her bales and +kegs in spite of the vigilance of the coast guard. So there were +plenty of places scattered all over the moorland where tobacco +could be bought cheap, and where when the right signal was given +a noggin of spirits could be had from the keg which was lying +concealed in the wood stack or rubbish heap. What drunkenness there +was on the moors profited his majesty's excise but little. + +The evenings at the "Cow" were not lively. The men smoked their +long pipes and sipped their beer slowly, and sometimes for half an +hour no one spoke; but it was as good as conversation, for every +one knew what the rest were thinking of--the bad times, but no one +had anything new to say about them. They were not brilliant, these +sturdy Yorkshiremen. They suffered patiently and uncomplainingly, +because they did not see that any effort of theirs could alter the +state of things. They accepted the fact that the high prices were +due to the war, but why the war was always going on was more than +any of them knew. It gave them a vague satisfaction when they heard +that a British victory had been won; and when money had been more +plentiful, the occasion had been a good excuse for an extra bout +of drinking, for most of them were croppers, and had in their time +been as rough and as wild as the younger men were now; but they +had learned a certain amount of wisdom, and shook their heads over +the talk and doings of the younger men who met at the "Dog." + +Here there was neither quiet nor resignation, but fiery talk and +stern determination; it was a settled thing here that the machines +were responsible for the bad times. The fact that such times +prevailed over the whole country in no way affected their opinion. +It was not for them to deny that there was a war, that food was +dear, and taxation heavy. These things might be; but the effect of +the machinery came straight home to them, and they were convinced +that if they did but hold together and wreck the machines prosperity +would return to Varley. + +The organization for resistance was extensive. There were branches +in every village in West Yorkshire, Lancashire, Nottingham, and +Derby--all acting with a common purpose. The members were bound +by terrible oaths upon joining the society to be true to its objects, +to abstain on pain of death from any word which might betray its +secrets, and to carry into execution its orders, even if these +should involve the slaying of a near relation proved to have turned +traitor to the society. + +Hitherto no very marked success had attended its doings. There +had been isolated riots in many places; mills had been burned, and +machinery broken. But the members looked forward to better things. +So far their only successes had been obtained by threats rather +than deeds, for many manufacturers had been deterred from adopting +the new machinery by the receipt of threatening letters signed "King +Lud," saying that their factories would be burned and themselves +shot should they venture upon altering their machinery. + +The organ of communication between the members of the society at +Varley and those in other villages was the blacksmith, or as he +preferred to be called, the minister, John Stukeley, who on weekdays +worked at the forge next door to the "Spotted Dog," and on Sundays +held services in "Little Bethel"--a tiny meeting house standing +back from the road. + +Had John Stukeley been busier during the week he would have had +less time to devote to the cause of "King Lud;" but for many hours +a day his fire was banked up, for except to make repairs in any of +the frames which had got out of order, or to put on a shoe which a +horse had cast on his way up the hill from Marsden, there was but +little employment for him. + +The man was not a Yorkshireman by birth, but came from Liverpool, +and his small, spare figure contrasted strongly with those of the +tall, square built Yorkshiremen, among whom he lived. + +He was a good workman, but his nervous irritability, his self +assertion, and impatience of orders had lost him so many places that +he had finally determined to become his own master, and, coming +into a few pounds at the death of his father, had wandered away +from the great towns, until finding in Varley a village without +a smith, he had established himself there, and having adopted the +grievances of the men as his own, had speedily become a leading +figure among them. + +A short time after his arrival the old man who had officiated at +Little Bethel had died, and Stukeley, who had from the first taken +a prominent part in the service, and who possessed the faculty of +fluent speech to a degree rare among the Yorkshiremen, was installed +as his successor, and soon filled Little Bethel as it had never +been filled before. In his predecessor's time, small as the meeting +house was, it had been comparatively empty; two or three men, half +a dozen women, and their children being the only attendants, but +it was now filled to crowding. + +Stukeley's religion was political; his prayers and discourses related +to the position of affairs in Varley rather than to Christianity. +They were a downtrodden people whom he implored to burst the bonds +of their Egyptian taskmasters. The strength he prayed for was the +strength to struggle and to fight. The enemy he denounced was the +capitalist rather than the devil. + +Up to that time "King Lud" had but few followers in Varley; but +the fiery discourses in Little Bethel roused among the younger +men a passionate desire to right their alleged wrongs, and to take +vengeance upon those denounced as their oppressors, so the society +recruited its numbers fast. Stukeley was appointed the local secretary, +partly because he was the leading spirit, partly because he alone +among its members was able to write, and under his vigorous impulsion +Varley became one of the leading centers of the organization in +West Yorkshire. + +It was on a Saturday evening soon after Bill Swinton had become +convalescent. The parlor of the "Brown Cow" was filled with its +usual gathering; a peat fire glowed upon the hearth, and two tallow +candles burned somewhat faintly in the dense smoke. Mugs of beer +stood on the tables, but they were seldom applied to the lips +of the smokers, for they had to do service without being refilled +through the long evening. The silence was broken only by the short +puffs at the pipes. All were thinking over the usual topic, when +old Gideon Jones unexpectedly led their ideas into another channel. + +"Oive heern," he said slowly, taking his pipe from his mouth, "as +how Nance Wilson's little gal is wuss." + +"Ay, indeed!" + +"So oi've heern;" + +"Be she now?" and various other exclamations arose from the smokers. + +Gideon was pleased with the effect he had produced, and a few +minutes later continued the subject. + +"It be the empty coopbud more nor illness, I expect." + +There was another chorus of assent, and a still heartier one when +he wound up the subject: "These be hard toimes surely." + +Thinking that he had now done sufficient to vindicate his standing +as one of the original thinkers of the village, Gideon relapsed +into silence and smoked away gravely, with his eyes fixed on the +fire, in the post of honor on one side of which was his regular +seat. The subject, however, was too valuable to be allowed to drop +altogether, and Luke Marner brought it into prominence again by +remarking: + +"They tell oi as how Nance has asked Bet Collins to watch by the +rood soide to catch doctor as he droives whoam. He went out this +arternoon to Retlow." + +"Oi doubt he woant do she much good; it be food, and not doctor's +stuff as the child needs," another remarked. + +"That be so, surely," went up in a general chorus, and then a +newcomer who had just entered the room said: + +"Oi ha' joost coom vrom Nance's and Bill Swinton ha' sent in a +basin o' soup as he got vrom the feyther o' that boy as broke his +leg. Nance war a feeding the child wi' it, and maybe it will do +her good. He ha' been moighty koind to Bill, that chap hav." + +"He ha' been that," Gideon said, after the chorus of approval had +died away. + +"Oi seed t' young un today a-sitting in front o' th' cottage, +a-talking and laughing wi' Bill." + +"They be good uns, feyther and son, though they tells oi as neither +on them bain't Yaarkshire." + +The general feeling among the company was evidently one of surprise +that any good thing should be found outside Yorkshire. But further +talk on the subject was interrupted by a slight exclamation at the +door. + +"O what a smoke, feyther! I can't see you, but I suppose you're +somewhere here. You're wanted at home." + +Although the speaker was visible to but few in the room there +was no doubt as to her identity, or as to the person addressed as +feyther. Mary Powlett was indeed the niece and not the daughter of +Luke Marner, but as he had brought her up from childhood she looked +upon him as her father. It was her accent and the tone of her voice +which rendered it unnecessary for any of those present to see her +face. + +Luke was a bachelor when the child had arrived fifteen years before +in the carrier's cart from Marsden, having made the journey in a +similar conveyance to that town from Sheffield, where her father +and mother had died within a week of each other, the last request +of her mother being that little Polly should be sent off to the +care of Luke Marner at Varley. + +Luke had not then settled down into the position of one of the +elders of the village, and he had been somewhat embarrassed by the +arrival of the three year old girl. He decided promptly, however, +upon quitting the lodgings which he had as a single man occupied +and taking a cottage by himself. His neighbors urged upon him that +so small a child could not remain alone all day while he was away +at Marsden at work--a proposition to which he assented; but to +the surprise of every one, instead of placing her during the day +under the care of one of the women of the place, he took her down +with him to Marsden and placed her under the care of a respectable +woman there who had children of her own. + +Starting at five every morning from his cottage with Polly perched +on his shoulder he tramped down to the town, leaving her there +before going to work, and calling for her in the evening. A year +later he married, and the village supposed that Polly would now +be left behind. But they were mistaken. When he became engaged he +had said: + +"Now, Loiza, there's one point as oi wish settled. As oi have told +ye, oi ha' partly chosen ye becos oi knowed as how ye would maake +a good mother to my little Polly; but oi doan't mean to give up +taking her down with me o' days to the town. Oi likes to ha' her +wi' me on the roade--it makes it shorter like. As thou knowest +thyself, oi ha' bin a chaanged man sin she coom. There warn't +a cropper in the village drank harder nor oi, but oi maad oop moi +moind when she came to gi' it up, and oi have gi'd it up." + +"I know, Luke," the girl said, "I wouldna have had ye, hadn't ye +doon so, as I told ye two years agone. I know the child ha' done +it, and I loves her for it, and will be a good mother to her." + +"Oi knows you will, Loiza, and oi bain't feared as ye'll be jealous +if so be as ye've children o' your own. Oi shan't love 'em a bit +the less coss oi loves little Polly. She be just the image o' what +moi sister Jane was when she war a little thing and oi used to +take care o' her. Mother she didn't belong to this village, and the +rough ways of the men and the drink frightened her. She war quiet +and tidy and neat in her ways, and Jane took arter her, and glad +she was when the time came to marry and get away from Varley. Oi be +roight sure if she knows owt what's going on down here, she would +be glad to know as her child ain't bein' brought oop in Varley ways. +I ha' arranged wi' the woman where she gets her meals for her to +go to school wi' her own children. Dost thee object to that, lass? +--if so, say so noo afore it's too late, but doon't thraw it in +moi face arterwards. Ef thou'st children they shalt go to school +too. Oi don't want to do more for Polly nor oi'd do for moi own." + +"I ha' no objection, Luke. I remembers your sister, how pretty and +quiet she wor; and thou shalt do what you likest wi' Polly, wi'out +no grumble from me." + +Eliza Marner kept the promise she had made before marriage +faithfully. If she ever felt in her heart any jealousy as she saw +Polly growing up a pretty bright little maiden, as different to +the usual child product of Varley as could well be, she was wise +enough never to express her thoughts, and behaved with motherly +kindness to her in the evening hours spent at home. She would +perhaps have felt the task a harder one had her own elder children +been girls; but three boys came first, and a girl was not born until +she had been married eleven years. Polly, who was now fourteen, +had just come home from her schooling at Marsden for good, and +was about to go out into service there. But after the birth of +her little girl Mrs. Marner, who had never for a Varley girl been +strong, faded rapidly away; and Polly's stay at home, intended at +first to last but a few weeks, until its mother was about again, +extended into months. + +The failing woman reaped now the benefit of Polly's training. +Her gentle, quiet way, her soft voice, her neatness and tidiness, +made her an excellent nurse, and she devoted herself to cheer and +brighten the sickroom of the woman who had made so kind an adopted +mother to her. Her influence kept even the rough boys quiet; and +all Varley, which had at first been unanimous in its condemnation +of the manner in which Luke Marner was bringing up that "gal" of +his, just as if the place was not good enough for her, were now +forced to confess that the experiment had turned out well. + +"Polly, my dear," the sick woman said to her one afternoon when +the girl had been reading to her for some time, and was now busy +mending some of the boys' clothes, while baby, nearly a year old, +was gravely amusing herself with a battered doll upon the floor, "I +used to think, though I never said so, as your feyther war making +a mistake in bringing you up different to other gals here; but +I see as he was right. There ain't one of them as would have been +content to give up all their time and thoughts to a sick woman +as thou hast done. There ain't a house in the village as tidy and +comfortable as this, and the boys mind you as they never minded me. +When I am gone Luke will miss me, but thar won't be no difference +in his comfort, and I know thou'lt look arter baby and be a mother +to her. I don't suppose as thou wilt stay here long; thou art over +fifteen now, and the lads will not be long afore they begin to +come a-coorting of thee. But doan't ee marry in Varley, Polly. My +Luke's been a good husband to me. But thou know'st what the most of +them be--they may do for Varley bred gals, but not for the like +of thee. And when thou goest take baby wi' thee and bring her up +like thysel till she be old enough to coom back and look arter Luke +and the house." + +Polly was crying quietly while the dying woman was speaking. The +doctor, on leaving that morning, had told her that he could do no +more and that Mrs. Marner was sinking rapidly. Kneeling now beside +the bed she promised to do all that her adopted mother asked her, +adding, "and I shall never, never leave feyther as long as he +lives." + +The woman smiled faintly. + +"Many a girl ha' said that afore now, Polly, and ha' changed her +moind when the roight man asked her. Don't ee make any promises +that away, lass. 'Tis natural that, when a lassie's time comes, +she should wed; and if Luke feels loanly here, why he's got it in +his power to get another to keep house for him. He be but a little +over forty now; and as he ha' lived steady and kept hisself away +from drink, he be a yoonger man now nor many a one ten year yoonger. +Don't ye think to go to sacrifice your loife to hissen. And now, +child, read me that chapter over agin, and then I think I could +sleep a bit." + +Before morning Eliza Marner had passed away, and Polly became the +head of her uncle's house. Two years had passed, and so far Mary +Powlett showed no signs of leaving the house, which, even the many +women in the village, who envied her for her prettiness and neatness +and disliked her for what they called her airs, acknowledged that +she managed well. But it was not from lack of suitors. There were +at least half a dozen stalwart young croppers who would gladly have +paid court to her had there been the smallest sign on her part of +willingness to accept their attentions; but Polly, though bright +and cheerful and pleasant to all, afforded to none of them an +opportunity for anything approaching intimacy. + +On Sundays, the times alone when their occupations enabled the +youth of Varley to devote themselves to attentions to the maidens +they favored, Mary Powlett was not to be found at home after +breakfast, for, having set everything in readiness for dinner, +she always started for Marsden, taking little Susan with her, and +there spent the day with the woman who had even more than Eliza +Marner been her mother. She had, a month after his wife's death, +fought a battle with Luke and conquered. The latter had, in pursuance +of the plans he had originally drawn up for her, proposed that she +should go into service at Marsden. + +"Oi shall miss thee sorely, Polly," he said; "and oi doan't disguise +it from thee, vor the last year, lass, thou hast been the light o' +this house, and oi couldna have spared ye. But oi ha' always fixed +that thou shouldst go into service at Marsden--Varley is not fit +vor the likes o' ye. We be a rough lot here, and a drunken; and +though oi shall miss thee sorely for awhile, oi must larn to do +wi'out thee." + +Polly heard him in silence, and then positively refused to go. + +"You have been all to me, feyther, since I was a child, and I am +not going to leave you now. I don't say that Varley is altogether +nice, but I shall be very happy here with you and the boys and dear +little Susan, and I am not going to leave, and so--there!" + +Luke knew well how great would be the void which her absence would +make, but he still struggled to carry out his plans. + +"But, Polly, oi should na loike to see thee marry here, and thy +mother would never ha' loiked it, and thou wilt no chance of seeing +other men here." + +"Why, I am only sixteen, feyther, and we need not talk of my +marriage for years and years yet, and I promise you I shan't think +of marrying in Varley when the time comes; but there is one thing +I should like, and that is to spend Sundays, say once a fortnight, +down with Mrs. Mason; they were so quiet and still there, and I did +like so much going to the church; and I hate that Little Bethel, +especially since that horrible man came there; he is a disgrace, +feyther, and you will see that mischief will come out of his talk." + +"Oi don't like him myself, Polly, and maybe me and the boys will +sometoimes come down to the church thou art so fond of. However, if +thou wilt agree to go down every Sunday to Mrs. Mason, thou shalt +stay here for a bit till oi see what can best be done." + +And so it was settled, and Polly went off every Sunday morning, +and Luke went down of an evening to fetch her back. + +"Well, what is't, lass?" he asked as he joined her outside the +"Brown Cow." + +"George has scalded his leg badly, feyther. I was just putting Susan +to bed, and he took the kettle off the fire to pour some water in +the teapot, when Dick pushed him, or something, and the boiling +water went over his leg." + +"Oi'll give that Dick a hiding," Luke said wrathfully as he hastened +along by her side. "Why didn't ye send him here to tell me instead +of cooming thyself?" + +"It was only an accident, feyther, and Dick was so frightened when +he saw what had happened and heard George cry out that he ran out +at once. I have put some flour on George's leg; but I think the +doctor ought to see him, that's why I came for you." + +"It's no use moi goaing voor him now, lass, he be expected along +here every minute. Jack Wilson, he be on the lookout by the roadside +vor to stop him to ask him to see Nance, who be taken main bad. I +will see him and ask him to send doctor to oor house when he comes, +and tell Jarge I will be oop in a minute." + +Upon the doctor's arrival he pronounced the scald to be a serious +one, and Dick, who had been found sobbing outside the cottage, and +had been cuffed by his father, was sent down with the doctor into +the town to bring up some lint to envelop the leg. The doctor had +already paid his visit to Nance Wilson, and had rated her father +soundly for not procuring better food for her. + +"It's all nonsense your saying the times are bad," he said in +reply to the man's excuses. "I know the times are bad; but you know +as well as I do that half your wages go to the public house; your +family are starving while you are squandering money in drink. That +child is sinking from pure want of food, and I doubt if she would +not be gone now if it hadn't have been for that soup your wife +tells me Bill Swinton sent in to her. I tell you, if she dies you +will be as much her murderer as if you had chopped her down with +a hatchet." + +The plain speaking of the doctor was the terror of his parish +patients, who nevertheless respected him for the honest truths he +told them. He himself used to say that his plain speaking saved him +a world of trouble, for that his patients took good care never to +send for him except when he was really wanted. + +The next day Mary Powlett was unable to go off as usual to Marsden +as George was in great pain from his scald. She went down to church, +however, in the evening with her father, Bill Swinton taking her +place by the bedside of the boy. + +"Thou hast been a-sitting by moi bedside hours every day, Polly," +he said, "and it's moi turn now to take thy place here. Jack ha' +brought over all moi books, for oi couldn't make shift to carry +them and use moi crutches, and oi'll explain all the pictures to +Jarge jest as Maister Ned explained 'em to oi." + +The sight of the pictures reconciled George to Polly's departure, +and seeing the lad was amused and comfortable, she started with +Luke, Dick taking his place near the bed, where he could also enjoy +a look at the pictures. + +"Did you notice that pretty girl with the sweet voice in the aisle +in a line with us, father," Ned asked that evening, "with a great, +strong, quiet looking man by the side of her?" + +"Yes, lad, the sweetness of her singing attracted my attention, +and I thought what a bright, pretty face it was!" + +"That's Mary Powlett and her uncle. You have heard me speak of her +as the girl who was so kind in nursing Bill." + +"Indeed, Ned! I should scarcely have expected to find so quiet and +tidy looking a girl at Varley, still less to meet her with a male +relation in church." + +"She lives at Varley, but she can hardly be called a Varley girl," +Ned said. "Bill was telling me about her. Her uncle had her brought +up down here. She used to go back to sleep at night, but otherwise +all her time was spent here. It seems her mother never liked the +place, and married away from it, and when she and her husband died +and the child came back to live with her uncle he seemed to think +he would be best carrying out his dead sister's wishes by having her +brought up in a different way to the girls at Varley. He has lost +his wife now, and she keeps house for him, and Bill says all the +young men in Varley are mad about her, but she won't have anything +to say to them." + +"She is right enough there," Captain Sankey said smilingly. "They +are mostly croppers, and rightly or wrongly--rightly, I am +afraid--they have the reputation of being the most drunken and +quarrelsome lot in Yorkshire. Do you know the story that is current +among the country people here about them?" + +"No, father, what is it?" + +"Well, they say that no cropper is in the place of punishment. +It was crowded with them at one time, but they were so noisy and +troublesome that his infernal majesty was driven to his wits' end +by their disputes. He offered to let them all go. They refused. +So one day he struck upon a plan to get rid of them. Going outside +the gates he shouted at the top of his voice, 'Beer, beer, who wants +beer?' every cropper in the place rushed out, and he then slipped +in again and shut the gates, and has taken good care ever since +never to admit a cropper into his territory." + +Ned laughed at the story. + +"It shows at any rate, father, what people think of them here; but +I don't think they are as bad as that, though Bill did say that +there are awful fights and rows going on there of an evening, and +even down here if there is a row there is sure to be a cropper in +it. Still you see there are some good ones; look at Luke Marner, +that's the man we saw in church, see how kind he has been to his +niece." + +"There are good men of all sorts, and though the croppers may be +rough and given to drink, we must not blame them too severely; they +are wholly uneducated men, they work hard, and their sole pleasure +is in the beer shop. At bottom they are no doubt the same as the +rest of their countrymen, and the Yorkshire men, though a hard +headed, are a soft hearted race; the doctor tells me that except +that their constitutions are ruined by habitual drinking he has +no better patients; they bear pain unflinchingly, and are patient +and even tempered. I know he loves them with all their faults, and +I consider him to be a good judge of character." + + + +CHAPTER IV: THE WORMS TURN + + +"I say, it's a shame, a beastly shame!" Ned Sankey exclaimed +passionately as the boys came out from school one day. + +Generally they poured out in a confused mass, eager for the fresh +air and anxious to forget in play the remembrance of the painful +hours in school; but today they came out slowly and quietly, each +with a book in his hand, for they had tasks set them which would +occupy every moment till the bell sounded again. + +"Every one says they know nothing about the cat. I don't know whether +it's true or not, for I am sorry to say some of the fellows will +tell lies to escape the cane, but whether it is so or not he's no +right to punish us all for what can only be the fault of one or +two." + +That morning the cat, which was the pet of Mr. Hathorn and his wife, +had been found dead near the door of the schoolhouse. It had been +most brutally knocked about. One of its eyes had been destroyed, +its soft fur was matted with blood, and it had evidently been beaten +to death. That the cat was no favorite with the boys was certain. +The door between the schoolroom and the house was unfastened at +night, and the cat in her pursuit of mice not unfrequently knocked +over inkstands, and the ink, penetrating into the desks, stained +books and papers, and more than one boy had been caned severely +for damage due to the night prowlings of the cat. + +Threats of vengeance against her had often been uttered, and when +the cat was found dead it was the general opinion in the school +that one or other of their comrades had carried out his threats, +but no suspicion fell upon any one in particular. The boys who +were most likely to have done such a thing declared their innocence +stoutly. + +Mr. Hathorn had no doubt on the subject. The cane had been going +all the morning, and he had told them that extra tasks would be +given which would occupy all their playtime until the offender was +given up to judgment. + +In point of fact the boys were altogether innocent of the deed. +Pussy was a noted marauder, and having been caught the evening before +in a larder, from which she had more than once stolen titbits, she +had been attacked by an enraged cook with a broomstick, and blows +had been showered upon her until the woman, believing that life +was extinct, had thrown her outside into the road; but the cat was +not quite dead, and had, after a time, revived sufficiently to drag +her way home, only, however, to die. + +"I call it a shame!" Ned repeated. "Mind, I say it's a brutal thing +to ill treat a cat like that. If she did knock down inkstands and +get fellows into rows it was not her fault. It's natural cats should +run after mice, and the wainscoting of the schoolroom swarmed with +them. One can hear them chasing each other about and squeaking all +day. If I knew any of the fellows had killed the cat I should go +straight to Hathorn and tell him. + +"You might call it sneaking if you like, but I would do it, for I +hate such brutal cruelty. I don't see how it could have been any +of the fellows, for they would have had to get out of the bedroom +and into it again; besides, I don't see how they could have caught +the cat if they did get out; but whether it was one of the fellows +or not makes no difference. I say it's injustice to punish every +one for the fault of one or two fellows. + +"I suppose he thinks that in time we shall give up the names of +the fellows who did it. As far as I am concerned, it will be just +the other way. If I had known who had done it this morning, when +he accused us, I should have got up and said so, because I think +fellows who treat dumb animals like that are brutes that ought to +be punished, but I certainly would not sneak because Hathorn punished +me unjustly. I vote we all refuse to do the work he has set us." + +This bold proposition was received with blank astonishment. + +"But he would thrash us all fearfully," Tompkins said. + +"He daren't if we only stuck together. Why, he wouldn't have a +chance with us if we showed fight. If we were to say to him, 'We +won't do these extra tasks; and if you touch one of us the whole +lot will pitch into you,' what could he do then?" + +"I will tell you what he could do, Sankey," Tom Room, a quiet, +sensible boy, replied. "If we were in a desert island it would be +all well enough, he could not tyrannize over us then: but here it +is different. He would just put on his hat and go into the town, +and in ten minutes he would he back again with the six constables, +and if that wasn't enough he could get plenty of other men, and where +would our fighting be then? We should all get the most tremendous +licking we have ever had, and get laughed at besides through the +town for a pack of young fools." + +Ned broke into a good tempered laugh. + +"Of course you are right, Room. I only thought about Hathorn +himself. Still, it is horribly unfair. I will do it today. But if +he goes on with it, as he threatens, I won't do it, let him do what +he likes." + +For some days this state of things continued. There was no longer +any sound of shouting and laughter in the playground. The boys walked +about moody and sullen, working at their lessons. They were fast +becoming desperate. No clue had been obtained as to the destroyer +of the cat, and the schoolmaster declared that if it took him months +to break their spirits he would do it. + +Ned Sankey had said nothing at home as to his troubles. His father +noticed that he ran off again as soon as his dinner was over, and +that he no longer said anything as to the sports in which he was +engaged in playtime; also, that his lessons occupied him from tea +time until he went up to bed. + +"Anything is better than this," Ned said one day to some of the +boys of his own age. "In my opinion it's better to have a regular +row. What Room said was quite true; we shall get the worst of it; +but the story will then come out, and it will be seen what a beastly +tyranny we have been undergoing. I tell you, I for one will not +stand it any longer, so here goes," and he threw his book up into +a tree, in whose branches it securely lodged. + +His comrades followed his example, and the news that Sankey and some +of the other fellows were determined to put up with it no longer +soon spread, and in five minutes not a book was to be seen in the +playground. The spirit of resistance became strong and general, +and when the bell rang the boys walked into the schoolroom silent +and determined, but looking far less moody and downcast than usual. +Mr. Hathorn took his seat at his desk. + +"The first class will come up and say their tasks." + +Not a boy moved in his seat. + +"The first class will come up and say their tasks," the master +repeated, bringing his cane down with angry emphasis on the desk. + +Still no one moved. + +"What does this mean?" he shouted, rising from his seat. + +"It means, sir," Ned Sankey said, rising also, "that we are +determined, all of us, that we will learn no more extra tasks. +None of us, so far as we know, ever touched your cat, and we are +not going to submit to be punished any longer for a fault which +none of us have committed." + +"No, no," rose in a general chorus through the schoolroom, "we will +do no more tasks." + +Mr. Hathorn stood petrified with astonishment and white with anger. + +"So you are at the bottom of this, Sankey. I will make an example +of you." + +So saying, he took a stride forward toward Ned. In an instant a +shower of books flew at him from all parts of the room. Infuriated +by the attack, he rushed forward with his cane raised. Ned caught +up a heavy inkstand. + +"If you touch me," he shouted, "I will fling this at your head." + +Mr. Hathorn hesitated. The shower of books had not affected him, +but the heavy missile in Ned's hand was a serious weapon. In another +moment he sprang forward and brought his cane down with all his +force upon Ned's back. + +Ned at once hurled the heavy inkstand at him. The schoolmaster sprang +on one side, but it struck him on the shoulder, and he staggered +back. + +"You have broken my shoulder, you young scoundrel!" he exclaimed. + +"I shouldn't care if I had broken your head," Ned retorted, white +with passion; "it would have served you right if I had killed you, +you tyrant." + +"One of you go and fetch a constable," Mr. Hathorn said to the +boys. + +"Let him send his servant. He will find me at home. Mr. Hathorn, I +am not going to run away, you need not think it. Give me in charge +if you dare; I don't care what they do to me, but the whole country +shall know what a tyrant you are." + +So saying, he collected his books, put his cap on his head, and +walked from the schoolroom, the boys cheering him loudly as he +went. On reaching home he went at once to his father's study. + +"I am sorry to say, sir, that there has been a row in the school, +and Hathorn has threatened to send a constable here after me for +throwing an inkstand at him." + +"Throwing an inkstand!" Captain Sankey exclaimed. "Is it possible?" + +"It is quite possible and quite true; he has been treating us +shamefully for the last ten days; he has been always a cruel brute +all along, though I never wanted to make a fuss about it, but it +has been getting worse and worse. Ten days ago some one killed his +cat, and I am almost sure it was none of the boys, but he chose +to believe it was, and because he couldn't find out who, he has +punished the whole school, and all our play hours have been taken +up with lessons ever since, and he said he would keep on so till +he found out who did it, if it was months. + +"So at last we could not stand it any longer, and we all agreed that +we wouldn't do the extra tasks, and that we would stick together +when we told him so. He rushed at me with his cane, and gave me one +with all his might, and I threw an inkstand at him, and it caught +him on the shoulder, and he says it has broken it, and that he would +send for a constable. So I told him to do so if he dared, and here +I am." + +"This is a very serious business, Ned," his father said gravely. +"In the first place, there is something like a rebellion in the +school, of which, I suppose, you were one of the leaders or he would +not have singled you out. In the second place, you threw a missile +at him, which has broken his shoulder, and might have killed him +had it struck him on the head. I have warned you, my boy, over and +over again against giving way to that passionate temper of yours, +and have told you that it would lead you into serious trouble." + +"I can't help it, sir," Ned said doggedly. "I've put up with +a tremendous lot there, and have said nothing about it, because +I did not wish to give you trouble; but when it came to downright +tyranny like this I would rather be killed than put up with it. I +warned him fairly that if he struck me I would throw the inkstand +at him, and he brought it on himself." + +Captain Sankey seeing that in his son's present state of mind talking +would be useless to him, ordered him to remain in his study till +his return, and putting on his hat went toward the school. Ned's +temper had always been a source of anxiety to him. The boy was, no +doubt, of a passionate nature, but had he had the advantage of a +proper supervision and care when he was a child the tendency might +have been overcome. Unfortunately this had not been the case. His +mother had left the children entirely to the care of ayahs, he +himself had been far too occupied with his regimental duties to be +able to superintend their training, while Abijah's hands had been +too full with the management of the house, which entirely devolved +upon her, and with the constant attention demanded by Mrs. Sankey, +to give them any close superintendence. Thus like most children +born in India and left entirely in the charge of colored nurses, +Ned had acquired the habit of giving way to bursts of ungovernable +passion; for the black nurses have no authority over their young +charges, unless seconded and supported by the firmness of their +mothers. In this case no such support had been forthcoming. + +Mrs. Sankey hated being troubled, and the ayahs always found that +any complaints to her recoiled upon themselves, for she always +took the part of her children, and insisted that the fault lay on +the side of the nurses and not on them. The natural result was, +that the ayahs ceased to trouble her, and found it easier to allow +the children to do as they chose, and to give way quietly to Ned's +outbursts of passion. + +Captain Sankey knew nothing of all this. Ned was very fond of him, +and was always bright and good tempered when with his father, and +it was not until he left India and was thrown more with him that +Captain Sankey discovered how grievously Ned's disposition, which +was in other respects a fine one, was marred by the habit which had +been encouraged by indulgence and want of control. Then he set to +work earnestly to remedy the mischief, but the growth of years is +hard to eradicate, and although under the influence of the affection +for his father and his own good sense Ned had so far conquered himself +that his fits of passion were few and far between, the evil still +existed, and might yet, as his father felt, lead to consequences +which would mar his whole life. + +Thinking the matter sadly over, Captain Sankey was proceeding toward +the school when he met one of the constables. The man touched his +hat and stopped. + +"This be a moighty oonpleasant business, captain," he said; "your +boy, he ha' been and battered schoolmaister; and t' doctor says he +ha' broke his collarbone. Oi ha' got to take him afore t' magistrate." + +"Very well, Harper," Captain Sankey said quietly; "of course you +must do your duty. It is a sad business, and I was on my way to +the school to see if the matter could not be arranged; however, as +it has been put in your hands it is now too late, and things must +take their course; the magistrates are not sitting today. I will +guarantee that my son shall be present at the sitting on Thursday, +I suppose that will be sufficient?" + +"Yes, oi supposes if you promises to produce him, that will do," +the constable said. "Oi doan't suppose as nought will come o't; +these schoolmaister chaps does thrash t' boys cruel, and oi ain't +surprised as t' little chaps roises ag'in it soometoimes. T'others +all seem moighty glad o' it: oi heard 'em shouting and, cheering +in t' yard as if they was all mad." + +Captain Sankey shook his head. "I'm afraid the magistrates won't +see it in that light, Harper; discipline is discipline. However, +we must hope for the best." + +The story that there had been a rebellion among the boys at Hathorn's, +that the schoolmaster had his shoulder broken, and that Captain +Sankey's son was to go before the magistrates, spread rapidly +through Marsden, and the courthouse was crowded at the sitting of +the magistrates on Thursday. + +There were two magistrates on the bench. Mr. Thompson the local +banker, and Squire Simmonds of Lathorpe Hall, three miles from the +town. Several minor cases were first disposed of, and then Ned's name +was called. Captain Sankey had been accommodated with a seat near +the magistrates, with both of whom he had some personal acquaintance. +Ned was sitting by the side of the lawyer whom his father had +retained to defend him; he now moved quietly into the dock, while +Mr. Hathorn, with his arm in a sling, took his place in the witness +box. + +Ned had recovered now from his fit of passion, and looked amused +rather than concerned as the schoolmaster gave his evidence as to +the fray in the schoolroom. + +"I have a few questions to ask you, Mr. Hathorn," Mr. Wakefield, +Ned's lawyer, said. "Had you any reason for expecting any outbreak +of this kind among your boys?" + +"None whatever," Mr. Hathorn said. + +"You use the cane pretty freely, I believe, sir." + +"I use it when it is necessary," Mr. Hathorn replied. + +"Ah, and how often do you consider it necessary?" + +"That must depend upon circumstances." + +"You have about thirty boys, I think?" + +"About thirty." + +"And you consider it necessary that at least fifteen out of that +thirty should be caned every day. You must have got a very bad lot +of boys, Mr. Hathorn?" + +"Not so many as that," the schoolmaster said, flushing. + +"I shall be prepared to prove to your worships," the lawyer said, +"that for the last six months the average of boys severely caned +by this man has exceeded sixteen a day, putting aside such minor +matters as one, two, or three vicious cuts with the cane given at +random. It fortunately happened, as I find from my young friend +in the dock, that one of the boys has, from motives of curiosity, +kept an account for the last six months of the number of boys +thrashed every day. I have sent round for him, and he is at present +in court." + +Mr. Hathorn turned pale, and he began to think that it would have +been wiser for him to have followed Ned's advice, and not to have +brought the matter into court. + +"Your worships," the lawyer said, "you have been boys, as I have, +and you can form your own ideas as to the wretchedness that must +prevail among a body of lads of whom more than half are caned daily. +This, your worships, is a state of tyranny which might well drive +any boys to desperation. But I have not done with Mr. Hathorn yet. + +"During the ten days previous to this affair things wore even more +unpleasant than usual in your establishment, were they not, sir? +I understand that the whole of the boys were deprived of all play +whatever, and that every minute was occupied by extra tasks, and +moreover the prospect was held out to them that this sort of thing +would continue for months." + +There had already been several demonstrations of feeling in court, +but at this statement by the lawyer there was a general hiss. The +schoolmaster hesitated before replying. + +"Now, Mr. Hathorn," the lawyer said briskly, "we want neither hesitation +nor equivocation. We may as well have it from you, because if you +don't like telling the truth I can put the thirty miserable lads +under your charge into the box one after the other." + +"They have had extra tasks to do during their play time," Mr. Hathorn +said, "because they refused to reveal which among them brutally +murdered my cat." + +"And how do you know they murdered your cat?" + +"I am sure they did," the schoolmaster said shortly. + +"Oh! you are sure they did! And why are you so sure? Had they any +grudge against your cat?" + +"They pretended they had a grudge." + +"What for, Mr. Hathorn?" + +"They used to accuse her of upsetting the ink bottles when they +did it themselves." + +"You did not believe their statements, I suppose?" + +"Not at all." + +"You caned them just the same as if they had done it themselves. +At least I am told so." + +"Of course I caned them, especially as I knew that they were telling +a lie." + +"But if it was a lie, Mr. Hathorn, if this cat did not upset their +ink, why on earth should these boys have a grudge against her and +murder her?" + +The schoolmaster was silent. + +"Now I want an answer, sir. You are punishing thirty boys in +addition to the sixteen daily canings divided among them; you have +cut off all their play time, and kept them at work from the time +they rise to the time they go to bed. As you see, according to your +own statement, they could have had no grudge against the cat, how +are you sure they murdered her?" + +"I am quite sure." Mr. Hathorn said doggedly. "Boys have always a +spite against cats." + +"Now, your honors, you hear this," Mr. Wakefield said. "Now I am +about to place in the witness box a very respectable woman, one Jane +Tytler, who is cook to our esteemed fellow townsman, Mr. Samuel +Hawkins, whose residence is, as you know, not far from this school. +She will tell you that, having for some time been plagued by a +thieving cat which was in the habit of getting into her larder and +carrying off portions of food, she, finding it one day there in +the act of stealing a half chicken, fell upon it with a broomstick +and killed it, or as she thought killed it, and I imagine most +cooks would have acted the same under the circumstances. + +"She thought no more about it until she heard the reports in +the town about this business at the school, and then she told her +master. The dates have been compared, and it is found that she +battered this cat on the evening before the Hathorn cat was found +dead in the yard. Furthermore, the cat she battered was a white cat +with a black spot on one side, and this is the exact description +of the Hathorn cat; therefore, your honors, you will see that the +assumption, or pretense, or excuse, call it what you will, by which +this man justifies his tyrannical treatment of these unfortunate +boys has no base or foundation whatever. You can go now, Mr. Hathorn; +I have nothing further to say to you." + +A loud hiss rose again from the crowded court as the schoolmaster +stepped down from the witness box, and Jane Tytler took his place. +After giving her evidence she was succeeded by Dick Tompkins in +much trepidation. Dick was a most unwilling witness, but he produced +the notebook in which he had daily jotted down the number of boys +caned, and swore to the general accuracy of the figures. + +Mr. Wakefield then asked the magistrates if they would like to hear +any further witnesses as to the state of things in the schoolroom. +They said that what they had heard was quite sufficient. He then +addressed them on the merits of the case, pointing out that although +in this case one of the parties was a master and the other a pupil +this in no way removed it in the eye of the law from the category +of other assaults. + +"In this case," he said, "your worships, the affair has arisen out +of a long course of tyranny and provocation on the part of one of +the parties, and you will observe that this is the party who first +commits the assault, while my client was acting solely in self +defense. + +"It is he who ought to stand in the witness box; and the complainant +in the dock, for he is at once the aggressor and the assailant. The +law admits any man who is assaulted to defend himself, and there +is, so far as I am aware, no enactment whatever to be found in +the statute book placing boys in a different category to grownup +persons. When your worships have discharged my client, as I have +no doubt you will do at once, I shall advise him to apply for a +summons for assault against this man Hathorn." + +The magistrates consulted together for some time, then the squire, +who was the senior, said: + +"We are of opinion that Master Sankey, by aiding this rebellion +against his master, has done wrongly, and that he erred grievously +in discharging a heavy missile at his master; at the same time we +think that the provocation that he received by the tyranny which +has been proved to have been exercised by Mr. Hathorn toward the +boys under his charge, and especially by their unjust punishment +for an offense which the complainant conceived without sufficient +warrant, or indeed without any warrant at all, that they had +committed, to a great extent justifies and excuses the conduct of +Master Sankey. Therefore, with a reprimand as to his behavior, and +a caution as to the consequences which might have arisen from his +allowing his temper to go beyond bounds, we discharge him. + +"As to you, sir," he said to the schoolmaster, "we wish to express +our opinion that your conduct has been cruel and tyrannical in the +extreme, and we pity the unfortunate boys who are under the care of +a man who treats them with such cruel harshness as you are proved +to have done." + +The magistrates now rose, and the court broke up. Many of those +present crowded round Ned and shook his hand, congratulating him +on the issue; but at a sign from his father the boy drew himself +away from them, and joining Captain Sankey, walked home with him. + +"The matter has ended better than I expected, Ned," he said gravely; +"but pray, my boy, do not let yourself think that there is any +reason for triumph. You have been gravely reprimanded, and had the +missile you used struck the schoolmaster on the head, you would +now be in prison awaiting your trial for a far graver offense, and +that before judges who would not make the allowances for you that +the magistrates here have done. + +"Beware of your temper, Ned, for unless you overcome it, be assured +that sooner or later it may lead to terrible consequences." + +Ned, who had in fact been inclined to feel triumphant over his +success, was sobered by his father's grave words and manner; and +resolved that he would try hard to conquer his fault; but evil +habits are hard to overcome, and the full force of his father's +words was still to come home to him. + +He did not, of course, return to Mr. Hathorn's, and indeed the +disclosures of the master's severity made at the examination before +the magistrates obtained such publicity that several of his pupils +were removed at once, and notices were given that so many more +would not return after the next holidays that no one was surprised +to hear that the schoolmaster had arranged with a successor in the +school, and that he himself was about to go to America. + +The result was that after the holidays his successor took his +place, and many of the fathers who had intended to remove their +sons decided to give the newcomer a trial. The school opened with +nearly the usual number of pupils. Ned was one of those who went +back. Captain Sankey had called on the new master, and had told him +frankly the circumstances of the fracas between Ned and Mr. Hathorn. + +"I will try your son at any rate, Mr. Sankey," the master said. "I +have a strong opinion that boys can be managed without such use of +the cane as is generally adopted; that, in my opinion, should be +the last resort. Boys are like other people, and will do more for +kindness than for blows. By what you tell me, the circumstances of +your son's bringing up in India among native servants have encouraged +the growth of a passionate temper, but I trust that we may be able +to overcome that; at any rate I will give him a trial." + +And so it was settled that Ned should return to Porson's, for so +the establishment was henceforth to be known. + + + +CHAPTER V: THE NEW MASTER + + +It was with much excitement and interest that the boys gathered in +their places for the first time under the new master. The boarders +had not seen him upon their arrival on the previous evening, but +had been received by an old housekeeper, who told them Mr. Porson +would not return until the coach came in from York that night. + +All eyes were turned to the door as the master entered. The first +impression was that he was a younger man than they had expected. +Mr. Hathorn had been some forty-five years old; the newcomer was +not over thirty. He was a tall, loosely made man, with somewhat +stooping shoulders; he had heavy eyebrows, gray eyes, and a firm +mouth. He did not look round as he walked straight to his desk; +then he turned, and his eyes traveled quietly and steadily round +the room as if scanning each of the faces directed toward him. + +"Now, boys," he said in a quiet voice, "a few words before we begin. +I am here to teach, and you are here to learn. As your master I +expect prompt obedience. I shall look to see each of you do your +best to acquire the knowledge which your parents have sent you here +to obtain. Above all, I shall expect that every boy here will be +straightforward, honorable, and truthful. I shall not expect to +find that all are capable of making equal progress; there are clever +boys and stupid boys, just as there are clever men and stupid men, +and it would be unjust to expect that one can keep up to the other; +but I do look to each doing his best according to his ability. +On my part I shall do my best to advance you in your studies, to +correct your faults, and to make useful men of you. + +"One word as to punishments. I do not believe that knowledge is to +be thrashed into boys, or that fear is the best teacher. I shall +expect you to learn, partly because you feel that as your parents +have paid for you to learn it is your duty to learn, partly because +you wish to please me. I hope that the cane will seldom be used +in this school. It will be used if any boy tells me a lie, if any +boy does anything which is mean and dishonorable, if any boy is +obstinately idle, and when it is used it will be used to a purpose, +but I trust that the occasion for it will be rare. + +"I shall treat you as friends whom it is my duty to instruct. You +will treat me, I hope, as a friend whose duty it is to instruct +you, and who has a warm interest in your welfare; if we really bear +these relations to each other there should be seldom any occasion +for punishment. And now as a beginning today, boys, let each come +up to my desk, one at a time, with his books. I shall examine you +separately, and see what each knows and is capable of doing. I +see by the report here that there are six boys in the first class. +As these will occupy me all the morning the rest can go into the +playground. The second class will be taken this afternoon." + +The boys had listened with astonished silence to this address, and +so completely taken aback were they that all save those ordered to +remain rose from their seats and went out in a quiet and orderly +way, very different from the wild rush which generally terminated +school time. + +Ned being in the second class was one of those who went out. Instead +of scattering into groups, the boys gathered in a body outside. + +"What do you think of that, Sankey?" Tompkins said. "It seems +almost too good to be true. Only fancy, no more thrashing except +for lying and things of that sort, and treating us like friends! +and he talked as if he meant it too." + +"That he did," Ned said gravely; "and I tell you, fellows, we shall +have to work now, and no mistake. A fellow who will not work for +such a man as that deserves to be skinned." + +"I expect," said James Mather, who was one of the biggest boys in +the school though still in the third class, "that it's all gammon, +just to give himself a good name, and to do away with the bad repute +the school has got into for Hathorn's flogging. You will see how +long it will last! I ain't going to swallow all that soft soap." + +Ned, who had been much touched at the master's address, at once +fired up: + +"Oh! we all know how clever you are, Mather--quite a shining +genius, one of the sort who can see through a stone wall. If you +say it's gammon, of course it must be so." + +There was a laugh among the boys. + +"I will punch your head if you don't shut up, Sankey," Mather said +angrily; "there's no ink bottle for you to shy here." + +Ned turned very white, but he checked himself with an effort. + +"I don't want to fight today--it's the first day of the half +year, and after such a speech as we've heard I don't want to have +a row on this first morning. But you had better look out; another +time you won't find me so patient. Punch my head, indeed! Why, you +daren't try it." + +But Mather would have tried it, for he had for the last year been +regarded as the cock of the school. However, several of the boys +interfered. + +"Sankey is right, Mather; it would be a beastly shame to be fighting +this morning. After what Porson said there oughtn't to be any rows +today. We shall soon see whether he means it." + +Mather suffered himself to be dissuaded from carrying his threat +into execution, the rather that in his heart of hearts he was not +assured that the course would have been a wise one. Ned had never +fought in the school, but Tompkins' account of his fight on the +moor with Bill Swinton, and the courage he had shown in taking upon +himself the office of spokesman in the rebellion against Hathorn, +had given him a very high reputation among the boys; and in spite +of Mather's greater age and weight there were many who thought +that Ned Sankey would make a tough fight of it with the cock of +the school. + +So the gathering broke up and the boys set to at their games, which +were played with a heartiness and zest all the greater that none +of them were in pain from recent punishment, and that they could +look forward to the afternoon without fear and trembling. + +When at twelve o'clock the boys of the first class came out from +school the others crowded round to hear the result of the morning's +lessons. They looked bright and pleased. + +"I think he is going to turn out a brick," Ripon, the head of the +first class, said. "Of course one can't tell yet. He was very quiet +with us and had a regular examination of each of us. I don't think +he was at all satisfied, though we all did our best, but there was +no shouting or scolding. We are to go in again this afternoon with +the rest. He says there's something which he forgot to mention to +us this morning." + +"More speeches!" Mather grumbled. "I hate all this jaw." + +"Yes," Ripon said sharply; "a cane is the thing which suits your +understanding best. Well, perhaps he will indulge you; obstinate +idleness is one of the things he mentioned in the address." + +When afternoon school began Mr. Porson again rose. + +"There is one thing I forgot to mention this morning. I understand that +you have hitherto passed your play time entirely in the playground, +except on Saturday afternoons, when you have been allowed to go where +you like between dinner and tea time. With the latter regulation +I do not intend to interfere, or at any rate I shall not do so so +long as I see that no bad effects come of it; but I shall do so only +with this proviso: I do not think it good for you to be going about +the town. I shall therefore put Marsden out of bounds. You will +be free to ramble where you like in the country, but any boy who +enters the town will be severely punished. I am not yet sufficiently +acquainted with the neighborhood to draw the exact line beyond which +you are not to go, but I shall do so as soon as I have ascertained +the boundaries of the town. + +"I understand that you look forward to Saturday for making such +purchases as you require. Therefore each Saturday four boys, selected +by yourselves, one from each class, will be allowed to go into the +town to make purchases for the rest, but they are not to be absent +more than an hour. + +"In the second place, I do not think that the playground affords a +sufficient space for exercise, and being graveled, it is unsuitable +for many games. Therefore I have hired a field, which I dare say +you all know; it is called 'The Four Acre Field,' about a hundred +yards down the road on the left hand side. This you will use as +your playground during the six summer months. I have brought with +me from York a box which I shall place under the charge of Ripon and +the two next senior to him. It contains bats, wickets, and a ball +for cricket; a set of quoits; trap bat and ball for the younger +boys; leaping bars and some other things. These will give you a +start. As they become used up or broken they must be replaced by +yourselves; and I hope you will obtain plenty of enjoyment from them. +I shall come and play a game of cricket with you myself sometimes. + +"You will bear in mind that it is my wish that you should be happy. +I expect you to work hard, but I wish you to play hard too. Unless +the body works the brain will suffer, and a happy and contented boy +will learn as easily again as a discontented, and miserable one. I +will give you the box after tea, so that you can all examine them +together. The second and third classes will now stay in; the fourth +class can go out in the playground with the first. I shall have +time to examine them while the others are doing their work tomorrow." + +There was a suppressed cheer among the boys and Ripon, as the +senior, said: + +"I am sure, sir, we are all very much obliged to you for your +kindness, and we will do our best to deserve it." + +There was a chorus of assent, and then the elder and younger boys +went out into the playground while the work of examination of the +second and third classes began. + +On the following day lessons began in earnest, and the boys found +their first impressions of the new master more than justified. A +new era had commenced. The sound of the cane was no longer heard, +and yet the lessons were far better done than had been the case +before. Then the whole work had fallen on the boys; the principal +part of the day's lessens had been the repeating of tasks learned +by heart, and the master simply heard them and punished the boys +who were not perfect. + +There was comparatively little of this mechanical work now; it +was the sense and not the wording which had to be mastered. Thus +geography was studied from an atlas and not by the mere parrot-like +learning of the names of towns and rivers. In grammar the boys had +to show that they understood a rule by citing examples other than +those given in their books. History was rather a lecture from the +master than a repetition of dry facts and dates by the boys. Latin +and mathematics were made clear in a similar way. + +"It was almost too good to last," the boys said after the first +day's experience of this new method of teaching; but it did last. +A considerable portion of the work out of school was devoted to the +keeping up the facts they had learned, for Mr. Porson was constantly +going back and seeing that their memories retained the facts they +had acquired, and what they called examinations were a part of the +daily routine. + +In some points upon which Mr. Hathorn had laid the greatest stress +Mr. Porson was indifferent--dates, which had been the bane of +many a boy's life and an unceasing source of punishment, he regarded +but little, insisting only that the general period should be known, +and his questions generally took the form of, "In the beginning +or at the end of such and such a century, what was the state of +things in England or in Rome?" A few dates of special events, the +landmarks of history, were required to be learned accurately, all +others were passed over as unimportant. + +It was not that the boys worked fewer hours than before, but that +they worked more intelligently, and therefore more pleasantly to +themselves. The boys--and there were some--who imagined that +under this new method of teaching they could be idle, very soon +found out their mistake, and discovered that in his way Mr. Porson +was just as strict as his predecessor. He never lost his temper; but +his cold displeasure was harder to bear than Mr. Hathorn's wrath; +nor were punishments wanting. Although the cane was idle, those +who would not work were kept in the schoolroom during play hours; +and in cases where this was found to be ineffectual Mr. Porson +coldly said: + +"Your parents pay me to teach you, and if you do not choose to be +taught I have only to write home to them and request them to take +you away. If you are one of those boys who will only learn from +fear of the cane you had better go to some school where the cane +is used." + +This threat, which would have been ineffective in Mr. Hathorn's time +never failed to have an effect now; for even Mather, the idlest +and worst boy there, was able to appreciate the difference between +the present regime and the last. In a marvelously short time Mr. +Porson seemed to have gauged the abilities of each of the boys, and +while he expected much from those who were able' to master easily +their tasks, he was content with less from the duller intellects, +providing they had done their best. + +After a week's experience of Mr. Porson, Ned gave so glowing an +account to his father of the new master and his methods that Captain +Sankey went down to the school and arranged that Charlie, now ten +years old, should accompany his brother. There were several boys no +older than he; but Charlie differed widely from his elder brother, +being a timid and delicate child, and ill fitted to take care of +himself. Captain Sankey felt, however, after what Ned had told him +of Mr. Porson, that he could trust to him during the school hours, +and Ned would be an active protector in the playground. + +It was not until a fortnight after the school began that the Four +Acre Field was ready. By that time a flock of sheep had been turned +into it, and had eaten the grass smooth, and a heavy horse roller +had been at work for a day making a level pitch in the center. + +It was a Saturday afternoon when the boys took possession of it for +the first time. As they were about to start in the highest glee, +Mr. Porson joined them. Some of their faces fell a little; but he +said cheerfully: + +"Now, boys, I am going with you; but not, you know, to look after +you or keep you in order. I want you all to enjoy yourselves just in +your own way, and I mean to enjoy myself too. I have been a pretty +good cricketer in my time, and played in the York Eleven against +Leeds, so I may be able to coach you up a little, and I hope after +a bit we may be able to challenge some of the village elevens round +here. I am afraid Marsden will be too good for us for some time; +still, we shall see." + +On reaching the field Mr. Porson saw the ground measured and the +wickets erected, and then said: + +"Now I propose we begin with a match. There are enough of us to +make more than two elevens; but there are the other games. Would +any of the bigger boys like to play quoits better than cricket?" + +Mather, who felt much aggrieved at the master's presence, said he +should prefer quoits; and Williamson, who always followed his lead, +agreed to play with him. + +"Now," Mr. Porson said, "do you, Ripon, choose an eleven. I will +take the ten next best. The little ones who are over can play at +trap bat, or bowls, as they like." + +There was a general approval of the plan. Ripon chose an eleven of +the likeliest boys, selecting the biggest and most active; for as +there had been no room for cricket in the yard their aptitude for +the game was a matter of guesswork, though most of them had played +during the holidays. Mr. Porson chose the next ten and after tossing +for innings, which Ripon won, they set to work. Mr. Porson played +for a time as long stop, putting on two of the strongest of his +team as bowlers, and changing them from time to time to test their +capacity. None of them turned out brilliant, and the runs came +fast, and the wickets were taken were few and far between, until +at last Mr. Porson himself took the ball. + +"I am not going to bowl fast," he said, "just straight easy lobs;" +but the boys found that the straight lobs were not so easy after +all, and the wickets of the boys who had made a long score soon fell. +Most of those who followed managed to make a few runs as well off +Mr. Porson's bowling as from that at the other end; for the master +did not wish to discourage them, and for a few overs after each +batsman came to the wicket aimed well off it so as to give them a +chance of scoring. + +The last wicket fell for the respectable score of fifty-four. +The junior eleven then went in, the master not going in until the +last. Only twenty runs had been made when he took the bat. In the +five balls of the over which were bowled to him he made three fours; +but before it came to his turn again his partner at the other end +was out, and his side were twenty-two behind on the first innings. +The other side scored thirty-three for the first four wickets before +he again took the ball, and the remaining six went down for twelve +runs. His own party implored him to go in first, but he refused. + +"No, no, boys," he said; "you must win the match, if you can, +without much aid from me." + +The juniors made a better defense this time and scored forty before +the ninth wicket fell. Then Mr. Porson went in and ran the score +up to sixty before his partner was out, the seniors winning the +match by nine runs. Both sides were highly pleased with the result +of the match. The seniors had won after a close game. The juniors +were well pleased to have run their elders so hard. + +They all gathered round their master and thanked him warmly. + +"I am glad you are pleased, my boys," he said; "I will come down +two or three times a week and bowl to you for an hour, and give +you a few hints, and you will find that you get on fast. There is +plenty of promise among you, and I prophesy that we shall turn out +a fair eleven by the end of the season." + +The younger boys had also enjoyed themselves greatly, and had been +joined by many of the elders while waiting for their turn to go +in. Altogether the opening day of the Four Acre Field had been a +great success. + +The old cake woman who had previously supplied the boys still came +once a week, her usual time being Wednesday evening, when, after +tea, the boys played for half an hour in the yard before going in +to their usual lessons. Ned was not usually present, but he one +evening went back to fetch a book which he needed. As he came in +at the gate of the yard Mather was speaking to the woman. + +"No, I won't let you have any more, Master Mather. You have broken +your promises to me over and over again. That money you owed me +last half ain't been paid yet. If it had only been the money for +the cakes and sweets I shouldn't ha' minded so much, but it's that +ten shillings you borrowed and promised me solemn you would pay at +the end of the week and ain't never paid yet. I have got to make +up my rent, and I tell ye if I don't get the money by Saturday +I shall speak to t' maister about it and see what he says to such +goings on." + +"Don't talk so loud," Mather said hurriedly, "and I will get you +the money as seen as I can." + +"I don't care who hears me," the woman replied in a still louder +voice, "and as soon as you can won't do for I. I have got to have +it on Saturday, so that's flat. I will come up to the field, and +you'll best have it ready for me." + +Ned did not hear the last few words, but he had heard enough to +know that Mather owed ten shillings which he had borrowed, besides +a bill for cakes. Mather had not noticed him come into the yard, +for his back was toward the gate, and the noise which the boys made +running about and shouting prevented him hearing the gate open and +close. + +"It's a beastly shame," Ned muttered to himself as he went off to +school, "to borrow money from an old woman like that. Mather must +have known he couldn't pay it, for he has only a small allowance, +and he is always short of money, and of course he could not expect +a tip before the holidays. He might have paid her when he came +back, but as he didn't I don't see how he is to do so now, and if +the old woman tells Porson there will be a row. It's just the sort +of thing would rile him most." + +On the next Saturday he watched with some curiosity the entry of the +old woman into the field. Several of the boys went up and bought +sweets. When she was standing alone Mather strolled up to her. +After a word or two he handed her something. She took it, and said +a few words. Mather shook his head positively, and in a minute or +two walked away, leaving her apparently satisfied. + +"I suppose he has given her something on account," Ned said to himself. +"I wonder where he got it. When Ripon asked him last Monday for a +subscription to buy another set of bats and wickets, so that two +lots could practise at once, he said he had only sixpence left, +and Mather would not like to seem mean now, for he knows he doesn't +stand well with any one except two or three of his own set, because +he is always running out against everything that Porson does." + +A week later Mr. Porson said, at the end of school: + +"By the way, boys, have any of you seen that illustrated classical +dictionary of mine? I had it in school about ten days ago when I +was showing you the prints of the dress and armor of the Romans, +and I have not seen it since. I fancy I must have left it on my +table, but I cannot be sure. I looked everywhere in my library for +it last night and cannot find it. Perhaps if I left it on the desk +one of you has taken it to look at the pictures." + +There was a general silence. + +"I think it must be so," Mr. Porson went on more gravely. "If the +boy who has it will give it up I shall not be angry, as, if I left +it on the desk, there would be no harm in taking it to look at the +pictures." + +Still there was silence. + +"I value the book," Mr. Porson went on, "not only because it is an +expensive work, but because it is a prize which I won at Durham." + +He paused a moment, and then said in a stern voice: "Let every boy +open his desk." + +The desks were opened, and Mr. Porson walked round and glanced at +each. + +"This is a serious matter now," he said. "Ripon, will you come to +the study with me and help me to search again. It is possible it may +still be there and I may have overlooked it. The rest will remain +in their places till I return." + +There was a buzz of conversation while the master was absent. On +his return he said: + +"The book is certainly not there. The bookshelves are all so full +that it could only have been put in its own place or laid upon +the table. Ripon and I have searched the room thoroughly and it is +certainly not there. Now, boys, this is a serious business. In the +first place, I will give a last chance to whoever may have taken +it to rise in his place and confess it." + +He paused, and still all were silent. + +"Now mind," he said, "I do not say that any of you have taken it +--I have no grounds for such an accusation. It may have been taken +by a servant. A tramp may have come in at the back gate when you +were all away and have carried it off. These things are possible. +And even were I sure that it had been done by one of you I should +not dream of punishing all; therefore for the present we will say +no more about it. But in order to assure myself and you I must ask +you for the keys of your boxes. The servants' boxes will also be +searched, as well as every nook and corner of the house; and then, +when we have ascertained for a certainty that the book is not within +these four walls, I shall go on with a lighter heart." + +The boys all eagerly opened their trunks and play boxes, searched +under the beds, in the cupboards, and in every nook and corner of +their part of the house, and an equally minute search was afterward +made in the other apartments; but no trace of the book was discovered. +For days the matter was a subject of conversation among the boys, +and endless were the conjectures as to what could have become of +the dictionary. Their respect and affection for their master were +greatly heightened by the fact that his behavior toward them was +in no way altered by the circumstances. His temper was as patient +and equable as before in the schoolroom; he was as cheerful and +friendly in the cricket field, They could see, however, that he +was worried and depressed, though he strove to appear the same as +usual. Often did they discuss among themselves how different the +state of things would have been had the loss happened to Mr. Hathorn, +and what a life they would have led under those circumstances. + +At the end of a week the happy thought struck Ripon that a subscription +should be made to buy a new dictionary. The amount was a serious +one, as they found that the book could not be purchased under +two guineas; but every boy subscribed to his last farthing. Some +promised their pocket money for weeks in advance; others wrote +home to their parents to ask for money, and in ten days the boys +had the satisfaction of seeing Ripon at the commencement of school +walk up to Mr. Porson's desk and present him with the handsome +volume in the name of all the boys. Ripon had taken some pains in +getting up an appropriate speech, and it was voted a great success. + +"Mr. Porson," he said, "in the name of all the boys in the school +I beg to ask your acceptance of this volume. It cannot have the +value to you of that which you have lost, as that was a prize; +but we hope, that as a proof of the respect and affection which we +all have for you, and as a token of our appreciation of your very +great kindness toward us, you will accept it in place of the other." + +Mr. Porson's face lit up with pleasure. + +"My boys," he said, "I am very highly gratified at this proof that +I have succeeded in my endeavors to make you feel that I am your +friend as well as your master, and I shall value your gift far more +highly than my college prize. That was simply the result of my own +labor; this is a proof of kindness and affection on your parts. I +shall value it very greatly all my life. And now, as I don't think +you will be able to pay much attention to your work this morning, +and as I have been for some days awaiting an opportunity to go +over to York, where I have some pressing business, I shall start +at once, and can just catch the stage, and shall get back in time +for school tomorrow morning, so you will have the day to yourselves." + +With a shout of pleasure the boys started off for a long day in the +cricket field, while Mr. Porson hurried away to catch the stagecoach +for York. + + + +CHAPTER VI: THE THIEF DETECTED + + +Mr. Porson was in his place next morning, having returned only half +an hour before school began; he looked fagged, and he was scarcely +so attentive as usual to the lessons, his thoughts seeming to be +elsewhere. + +"He seems regularly done up with his journey," Ripon said as the +boys came out of school. + +"I think he is upset about something," Ned remarked. "Sometimes +he hardly seemed paying attention to what was going on, and he did +not speak as cheerfully as usual. I noticed a sort of change in +his voice directly he began. I hope nothing wrong has occurred, we +were getting on so jollily." + +When afternoon school began Mr. Porson placed on the desk before +him a packet done up in brown paper. + +"Boys," he said, "I have got my book again." + +An exclamation of surprise and pleasure burst from the boys. The +mystery had weighed heavily on the school, and a look of eager curiosity +came over every face to hear how the book had been recovered. + +"It was found in a bookseller's shop in York," Mr. Porson went on. +"I myself had inquired at Leighton's here, but with little hope of +finding it, for no one who stole it would have disposed of it so +near home. I then wrote to several friends in the large towns, and +one of them, a clergyman at York, wrote to me two days ago to say +that just such a book as I had described was on sale in the window +of one of the booksellers there. It was a second hand copy, but +in excellent preservation. The flyleaf was missing. On going over +yesterday I found that it was my book, and was able to prove it by +several marginal notes in my handwriting. + +"The bookseller said at once that it was sent him by a general +dealer at Marsden who was in the habit of picking up books at sales +in the neighborhood and sending them to him; he had given eighteen +shillings for it. This morning I have called upon the man, whose +name is White, accompanied by a constable. He admitted at once that +he had sent the book to York, and said that he bought it from some +one about a month ago. His customer came late, and as White is +short sighted, and there was only a tallow candle burning in the +shop, he said that he should not know him again, and could say +nothing about his age; however, I shall call him in; he is now +outside with the constable. I am sure that for your own sakes you +will not object to his taking a look at you." + +Mr. Porson went to the door, and the constable and White entered. +The chief constable, when Mr. Porson had called upon him to ask +for one of his men to accompany him to the dealer's, had told him +that White bore a very bad reputation. He was suspected of being +the medium through whom stolen goods in that part of Yorkshire were +sent up to London for disposal. A highwayman who had been caught +and executed at York, had in his confession stated that this man +had acted as his go between for the disposal of the watches and +other articles he took from travelers, and White's premises had +then been thoroughly searched by the constables; but as nothing +suspicious was found, and there was only the unsupported confession +of the highwayman against him, he had got off scot free. + +"I don't think you will get anything out of him, Mr. Porson," the +constable said. "The fact that he has been trusted by these fellows +shows that he is not a man to peach upon those with whom he deals; +and in the next place he would know well enough that if any one were +convicted of stealing this book he would be liable to a prosecution +as receiver; and though we could scarcely get a conviction against +him, as we could not prove that he knew that it was stolen, it +would do him no good." + +The boys all stood up in a line. "I will look at 'em, sir," White +said; "but, as I have told you, I should not know the man as I +bought that book from, from Adam. Anyhow none of these little ones +couldn't be he. If it weren't a man, he were as big as a man. You +don't suppose an honest tradesman would buy an expensive book like +that from a kid." + +So saying he placed a pair of horn spectacles on his nose and walked +round the line. + +"I don't see any one here whose face I ever see before as far as +I knows; but bless you, the man as I bought it of might have had +hair all over his face, and I be none the wiser looking at him +across that counter of mine in the dark." + +"Thank you," Mr. Porson said; "then it is of no use troubling you +further. I have got my book back; but I confess that this affords +me but small gratification in comparison to that which I should +feel if I could unravel this mystery." + +The discovery of the book reopened the interest in the matter, and +nothing else was talked of that evening in the playground. + +"Ripon," Ned said, putting his arm in that of the head boy, "I want +to tell you a thing that has been in my mind for the last three +weeks; mind, I don't say that there's anything in it, and I hate +to think harm of any one. There is another thing; he and I ain't +good friends. If it hadn't been for that I should have spoken to +you before; but I was afraid that it would look like a piece of +dirty spite on my part; but I do think now that as head boy you +ought to know, and I want your advice whether I ought to say anything +about it or not." + +"What a long winded chap you are, Sankey! What is it all about?" + +"Well, you know, Ripon, when we got up that subscription for the +cricket things, Mather didn't give anything. He said he had no +money." + +"No; and he hadn't any," Ripon said, "for I had only the day before +lent him twopence to buy some string, and he paid me when he got +his allowance on Saturday." + +"Well, a day or two after that I came back after tea for a book that +I had left behind me, and as I came in at the gate there Mather was +standing at the corner talking to Mother Brown. He had his back to +the door, and they didn't see me. She was talking loud and angry +and I couldn't help hearing what she said." + +"Well, what did she say?" Ripon said rather impatiently. + +"She said, 'You have disappointed me over and over again, and if +you don't pay me that ten shillings you borrowed of me last half, +and the bill for the cakes, by Saturday, I will see the master and +tell him all about it.' I didn't hear any more; but on the Saturday +I saw him go up to her in the field and pay her something. Of course +I don't know what it was; not all, I think, by the manner in which +she took it; still, I suppose it was enough to content her. About +ten days afterward we heard the book was missing. It didn't strike +me at the time; but afterward, when I thought of it, I remembered +that the last time Porson brought it out was on the Thursday, which +was the day after Mather had been speaking to Mother Brown. Now, +of course, Ripon, I don't actually suspect Mather of taking the +book; still it is curious its being missing just at the time he +wanted money so badly. He may have got the money from home, or he +may have borrowed it from some other fellow." + +"No," Ripon said positively, "I am sure Mather has had no letter, +because I always distribute the letters, and Mather's people never +write to him; and I am sure there was no fellow in the school had +more than a shilling or two at the outside at that time. Why didn't +you tell me before, Sankey?" + +"I didn't like to, because every one knows Mather and I are not good +friends; then I thought perhaps Mather might be able to explain it +all right, and I should have cut a nice figure if he could; then +at the time when I thought of it, and had got the dates right, the +first excitement had died out and I thought we might hear no more +of it and it would be forgotten; but now that the book has been +found and the whole thing has come up fresh again I thought it +better to tell you all about it and ask you what you would advise +me to do." + +Ripon did not answer for some time; then he said: + +"I am sure I don't know, Ned; I will think it over till tomorrow. +You have not said anything about it to any one else?" + +"Not to a soul. I hesitated whether I should tell you or father, +but he wouldn't understand how boys think of these things so well +as you do; so I thought as you were head of the school it was best +you should know." + +"I wish you hadn't told me," Ripon grumbled. "I am sure I don't +know what's best to do;" and he turned away and began to pace the +yard moodily up and down. + +"The only thing I have decided," he said to Ned the next day, "is +to ask Mother Brown myself how much Mather paid her. We may as well +settle that question first." + +As this was Wednesday and the cake woman was coming that evening +there was not long to wait. Ripon chose a time when most of the +boys had made their purchases and the old woman was alone. + +"Don't you give too much tick to any of the fellows, Mother Brown," +he began. "You know it isn't always easy to get money that's owing." + +"I should think not, Master Ripon; I wish they would always pay +money down as you do. There's Master Mather, he been owing me money +ever since last half. He borrowed ten shillings of me and promised +solemn he would pay at the end of the week, and he has only paid +five shillings yet, a month ago, and that was only 'cause I told +him I would tell the master about him; there's that five shillings, +and seven shillings and eightpence for cakes and things; but I have +been giving him a piece of my mind this afternoon; and if I don't +get that other five shillings by Saturday, sure enough I will speak +to t' maister about it. No one can say as Mother Brown is hard on +boys, and I am always ready to wait reasonable; but I can't abear +lies, and when I lent that ten shillings I expected it was going +to be paid punctual." + +"Then he knows you are going to speak to Mr. Porson on Saturday if +he doesn't pay up another five shillings?" + +"He knows it," the old woman said, nodding. "When I says a thing +I mean it. So he had best pay up." + +When Ripon met Ned next day he said: "I talked to her last night. +Mather paid her five shillings, and she has told him if he doesn't +pay her the other five by Saturday she will speak to Porson; so I +think the best plan is to wait till then and see what comes of it. +She will tell the whole story and Porson will learn it without our +interference, and can think what he likes about it." + +Relieved in mind at finding that there was a prospect of his +avoiding the decision whether or not to inform the master of his +suspicions, Ned went to his desk. When afternoon school began Mr. +Porson said gravely: + +"Boys, when you came back from the field did you all go straight +to the washing room to wash your hands before dinner?" + +There was a chorus of surprised assent. + +"I am sorry to tell you that another theft has been committed. A +gold pencil case has disappeared from my study table. I was using +it after school. I left it on the table when I went for a stroll +before dinner. I remember most distinctly laying it down among the +pens. I went into my study ten minutes ago; and wanting to make a +note as to this afternoon's work looked for the pencil and it was +gone. The window was open as usual, and it is possible that tramps +passing along the road may have come into the garden and have got +in at the window. As in the case of the book I suspect no one, but +two such occurrences as these are very uncomfortable for us all. +I shall not propose any search this time, for had any of you taken +it, which I cannot for a moment believe, he would not have been +careless enough to put it in his pocket, or conceal it in his desk +or boxes, but would have stowed it away somewhere where there would +be no chance whatever of its being found. Now let us dismiss the +subject and go on with our lessons." + +While the master was speaking Ripon and Sankey had glanced for +a moment at each other; the same thought was in both their minds. +After school was over they joined each other in the yard. + +"Was Mather in the washing room with the others?" Sankey asked +eagerly. + +"He was, but he came up last," Ripon replied. "You know he generally +saunters along in a lazy way and is the last to get in. So he was +today, but I don't know that he was later than usual." + +"I think, Ripon, we ought to speak to Porson." + +"I think so too," Ripon rejoined gravely; "it is too serious to keep +to ourselves. Any ordinary thing I would not peach about on any +account, but a disgraceful theft like this, which throws a doubt +over us all, is another thing; the honor of the whole school is at +stake. I have been thinking it over. I don't want Mather to suspect +anything, so I will go out at the back gate with you, as if I was +going to walk part of the way home with you, and then we will go +round to the front door and speak to Porson." + +The master was sitting on a low seat in the window of his study. +Hearing footsteps coming up from the front gate he looked round. + +"Do you want to speak to me, boys?" he asked in some surprise +through the open window. "What makes you come round the front way?" + +"We want to see you privately, sir," Ripon said. + +"Very well, boys, I will open the door for you. + +"Now, what is it?" he asked as the boys followed him into the study. + +"Well, sir, it may be nothing, I am sure I hope so," Ripon said, +"but Sankey and I thought you ought to know and then it will be off +our minds, and you can do as you like about it. Now, Sankey, tell +what you knew first, then I will tell what Mother Brown said to me +on Wednesday." + +Ned told the story in the same words in which he had related it +to Ripon; and Ripon then detailed his conversation with the cake +woman, and her threats of reporting Mather on Saturday were the debt +not paid. Ned had already given his reason for keeping silence in +the matter hitherto, and Ripon now explained that they had determined +to wait till Saturday to see what came of it, but that after that +new theft they deemed it their duty to speak at once. Mr. Porson +sat with his face half shaded with his hand and without speaking +a single word until the boys had concluded. + +"It is a sad business," he said in a low tone, "a very sad business. +It is still possible that you may have come to false conclusions; +but the circumstances you have related are terribly strong. I am +grieved, indeed, over the business, and would rather have lost a +hundred books and pencil cases than it should have happened. You +have done quite right, boys; I am greatly obliged to you both, and +you have acted very well. I know how painful it must be to you both +to have been obliged to bring so grave a matter to my ears. Thank +you; I will consider what is the best course to adopt. If it can +be avoided, I shall so arrange that your names do not appear in +the matter." + +For some little time after the boys had left him Mr. Porson remained +in deep thought; then he rose, put on his hat, and went out, first +inquiring of the servant if she knew where the woman who sold cakes +to the boys lived. + +"Yes, sir; she lives in a little house in Mill Street; it's not a +regular shop, but there are a few cakes in one of the windows; I +have bought things there for the kitchen, knowing that she dealt +with the young gentlemen." + +Mr. Porson made his way to Mill Street and easily found the house +he was in search of. On being questioned the old woman at first +showed some reluctance in answering his questions, but Mr. Porson +said sharply: + +"Now, dame, I want no nonsense; I am acquainted with the whole +affair, but wish to have it from your own lips. Unless you tell me +the whole truth not a cake will you sell my boys in future." + +Thus pressed Mrs. Brown at once related the story of Mather having +borrowed some money of her; of her threats to report him unless he +paid, and of his having given her five shillings on the following +Saturday, saying that he would give her the rest in a few days, but +could pay no more then; and how, after repeated disappointments, +she had now given him till Saturday to settle the debt. + +"If he didn't pay, sir, I meant to have come to ye and telled ye +all about it, for I hate lies, and Master Mather has lied to me +over and over again about it; but seeing that Saturday hasn't come +I don't like telling ye the story, as he may have meant to keep +his word to me this time." + +"Here are the five shillings which he borrowed of you; as to the +other money, you will never get it, and I hope it will be a lesson +to you; and mind, if I find that you ever allow the boys to run an +account with you further than the following Saturday after it is +incurred, you will never come into my field or playground again." + +Mr. Porson then went to the chief constable's, and after a short +conversation with him a constable was told off to accompany him. +He and the master took their station at a short distance from the +shop of the man White and waited quietly. A little after nine a +figure was seen coming down the street from the other end. He passed +quickly into the shop. + +"That is the boy," Mr. Porson said. + +"Wouldn't it be better, sir," the constable asked, "to wait till the +deed is completed, then we can lay our hands on White as a receiver?" + +"No," Mr. Porson replied, "for in that case the boy would have +to appear with him in the dock, and that I wish of all things to +avoid." + +So saying he walked quickly on and entered the shop. + +Mather was leaning across the counter while the man was examining +the pencil case by the light of the candle. + +"Five shillings," the man said, "and no more. I was nearly getting +into trouble over that last job of yours." + +"But it's worth a great deal more than that," Mather said. "You +might give me ten." + +"Well, take it back then," the man said, pushing it across the +counter. + +"Thank you, I will take it myself," Mr. Porson said quietly, as he +advanced and stretched out his hand. + +Mather turned round with a sudden cry, and then stood the picture +of silent terror. + +"As for you," the master said indignantly to the dealer, "you +scoundrel, if you had your deserts I would hand you over to the +constable, who is outside the door, as a receiver of stolen goods, +and for inciting this boy to theft. I heard you offer him a sum +of money for it which shows that you knew it was stolen; but your +time will come, sir, and you will hang over the gate of York prison +as many a poor wretch far less guilty than yourself has done;" +for in those days death was the punishment of receivers of stolen +goods, as well as of these convicted of highway robbery and burglary. + +"Have mercy, sir, oh, spare me!" Mather exclaimed, falling on his +knees. "Don't give me in charge." + +"I am not going to do so," the master said. "Get up and come with +me." + +Not a word was spoken on the way back to the school. + +Mr. Porson then took Mather into his study, where they remained +for half an hour. What passed between them was never known. In the +morning the boys who slept in the room with Mather were surprised +to find that his bed was empty and the window open. He had gone +to bed at half past eight as usual, and saying he was sleepy had +threatened to punch the head of any boy who spoke, so that all had +gone off to sleep in a very short time. A stout ivy grew against +the wall, and some fallen leaves on the ground showed them that he +had climbed down with the assistance of its stem. But why he should +have gone, and what on earth possessed him to run away, none could +imagine. The news ran rapidly through the other bedrooms, and brimful +of excitement all went down when the bell rang for prayers before +breakfast. The list of names was called out by the master as usual, +and the excitement grew breathless as the roll of the third class +was called; but to the astonishment of all, Mather's name was +omitted. When the list was concluded Mr. Porson said: + +"Mather has left; I grieve to say that I have discovered that it +was he who stole the book and pencil case. He has confessed the +whole to me, and he is, I trust, sincerely penitent. He slept last +night on the sofa in my study, and has gone off this morning by the +coach. I have written to his parents stating the whole circumstances +under which he was driven to commit the theft, and that although +I could not permit him to remain here, I trusted and believed that +his repentance was sincere, and that it would be a lesson to him +through life, and I urged them to give him a further trial, and +not to drive him to desperation by severity. + +"There is a lesson which you may all learn from this. Mather +committed these crimes because he had borrowed money which he could +not repay. Most foolishly and mistakenly the woman who supplies +you with cakes had lent him money and when he could not repay it +according to his promise to her, threatened to report the case to +me, and it was to prevent the matter coming to my ears that he took +these things. Let this be a warning to you, boys, through life. +Never borrow money, never spend more than your means afford. An +extravagance may seem to you but a small fault, but you see crime +and disgrace may follow upon it. Think this well over, and be +lenient in your hearts to your late schoolfellow. He was tempted, +you see, and none of us can tell what he may do when temptation +comes, unless we have God's help to enable us to withstand it, and +to do what is right. Now let us fall to at our breakfast." + +It was a strangely silent meal. Scarce a word was spoken, even in +a whisper. It came as a shock to everybody there, that after all the +dictionary should have been taken by one of their number, and that +the master's kindness on that occasion should have been requited +by another robbery seemed a disgrace to the whole school. That +Mather, too, always loud, noisy, and overbearing, should have been +the thief was surprising indeed. Had it been some quiet little +boy, the sort of boy others are given to regard as a sneak, there +would have been less surprise, but that Mather should do such +a thing was astounding. These were probably the first reflections +which occurred to every boy as he sat down to breakfast. + +The next impression was how good Mr. Porson had been about it. He +might have given Mother in charge, and had him punished by law. +He might have given him a terrific flogging and a public expulsion +before all the school. Instead of that he had sent him quietly +away, and seemed sorry for rather than angry with him. By the time +the meal was finished there was probably not a boy but had taken +an inward resolution that there was nothing he would not do for his +master, and although such resolutions are generally but transient, +Mr. Porson found that the good effect of his treatment of Mather +was considerable and permanent. Lessons were more carefully learned, +obedience was not perhaps more prompt, but it was more willing, +and the boys lost no opportunity of showing how anxious they were +to please in every respect. + +Ned and his brother were not present when Mr. Porson explained the +cause of Mather's absence to the others, but they were surrounded +by their schoolfellows, all eager to tell the news upon their +arrival in the playground a few minutes before the school began. + +Before breaking up in June, Porson's played their first cricket match +with a strong village team, and beat them handsomely, although, as +the boys said, it was to their master's bowling that their success +was due. Still the eleven all batted fairly, and made so long a +score that they won in one innings; and Mr. Porson promised them +that before the season ended they should have a whole holiday, and +play the Marsden eleven. + +Ned enjoyed his holiday rambles, taking several long walks across +the moors accompanied by Bill Swinton, who had now perfectly +recovered. The discontent among the croppers, and indeed among the +workers in the mills generally through the country was as great as +ever; but the season was a good one; bread had fallen somewhat in +price, and the pinch was a little less severe than it had been. The +majority of the masters had been intimidated by the action of their +hands from introducing the new machinery, and so far the relations +between master and men, in that part of Yorkshire at any rate, +remained unchanged. But although Ned enjoyed his rambles he was +glad when the holidays were over. He had no friends of his own age +in Marsden; his brother was too young to accompany him in his long +walks, and Bill obtained a berth in one of the mills shortly after +the holidays began, and was no longer available. Therefore Ned +looked forward to meeting his schoolfellows again, to the fun of +the cricket field and playground, and even to lessons, for these +were no longer terrible. + +The school reopened with largely increased numbers. The reports +which the boys had taken home of the changed conditions of things +and of their master's kindness excited among all their friends an +intense longing to go to a school where the state of things was so +different to that which prevailed elsewhere; and the parents were +equally satisfied with the results of the new master's teaching. +Such as took the trouble to ask their boys questions found that +they had acquired a real grasp of the subjects, and that they were +able to answer clearly and intelligently. The consequence was, the +house was filled with its full complement of fifty boarders, and +indeed Mr. Porson was obliged to refuse several applications for +want of room. As he had not the same objection as his predecessor +to receive home boarders, the numbers were swelled by eighteen boys +whose parents resided in Marsden. + +To meet the increased demands upon his teaching powers Mr. Porson +engaged two ushers, both of them young men who had just left Durham. +They were both pleasant and gentlemanly young fellows; and as Mr. +Porson insisted that his own mode of teaching should be adopted, +the change did not alter the pleasant state of things which had +prevailed during the past half year. Both the ushers were fond of +cricket, and one turned out to be at least equal to Mr. Porson as +a bowler. Therefore the boys looked forward to their match with +Marsden with some confidence. + +Captain Sankey saw with great pleasure the steady improvement which +was taking place in Ned's temper. It was not to be expected that +the boy would at once overcome a fault of such long standing, but +the outbursts were far less frequent, and it was evident that he +was putting a steady check upon himself; so that his father looked +forward to the time when he would entirely overcome the evil +consequences engendered by his unchecked and undisciplined childhood. + + + +CHAPTER VII: A TERRIBLE SHOCK + + +Ned had been looking forward with great anticipations to Michaelmas +day, upon which the great match was to take place; for he was one +of the eleven, being the youngest of the boys included in it. An +event, however, happened which deprived him of his share in the +match, and caused the day to pass almost unnoticed. On the 20th of +September the servant came in to Mr. Porson during morning school +to say that he was wanted. A minute or two later she again re-entered +and said that Ned and his brother were to go to the master's study. +Much surprised at this summons they followed her. Mr. Porson was +looking exceedingly grave. + +"My dear boys," he said, "I have bad news for you. Very bad news. +You must bear it bravely, looking for support and consolation to +Him who alone can give it. Dr. Green's boy has just been here. He +was sent down by his master to say that there has been a serious +accident in the town." + +The commencement of the master's speech and the graveness of his +tone sent a serious thrill through the hearts of the boys. Mr. +Porson would never have spoken thus had not the news been serious +indeed. + +When he paused Ned gave a little gasp and exclaimed, "My father!" + +"Yes, Ned, I am grieved to say that it is your brave father who has +suffered from the accident. It seems that as he was walking down +the High Street one of Ramsay's heavy wagons came along. A little +girl ran across the street ahead, but stumbled and fell close to +the horses. Your father, forgetful of the fact of his wooden leg, +rushed over to lift her; but the suddenness of the movement, he +being a heavy man, snapped the wooden leg in sunder, and he fell +headlong in the street. He was within reach of the child, and +he caught her by the clothes and jerked her aside; but before he +could, in his crippled condition, regain his feet, the wheel was +upon him, and he has suffered very serious injuries." + +"He is not dead, sir?" Ned gasped, while his brother began to cry +piteously. + +"No, Ned, he is not dead," Mr. Porson said; "but I fear, my dear +boy, that it would be cruel kindness did I not tell you to prepare +yourself for the worst. I fear from what I hear that he is fatally +injured, and that there is but little hope. Get your hats, my boys, +and I will walk home with you at once." + +There were but few words exchanged during that dismal walk, and +these were addressed by Mr. Porson to Ned. + +"Try to calm yourself, my boy," he said, putting his hand on his +shoulder, which was shaking with the boy's efforts to keep down +his convulsive sobs; "try and nerve yourselves for the sake of your +father himself, of your mother, and the little ones. The greatest +kindness you can show to your father new is by being calm and +composed." + +"I will try, sir," Ned said as steadily as he could; "but you don't +know how I loved him!" + +"I can guess it, my boy; for I, too, lost my father when I was just +your age. God's ways are not our ways, Ned; and be sure, although +you may not see it now, that he acts for the best." + +A little crowd stood gathered near the door. They were talking +in low tones of the gallant way in which the crippled officer had +sacrificed himself to save the child. They made way silently for +the boys to pass. Ned opened the door and entered. + +Abijah was in the hall. She was tearless, but her face was white +and set. + +"My poor boy," she said to Ned, "he is in the parlor; he has just +been asking for you. I am glad you have come. Your mother is in +hysterics in her bedroom, and is going on like a mad woman. You +must be calm, dear, for your father's sake." + +Ned gave a little nod, and, taking his brother's hand, opened the +door of the parlor. + +Captain Sankey was lying on the hearth rug, his head propped up with +pillows from the sofa; his face was an ashen pallor, and his eyes +were closed. The doctor was kneeling beside him, pouring some liquid +from a glass between his lips. A strong friendship had sprung up +between the two men, and tears were running fast down the doctor's +cheeks. He motioned to the boys to approach. They fell on their +knees by their father's side. + +"Sankey," the doctor said in a steady voice, "here are your boys, +Ned and Charlie." + +The eyes of the dying man opened slowly, and he looked at his sons, +and Ned felt a slight pressure of the hand which he had taken in +his own. + +"God bless you, my boys!" he said, in a faint whisper. "Ned, be +kind to your mother; care for her always. She will need all your +kindness." + +"I will, father," the boy said steadily. "I will take care of +mother, I promise you." + +A faint smile passed over the pale face; then the eyes closed +again, and there was silence for five minutes, broken only by the +sobbing of the younger boy. The doctor, who had his fingers on the +pulse of Captain Sankey, leaned closely over him; then he laid his +arm gently down, and putting his hand on Ned's shoulder said softly: + +"Come, my boy, your father is out of pain now." + +Ned gave one loud and bitter cry, and threw himself down by the +side of the corpse, and gave way to his pent up emotion. + +The doctor led the younger boy from the room, and gave him into +the care of Abijah. Then he returned and stood for awhile watching +Ned's terrible outburst of grief; then he poured some wine into a +glass. + +"My boy," he said tenderly, "you must not give way like this or +you will make yourself ill. Drink this, Ned, and then go up and +lie down on your bed until you feel better. Remember you must be +strong for the sake of the others. You know you will have to bear +your mother's burdens as well as your own." + +He helped Ned to his feet and held the glass to his lips, for the +boy's hand was shaking so that he could not have held it. After +drinking it Ned stumbled upstairs and threw himself on the bed, +and there cried silently for a long time; but the first passion of +grief had passed, and he now struggled with his tears, and in an +hour rose, bathed his flushed and swollen face, and went downstairs. + +"Abijah," he said, in a voice which he struggled in vain to steady, +"what is there for me to do? How is my mother?" + +"She has just cried herself off to sleep, Master Ned, and a mercy +it is for her, poor lady, for she has been going on dreadful ever +since he was brought in here; but if you go in to Master Charlie and +Miss Lucy and try and comfort them it would be a blessing. I have +not been able to leave your mother till now, and the poor little +things are broken hearted. I feel dazed myself, sir. Think of the +captain, who went out so strong and well this morning, speaking so +kind and bright just as usual, lying there!" and here Abijah broke +down and for the first time since Captain Sankey was carried into +the house tears came to her relief, and throwing her arms round +Ned's neck she wept passionately. + +Ned's own tears flowed too fast for him to speak for some time. +At last he said quietly, "Don't cry so, Abijah. It is the death of +all others that was fitted for him, he, so brave and unselfish, to +die giving his life to save a child. You told me to be brave; it +is you who must be brave, for you know that you must be our chief +dependence now." + +"I know, Master Ned; I know, sir," the woman said, choking down her +sobs, and wiping her eyes with her apron, "and I will do my best, +never fear. I feel better now I have had a good cry. Somehow I +wasn't able to cry before. Now, sir, do you go to the children and +I will look after things." + +A fortnight passed. Captain Sankey had been laid in his grave, +after such a funeral as had never been seen in Marsden, the mills +being closed for the day, and all the shutters up throughout +the little town, the greater part of the population attending the +funeral as a mark of respect to the man who, after fighting the +battles of his country, had now given his life for that of a child. +The great cricket match did not come off, it being agreed on all +hands that it had better be postponed. Mr. Porson had called twice +to see Ned, and had done much by his comforting words to enable +him to bear up. He came again the day after the funeral. + +"Ned," he said, "I think that you and Charlie had better come to +school again on Monday. The sooner you fall into your regular groove +the better. It would only do you both harm to mope about the house +here; and although the laughter and noise of your schoolfellows +will jar upon you for awhile, it is better to overcome the feeling +at once; and I am sure that you will best carry out what would have +been his wishes by setting to your work again instead of wasting +your time in listless grieving." + +"I think so too, sir," Ned said, "but it will be awfully hard at +first, and so terrible to come home and have no one to question +one on the day's work, and to take an interest in what we have been +doing." + +"Very hard, Ned; I thoroughly agree with you, but it has to be borne, +and remember there is One who will take interest in your work. If +I were you I should take your brother out for walks this week. Get +up into the hills with him, and try and get the color back into his +cheeks again. He is not so strong as you are, and the confinement +is telling upon him--the fresh air will do you good, too." + +Ned promised to take his master's advice, and the next morning +started after breakfast with Charlie. His mother had not yet risen, +and indeed had not been downstairs since the day of the accident, +protesting that she was altogether unequal to any exertion whatever. +Ned had sat with her for many hours each day, but he had indeed +found it hard work. Sometimes she wept, her tears being mingled with +self reproaches that she had not been able to do more to brighten +her husband's life. Sometimes she would break off and reproach +the boy bitterly for what she called his want of feeling. At other +times her thoughts seemed directed solely toward the fashion of +her mourning garments, and after the funeral she drove Ned almost +to madness by wanting to knew all the details of who was there and +what was done, and was most indignant with him because he was able +to tell her nothing, the whole scene having been as a mist to him, +absorbed as he was in the thought of his father alone. + +But Ned had never showed the least sign of impatience or hastiness, +meeting tears, reproaches, and inquiries with the same stoical +calmness and gentleness. Still it was with a sigh of relief that +he took a long breath of fresh air as he left the house and started +for a ramble on the moor with his brother. He would have avoided +Varley, for he shrank even from the sympathy which Bill Swinton +would give; but Bill would be away, so as it was the shortest way +he took that road. As he passed Luke Marner's cottage the door +opened and Mary came down to the gate. One of the little ones had +seen Ned coming along the road and had run off to tell her. Little +Jane Marner trotted along by Polly's side. + +"Good morning, Polly!" Ned said, and walked on. He dreaded speech +with any one. Polly saw his intention and hesitated; then she said: + +"Good morning, Master Ned! One moment, please, sir." + +Ned paused irresolutely. + +"Please don't say anything," he began. + +"No, sir, I am not a-going to--at least--" and then she hesitated, +and lifted up the child, who was about four years old, a soft eyed, +brown haired little maiden. + +"It's little Jenny," she said; "you know sir, you know;" and she +looked meaningly at the child as the tears stood in her eyes. + +Ned understood at once. + +"What!" he said; "was it her? I did not know; I had not heard." + +"Yes, sir; she and all of us owe her life to him. Feyther wanted +to come down to you, but I said better not yet awhile, you would +understand." + +"How did it happen?" Ned said, feeling that here at least his wound +would be touched with no rough hand. + +"She went down to the town with Jarge, who was going to fetch some +things I wanted. He left her looking in at a shop window while he +went inside. They were some time serving him as there were other +people in the shop. Jenny got tired, as she says, of waiting, and +seeing some pictures in a window on the other side of the street +started to run across, and her foot slipped, and--and--" + +"I know," Ned said. "I am glad you have told me, Polly. I am glad +it was some one one knows something about. Don't say anything more +now, I cannot bear it." + +"I understand, sir," the girl said gently. "God bless you!" + +Ned nodded. He could not trust himself to speak, and turning he +passed on with Charlie through the village, while Mary Powlett, +with the child still in her arms, stood looking sorrowfully after +him as long as he was in sight. + +"So thou'st seen the boy?" Luke said, when on his return from work +Polly told him what had happened. "Thou told's him, oi hope, how +we all felt about it, and how grateful we was?" + +"I didn't say much, feyther, he could not bear it; just a word or +two; if I had said more he would have broken out crying, and so +should I." + +"Thou hast cried enoo, lass, the last ten days. Thou hast done +nowt but cry," Luke said kindly, "and oi felt sore inclined to join +thee. Oi ha' had hard work to keep back the tears, old though oi +be, and oi a cropper." + +"You are just as soft hearted as I am, feyther, every bit, so don't +pretend you are not;" and indeed upon the previous day Luke Marner +had broken down even more completely than Mary. He had followed +the funeral at a short distance, keeping with Mary aloof from the +crowd; but when all was over, and the churchyard was left in quiet +again, Luke had gone and stood by the still open grave of the man +who had given his life for his child's, and had stood there with +the tears streaming down his cheeks, and his strong frame so shaken +by emotion that Polly had been forced to dry her own eyes and stifle +her sobs, and to lead him quietly away. + +"Strange, bain't it, lass; feyther and son seem mixed up with +Varley. First the lad has a foight wi' Bill Swinton, and braakes +the boy's leg; then t' feyther sends oop all sorts o' things to +Bill, and his son comes up here and gets as friendly with Bill as +if he were his brother, and gets to know you, and many another in +the village. Then our Jane goes down into t' town and would ha' +lost her life if captain he hadn't been passing by and saaved her. +Then he gets killed. Just gived his life for hearn. Looks like a +fate aboot it; may be it eel be our toorn next, and if ever that +lad waants a man to stand beside him Luke Marner will be there. And +there's Bill too--oi believe that boy would lay down his life for +him. He's very fond of our Janey--fonder nor her own brothers. He +ain't got no sister of his own, and he's took to t' child wonderful +since he got ill. He thowt a soight o' Ned Sankey afore; I doan't +know what he wouldn't do for him now." + +"I don't suppose, feyther, as any of us will be able to do anything +for him; but we may do, who knows?" + +"Ay, who knows, lass? toimes is main bad, and oi doot there will +be trouble, but oi doan't see as that can affect him no ways, being +as he is a lad, and having nowt to do with the mills--but oi do +hoape as the time may come, lass, as we can show un as we knows we +owes a loife to him." + +On the Monday following Ned and Charlie returned to school, and +found it less painful than Ned had expected. Mr. Porson had taken +Ripon aside and had told that the kindest way to treat the boys +would be to avoid all allusion to their loss or anything like a +show of open sympathy, but to let them settle quietly into their +places. + +"Sankey will know you all feel for him, Ripon, he will need no +telling of that." + +Ripon passed the word round the school, and accordingly when the +boys came into the playground, two or three minutes before the bell +rang, Ned, to his great relief, found that with the exception of +a warm silent wring of the hand from a few of those with whom he +was most intimate, and a kindly nod from others, no allusion was +made to his fortnight's absence or its cause. + +For the next month he worked hard and made up the time he had lost, +running straight home when he came out from school, and returning +just in time to go in with the others; but gradually he fell into +his former ways, and by the time the school broke up at Christmas +was able to mix with the boys and take part in their games. At +home he did his best to make things bright, but it was uphill work. +Mrs. Sankey was fretful and complaining. Their income was reduced +by the loss of Captain Sankey's half pay, and they had now only the +interest of the fortune of four thousand pounds which Mrs. Sankey +had brought to her husband on her marriage. This sum had been settled +upon her, and was entirely under her own control. The income was +but a small one, but it was sufficient for the family to live upon +with care and prudence. + +Captain Sankey had made many friends since the time when he first +settled at Marsden, and all vied with each other in their kindness +to his widow. Presents of game were constantly left for her; baskets +of chickens, eggs, and fresh vegetables were sent down by Squire +Simmonds and other county magnates, and their carriages often stopped +at the door to make inquiries. Many people who had not hitherto +called now did so, and all Marsden seemed anxious to testify its +sympathy with the widow of the brave officer. + +Ned was touched with these evidences of respect for his father's +memory. Mrs. Sankey was pleased for herself, and she would of an +evening inform Ned with much gratification of the visits she had +received. + +Ned was glad that anything should occur which could rouse his mother, +and divert her from her own grievances; but the tone in which she +spoke often jarred painfully upon him, and he wondered how his +mother could find it in her heart to receive these people and to +talk over his father's death. + +But Mrs. Sankey liked it. She was conscious she looked well in +her deep mourning, and that even the somber cap was not unbecoming +with her golden hair peeping out beneath it. Tears were always at +her command, and she had ever a few ready to drop upon her dainty +embroidered handkerchief when the occasion commanded it; and her +visitors, when they agreed among themselves, what a soft gentle +woman that poor Mrs. Sankey was, but sadly delicate you know--had +no idea of the querulous complaining and fretfulness whose display +was reserved for her own family only. + +To this Ned was so accustomed that it passed ever his head almost +unheeded; not so her constant allusions to his father. Wholly +unconscious of the agony which it inflicted upon the boy, Mrs. +Sankey was incessantly quoting his opinions or utterances. + +"Ned, I do wish you would not fidget with your feet. You know your +dear father often told you of it;" or, "As your dear father used +to say, Ned;" until the boy in despair would throw down his book +and rush out of the room to calm himself by a run in the frosty +night air; while Mrs. Sankey would murmur to herself, "That boy's +temper gets worse and worse, and with my poor nerves how am I to +control him?" + +Mr. Porson was very kind to him in those days. During that summer +holiday he had very frequently spent the evening at Captain Sankey's, +and had formed a pretty correct idea of the character of Ned's +mother. Thus when he saw that Ned, when he entered the school after +breakfast or dinner, had an anxious hunted look, and was clearly +in a state of high tension, he guessed he was having a bad time of +it at home. + +Charlie had fast got over the shock of his father's death; children +quickly recover from a blow, and, though delicate, Charlie was of +a bright and gentle disposition, ready to be pleased at all times, +and not easily upset. + +One morning when Ned came in from school looking pale and white, +gave random answers to questions, and even, to the astonishment +of the class, answered Mr. Porson himself snappishly, the master, +when school was over and the boys were leaving their places, said: + +"Sankey, I want to have a few words with you in the study." + +Ned followed his master with an air of indifference. He supposed +that he was going to be lectured for the way he had spoken, but as +he said to himself, "What did it matter! what did anything matter!" + +Mr. Porson did not sit down on entering the room, but when Ned had +closed the door after him took a step forward and laid his hand on +his shoulder. + +"My boy," he said, "what is it that is wrong with you? I fear that +you have trouble at home." + +Ned stood silent, but the tears welled up into his eyes. + +"It can't be helped, sir," he said in a choking voice, and then with +an attempt at gayety: "it will be all the same fifty years hence, +I suppose." + +"That is a poor consolation, Ned," Mr. Porson rejoined. "Fifty +years is a long time to look forward to. Can't we do anything before +that?" + +Ned was silent. + +"I do not want you to tell me, Ned, anything that happens at home +--God forbid that I should pry into matters so sacred as relations +between a boy and a parent!--but I can see, my boy, that something +is wrong. You are not yourself. At first when you came back I +thought all was well with you; you were, as was natural, sad and +depressed, but I should not wish it otherwise. But of late a change +has come ever you; you are nervous and excited; you have gone down +in your class, not, I can see, because you have neglected your +work, but because you cannot bring your mind to bear upon it. Now +all this must have a cause. Perhaps a little advice on my part +might help you. We shall break up in a week, Ned, and I shall be +going away for a time. I should like to think before I went that +things were going on better with you." + +"I don't want to say anything against my mother," Ned said in a +low voice. "She means kindly, sir; but, oh! it is so hard to bear. +She is always talking about father, not as you would talk, sir, +but just as if he were alive and might come in at any moment, and +it seems sometimes as if it would drive me out of my mind." + +"No doubt it is trying, my boy," Mr. Porson said; "but you see natures +differ, and we must all bear with each other and make allowances. +Your mother's nature, as far as I have seen of her, is not a deep +one. She was very fond of your father, and she is fond of you; but +you know, just as still waters run deep, shallow waters are full +of ripples, and eddies, and currents. She has no idea that what +seems natural and right to her should jar upon you. You upon your +part can scarcely make sufficient allowance for her different +treatment of a subject which is to you sacred. I know how you miss +your father, but your mother must miss him still more. No man ever +more lovingly and patiently tended a woman than he did her so far +as lay in his power. She had not a wish ungratified. You have in +your work an employment which occupies your thoughts and prevents +them from turning constantly to one subject; she has nothing whatever +to take her thoughts from the past. It is better for her to speak +of him often than to brood over him in silence. Your tribute to +your father's memory is deep and silent sorrow, hers is frequent +allusions. Doubtless her way jars upon you; but, Ned, you are +younger than she, and it is easier for you to change. Why not try +and accept her method as being a part of her, and try, instead of +wincing every time that she touches the sore, to accustom yourself +to it. It may be hard at first, but it will be far easier in the +end." + +Ned stood silent for a minute or two; then he said: + +"I will try, sir. My father's last words to me were to be kind to +mother, and I have tried hard, and I will go on trying." + +"That is right, my boy; and ask God to help you. We all have our +trials in this life, and this at present is yours; pray God to give +you strength to bear it." + + + +CHAPTER VIII: NED IS SORELY TRIED + + +Among the many who called upon Mrs. Sankey after the death of her +husband was Mr. Mulready, the owner of a mill near Marsden. He was +one of the leading men in the place, although his mill was by no +means a large one. He took rank in the eyes of the little town with +men in a much larger way of business by means of a pushing manner +and a fluent tongue. He had come to be considered an authority upon +most subjects. He paid much attention to his dress, and drove the +fastest horse and the best got up gig in that part of the country; +but it was Mr. Mulready's manner which above all had raised him to +his present position in the esteem of the good people of Marsden. He +had the knack of adapting himself to the vein of those he addressed. + +With the farmers who came into market he was bluff and cordial; with +the people in general he was genial and good tempered. At meetings +at which the county gentry were present he was quiet, businesslike, +and a trifle deferential, showing that he recognized the difference +between his position and theirs. + +With ladies he was gay when they were gay, sympathetic when sympathy +was expected. With them he was even more popular than with the +men, for the latter, although they admired and somewhat envied his +varied acquirements, were apt in the intimacy of private conversation +to speak of him as a humbug. + +There was one exception, however, to his general popularity. There +was no mill owner in the neighborhood more heartily detested by his +workpeople; but as these did not mingle with the genteel classes of +Marsden their opinion of Mr. Mulready went for nothing. The mill +owner was a man of forty-three or forty-four, although when dressed +in his tightly fitting brown coat with its short waist, its brass +buttons, and high collar, and with a low hat with narrow brim worn +well forward and coming down almost to the bridge of his nose, he +looked seven or eight years younger. + +His hair was light, his trimly cut muttonchop whiskers were sandy, +he had a bright, fresh complexion, a large mouth, and good teeth, +which he always showed when he smiled, and in public he was always +smiling; his eyes were light in color, very close together, and had +a somewhat peculiar appearance. Indeed there were men who hinted +that he had a slight cast, but these were, no doubt, envious of +his popularity. + +Mrs. Sankey had been flattered by his visit and manner; indeed it +could hardly have been otherwise, for he had expressed a sympathy +and deference which were very soothing to her. + +"It is indeed kind of you to receive me," he had said. "I know, +of course, that it is not usual for a man who has the misfortune +to be unmarried to make a call upon a lady, but I could not help +myself. William Mulready is not a man to allow his feelings to +be sacrificed to the cold etiquette of the world. I had not the +pleasure of the acquaintance of that most brave and distinguished +officer your late husband. I had hoped that some day circumstances +might throw me in contact with him, but it was not for me, a humble +manufacturer, to force my acquaintance upon one socially my superior; +but, my dear madam, when I heard of that terrible accident, of +that noble self devotion, I said to myself, 'William Mulready, when +a proper and decent time elapses you must call upon the relict of +your late noble and distinguished townsman, and assure her of your +sympathy and admiration, even if she spurns you from the door.'" + +"You could not think I should do that, Mr. Mulready," Mrs. Sankey +said. "It is most gratifying to me to receive this mark of sympathy +in my present sad position;" and she sighed deeply. + +"You are good indeed to say so," Mr. Mulready said in a tone +of deep gratitude; "but I might have been sure that my motives at +least would not be misunderstood by a high bred and delicate lady +like yourself. I will not now trespass on your time, but hope that +I may be permitted to call again. Should there be anything in which +so humble an individual could be in the slightest degree useful to +you pray command my services. I know the responsibility which you +must feel at being left in charge of those two noble boys and your +charming little daughter must be well nigh overwhelming, and if you +would not think it presumption I would say that any poor advice or +opinion which I, who call myself in some degree a man of the world, +can give, will be always at your service." + +"You are very good," Mrs. Sankey murmured. "It is indeed a +responsibility. My younger boy and girl are all that I could wish, +but the elder is already almost beyond me;" and by the shake of +her head she testified that her troubles on that score approached +martyrdom. + +"Never fear, my dear madam," Mr. Mulready said heartily. "Boys will +be boys, and I doubt not that he will grow up everything that you +could desire. I may have heard that he was a little passionate. +There was a trifling affair between him and his schoolmaster, was +there not? But these things mend themselves, and doubtless all will +come well in time; and now I have the honor of wishing you good +morning." + +"Charming manners!" Mrs. Sankey said to herself when her visitor had +left. "A little old fashioned, perhaps, but so kind and deferential. +He seemed to understand my feelings exactly." + +That evening when they were at tea Mrs. Sankey mentioned the +agreeable visitor who had called in the afternoon. + +"What! William Mulready!" Ned exclaimed; "Foxey, as his hands call +him. I have heard Bill speak of him often. His men hate him. They +say he is a regular tyrant. What impudence his coming here!" + +"Ned, I am surprised at you," his mother said angrily. "I am sure +Mr. Mulready is nothing of the sort. He is a most kind and considerate +gentleman, and I will not allow you to repeat these things you hear +from the low companions whom your father permitted you to associate +with." + +"Bill is not a low companion, mother," Ned exclaimed passionately. +"A better fellow never stood, and Foxey is not kind and considerate. +He is a brutal tyrant, and I am sure my father, if you will quote +his opinion, would not have had such a man inside his doors." + +"Leave the room, Ned, this moment," his mother exclaimed, more angry +than he had ever seen her before. "I am ashamed of you speaking to +me in that way. You would not have dared to do it had your father +been alive." + +Ned dashed down his scarcely begun bread and butter and flung himself +out of the room, and then out of the house, and it was some hours +before he returned. Then he went straight up to his mother's room. + +"I beg your pardon, mother," he said quietly. "I am very sorry I +spoke as I did. I ought not to have done so." + +"Very well," Mrs. Sankey said coldly; "then don't do it again, +Ned." + +Without another word Ned went off to his books. He was grieved and +sore at heart. He had during his walk fought a hard battle with +himself, and had conquered. As his temper cooled down he had felt +that he had broken his promise, that he had not been kind to his +mother; felt, too, that her accusation was a true one--he would +not have dared to speak so to her had his father been alive. + +"But it was so different then," he had said to himself as the tears +chased each other down his cheeks. "Father understood me, and cared +for me, and made allowances. It was worth while fighting against +one's temper just to have him put his hand on my shoulder and say, +'Well done, my boy.' Now it is so different. I will go on trying for +his sake; but I know it's no good. Do what I will, I can't please +her. It's my fault, I dare say, but I do try my best. I do, indeed, +father," he said, speaking out loud; "if you can hear me, I do, +indeed, try to be kind to mother, but she won't let me. I do try +to make allowances, that is, when I am not in a passion, and then +I go and spoil it all, like a beast, just as I did tonight. + +"Anyhow," he said to himself as he turned his face homeward again, +"I will go and tell her I am sorry, and beg her pardon. I don't +suppose she will be nice, but I can't help that. It's my duty +anyhow, and I will try and not say anything against Foxey next time +she speaks of him." + +The latter part of his resolution Ned found it very hard to +maintain, for Mr. Mulready became a not unfrequent visitor. He had +always some excuse for calling, either to bring in a basket of fresh +trout, some game, or hothouse fruit, for, as he said, he knew her +appetite was delicate and needed tempting, or some book newly issued +from the London press which he was sure she would appreciate. + +After a short time Mrs. Sankey ceased to speak of these visits, +perhaps because she saw how Ned objected to the introduction of Mr. +Mulready's name, perhaps for some other reason, and a year passed +without Ned's being seriously ruffled on the subject. + +Ned was now nearly sixteen. He had worked hard, and was the head +boy at Porson's. It had always been regarded as a fixed thing that +he should go into the army. As the son of an officer who had lost +his leg in the service it was thought that he would be able to +obtain a commission without difficulty, and Squire Simmonds, who +had been a kind friend since his father's death, had promised to +ask the lord lieutenant of the county to interest himself in the +matter, and had no doubt that the circumstances of Captain Sankey's +death would be considered as an addition to the claim of his services +in the army. + +Captain Sankey had intended that Ned should have gone to a superior +school to finish his education, but the diminished income of the +family had put this out of the question, and the subject had never +been mooted after his death. Ned, however, felt that he was making +such good progress under Mr. Porson that he was well content to +remain where he was. + +His struggle with his temper had gone on steadily, and he hoped he +had won a final victory over it. Mr. Porson had been unwearied in +his kindnesses, and often took Ned for an hour in the evening in +order to push him forward, and although he avoided talking about +his home life the boy felt that he could, in case of need, pour +out his heart to him; but, indeed, things had gone better at home. +Mrs. Sankey was just as indisposed as ever to take any share whatever +in the trouble of housekeeping, but as Abijah was perfectly capable +of keeping the house in order without her instructions things went +on smoothly and straightly in this respect. + +In other matters home life was more pleasant than it had been. Mrs. +Sankey was less given to querulous complaining, more inclined to +see things in a cheerful light, and Ned especially noticed with +satisfaction that the references to his father which had so tried +him had become much less frequent of late. + +One day in September, when his father had been dead just a year, +one of the town boys, a lad of about Ned's age, said to him as they +were walking home from school together: + +"Well, Ned, I suppose I ought to congratulate you, although I don't +know whether you will see it in that light." + +"What do you mean?" Ned said. "I don't know that anything has +happened on which I should be particularly congratulated, except +on having made the top score against the town last week." + +"Oh! I don't mean that," the boy said.. "I mean about Mulready." + +"What do you mean?" Ned said, stopping short and turning very white. + +"Why," the lad said laughing, "all the town says he is going to +marry your mother." + +Ned stood as if stupefied. Then he sprang upon his companion and +seized him by the throat. + +"It's a lie," he shouted, shaking him furiously. "It's a lie I say, +Smithers, and you know it. I will kill you if you don't say it's +a lie." + +With a great effort Smithers extricated himself from Ned's grasp. + +"Don't choke a fellow," he said. "It may be a lie if you say it is, +but it is not my lie anyhow. People have been talking about it for +some time. They say he's been down there nearly every day. Didn't +you know it?" + +"Know it?" Ned gasped. "I have not heard of his being in the house +for months, but I will soon find out the truth." + +And without another word he dashed off at full speed up the street. +Panting and breathless he rushed into the house, and tore into the +room where his mother was sitting trifling with a piece of fancy +work. + +"I do wish, Edward, you would not come into the room like a +whirlwind. You know how any sudden noise jars upon my nerves. Why, +what is the matter?" she broke off suddenly, his pale, set face +catching her eye, little accustomed as she was to pay any attention +to Ned's varying moods. + +"Mother," he panted out, "people are saying an awful thing about +you, a wicked, abominable thing. I know, of course, it is not true, +but I want just to hear you say so, so that I can go out and tell +people they lie. How dare they say such things!" + +"Why, what do you mean, Edward?" Mrs. Sankey said, almost frightened +at the boy's vehemence. + +"Why, they say that you are going to marry that horrible man Mulready. +It is monstrous, isn't it? I think they ought to be prosecuted and +punished for such a wicked thing, and father only a year in his +grave." + +Mrs. Sankey was frightened at Ned's passion. Ever since the matter +had first taken shape in her mind she had felt a certain uneasiness +as to what Ned would say of it, and had, since it was decided, +been putting off from day to day the telling of the news to him. +She had, in his absence, told herself over and over again that it +was no business of his, and that a boy had no right to as much as +question the actions of his mother; but somehow when he was present +she had always shrank from telling him. She now took refuge in her +usual defense--tears. + +"It is shameful," she said, sobbing, as she held her handkerchief +to her eyes, "that a boy should speak in this way to his mother; +it is downright wicked." + +"But I am not speaking to you, mother; I am speaking of other people +--the people who have invented this horrible lie--for it is a +lie, mother, isn't it? It is not possible it can be true?" + +"It is true," Mrs. Sankey said, gaining courage from her anger; "it +is quite true. And you are a wicked and abominable boy to talk in +that way to me. Why shouldn't I marry again? Other people marry +again, and why shouldn't I? I am sure your poor father would never +have wished me to waste my life by remaining single, with nothing +to do but to look after you children. And it is shameful of you to +speak in that way of Mr. Mulready." + +Ned stopped to hear no more. At her first words he had given a low, +gasping cry, as one who has received a terrible wound. The blood +flew to his head, the room swam round, and he seemed to feel the +veins in his temples swell almost to bursting. The subsequent words +of his mother fell unheeded on his ears, and turning round he went +slowly to the door, groping his way as one half asleep or stupefied +by a blow. + +Mechanically he opened the door and went out into the street; his +cap was still on his head, but he neither thought of it one way or +the other. + +Almost without knowing it he turned from the town and walked toward +the hills. Had any one met him by the way they would assuredly have +thought that the boy had been drinking, so strangely and unevenly +did he walk. His face was flushed almost purple, his eyes were +bloodshot; he swayed to and fro as he walked, sometimes pausing +altogether, sometimes hurrying along for a few steps. Passing a +field where the gate stood open he turned into it, kept on his way +for some twenty yards further, and then fell at full length on the +grass. There he lay unconscious for some hours, and it was not until +the evening dews were falling heavily that he sat up and looked +round. + +For some time he neither knew where he was nor what had brought him +there. At last the remembrance of what had passed flashed across +him, and with a cry of "Father! father!" he threw himself at full +length again with his head on his arm; but this time tears came +to his relief, and for a long time he cried with a bitterness of +grief even greater than that which he had suffered at his father's +death. + +The stars were shining brightly when he rose to his feet, his +clothes were soaked with dew, and he trembled with cold and weakness. + +"What am I to do?" he said to himself; "what am I to do?" + +He made his way back to the gate and leaned against it for some +time; then, having at last made up his mind, he turned his back on +the town and walked toward Varley, moving more slowly and wearily +than if he was at the end of a long and fatiguing day's walk. Slowly +he climbed the hill and made his way through the village till he +reached the Swintons' cottage. He tapped at the door with his hand, +and lifting the latch he opened the door a few inches. + +"Bill, are you in?" + +There was an exclamation of surprise. + +"Why, surely, it's Maister Ned!" and Bill came to the door. + +"Come out, Bill, I want to speak to you." + +Much surprised at the low and subdued tone in which Ned spoke, +Bill snatched down his cap from the peg by the door and joined him +outside. + +"What be't, Maister Ned? what be t' matter with thee? Has owt gone +wrong?" + +Ned walked on without speaking. In his yearning for sympathy, in +his intense desire to impart the miserable news to some one who +would feel for him, he had come to his friend Bill. He had thought +first of going to Mr. Porson. But though his master would sympathize +with him he would not be able to feel as he did; he would no doubt +be shocked at hearing that his mother was so soon going to marry +again, but he would not be able to understand the special dislike +to Mr. Mulready, still less likely to encourage his passionate +resentment. Bill would, he knew, do both, for it was from him he +had learned how hated the mill owner was among his people. + +But at present he could not speak. He gave a short wave of his hand +to show that he heard, but could not answer yet, and with his head +bent down made his way out through the end of the village on to +the moor--Bill following him, wondering and sympathetic, unable +to conjecture what had happened. + +Presently, when they had left the houses far behind them, Ned +stopped. + +"What be't, Maister Ned?" Bill again asked, laying his strong hand +upon Ned's shoulder; "tell oi what it be. Hast got in another row +with t' maister? If there be owt as oi can do, thou knowest well +as Bill Swinton be with thee heart and soul." + +"I know, Bill--I know," Ned said in a broken voice, "but you can +do nothing; I can do nothing; no one can. But it's dreadful to think +of. It's worse than if I had killed twenty masters. Only think-- +only think, Bill, my mother's going to marry Mulready!" + +"Thou doesn't say so, lad! What! thy mother marry Foxey! Oi never +heer'd o' such a thing. Well, that be bad news, surely! Well, well, +only to think, now! Poor lad! Well, that beats all!" + +The calamity appeared so great to Bill that for some time no idea +occurred to him which could, under the circumstances, be considered +as consolatory. But Ned felt the sympathy conveyed in the strong +grasp of his shoulder, and in the muttered "Well, well, now!" to +which Bill gave vent at intervals. + +"What bee'st going to do vor to stop it?" he asked at last. + +"What can I do, Bill? She won't listen to me--she never does. +Anything I say always makes her go the other way. She wouldn't +believe anything I said against him. It would only make her stick +to him all the more. + +"Dost think," Bill suggested after another long pause, "that if we +got up a sort of depitation--Luke Marner and four or five other +steady chaps as knows him; yes, and Polly Powlett, she could do +the talking--to go to her and tell her what a thundering dad un +he is--dost think it would do any good?" + +Even in his bitter grief Ned could hardly help smiling at the +thought of such a deputation waiting upon his mother. + +"No, it wouldn't do, Bill." + +Bill was silent again for some time. + +"Dost want un killed, Maister Ned?" he said in a low voice at last; +"'cause if ye do oi would do it for ye. Oi would lay down my life +for ye willing, as thou knowst; and hanging ain't much, arter all. +They say 'tis soon over. Anyhow oi would chance it, and perhaps +they wouldn't find me out." + +Ned grasped his friend's hand. + +"I could kill him myself!" he exclaimed passionately. "I have been +thinking of it; but what would be the good? I know what my mother +is--when once she has made up her mind there's no turning her; +and if this fellow were out of the way, likely enough she would +take up with another in no time." + +"But it couldn't been as bad as if wur Foxey," Bill urged, "he be +the very worsest lot about Marsden." + +"I would do it," Ned said passionately; "I would do it over and over +again, but for the disgrace it would bring on Charlie and Lucy." + +"But there would be no disgrace if oi was to do it, Maister Ned." + +"Yes, there would, Bill--a worse disgrace than if I did it myself. +It would be a nice thing to let you get hanged for my affairs; but +let him look out--let him try to ill treat Charlie and Lucy, and +he will see if I don't get even with him. I am not so much afraid +of that--it's the shame of the thing. Only to think that all +Marsden should know my mother is going to be married again within +a year of my father's death, and that after being his wife she +was going to take such a man as this! It's awful, downright awful, +Bill!" + +"Then what art thou going to do, Maister Ned--run away and 'list +for a soldier, or go to sea?" + +"I wish I could," Ned exclaimed. "I would turn my back on Marsden and +never come back again, were it not for the little ones. Besides," +he added after a pause, "father's last words were, 'Be kind to +mother;' and she will want it more than he ever dreamed of." + +"She will that," Bill agreed; "leastways unless oi be mistaken. +And what be'st going to do now, lad? Be'st agoing whoam?" + +"No, I won't go home tonight," Ned replied. "I must think it over +quietly, and it would be worse to bear there than anywhere else. +No, I shall just walk about." + +"Thou canst not walk abowt all night, Maister Ned," Bill said +positively; "it bain't to be thowt of. If thou don't mind thou +canst have moi bed and oi can sleep on t' floor." + +"No, I couldn't do that," Ned said, "though I do feel awfully +tired and done up; but your brothers would be asking me questions +and wondering why I didn't go home. I could not stand that." + +"No, Maister Ned, oi can see that wouldn't do; but if we walk +about for an hour or two, or--no, I know of a better plan. We can +get in at t' window of the school; it bain't never fastened, and +bain't been for years, seeing as thar bain't been neither school +nor schoolers since auld Mother Brown died. Oi will make a shift +to light a fire there. There be shutters, so no one will see the +light. Then oi will bring ee up some blankets from our house, and +if there bain't enough Polly will lend me some when oi tell her +who they are for. She bain't a one to blab. What dost thou say?" + +Ned, who felt utterly worn out, assented gladly to the proposal, and +an entrance was easily effected into the desolate cottage formerly +used as a day school. Bill went off at once and soon returned with +a load of firewood; the shutters were then carefully closed, and +a fire quickly blazed brightly on the hearth. Bill then went away +again, and in a quarter of an hour returned with Mary Powlett. He +carried a bundle of rugs and blankets, while she had a kettle in +one hand and a large basket in the other. + +"Good evening! Master Sankey," she said as she entered. "Bill has +told me all about it, and I am sorry indeed for you and for your +mother. It is worse for her, poor lady, than for you. You will soon +be old enough to go out into the world if you don't like things +at home; but she will have to bear what trouble comes to her. And +now I thought you would like a cup of tea, so I have brought the +kettle and things up. I haven't had tea yet, and they don't have +tea at Bill's; but I like it, though feyther grumbles sometimes, +and says it's too expensive for the likes of us in sich times as +these; but he knows I would rather go without meat than without +tea, so he lets me have it. Bill comes in for a cup sometimes, for +he likes it better than beer, and it's a deal better for him to be +sitting taking a cup of tea with me than getting into the way of +going down to the 'Spotted Dog,' and drinking beer there. So we +will all have a cup together. No one will disturb us. Feyther is +down at the 'Brown Cow,' and when I told the children I had to go +out on special business they all promised to be good, and Jarge +said he would see them all safely into bed. I told him I should be +back in an hour." + +While Polly was speaking she was bustling about the room, putting +things straight; with a wisp of heather she swept up the dust which +had accumulated on the floor, in a semicircle in front of the fire, +and laid down the rugs and blankets to form seats. Three cups and +saucers, a little jag of milk, a teapot, and basin of sugar were +placed in the center, and a pile of slices of bread and butter +beside them, while from a paper bag she produced a cake which she +had bought at the village shop on her way up. + +Ned watched her preparations listlessly. + +"You are very good, Polly," he said, "and I shall be very glad of +the cup of tea, but I cannot eat anything." + +"Never mind," she said cheerfully. "Bill and I can do the eating, +and perhaps after you have had a cup of tea you will be able to, +for Bill tells me you have had nothing to eat since breakfast." + +Ned felt cheered by the warm blaze of the fire and by the cheerful +sound of the kettle, and after taking a cup of tea found that +his appetite was coming, and was soon able to eat his share. Mary +Powlett kept up a cheerful talk while the meal was going on, and +no allusion was made to the circumstances which had brought Ned +there. After it was done she sat and chatted for an hour. Then she +said: + +"I must be off now, and I think, Bill, you'd best be going soon +too, and let Maister Ned have a good night of it. I will make him +up his bed on the rugs; and I will warrant, after all the trouble +he has gone through, he will sleep like a top." + + + +CHAPTER IX: A PAINFUL TIME + + +When Ned was left alone he rolled himself up in the blankets, placed +a pillow which Polly had brought him under his head, and lay and +looked at the fire; but it was not until the flames had died down, +and the last red glow had faded into blackness that he fell off to +sleep. + +His thoughts were bitter in the extreme. He pictured to himself +the change which would take place in his home life with Mulready +the manufacturer, the tyrant of the workmen, ruling over it. For +himself he doubted not that he would be able to hold his own. + +"He had better not try on his games with me," he muttered savagely. +"Though I am only sixteen he won't find it easy to bully me; but +of course Charlie and Lucy can't defend themselves. However, I will +take care of them. Just let him be unkind to them, and see what +comes of it! As to mother, she must take what she gets, at least +she deserves to. Only to think of it! only to think of it! Oh, how +bitterly she will come to repent! How could she do it! + +"And with father only dead a year! But I must stand by her, too. +I promised father to be kind to her, though he could never have +guessed how she would need it. He meant that I would only put up, +without losing my temper, with her way of always pretending to be +ill, and never doing anything but lie on the sofa and read poetry. +Still, of course, it meant I was to be kind anyhow, whatever +happened, and I will try to be so, though it is hard when she has +brought such trouble upon us all. + +"As for Mulready I should like to burn his mill down, or to break +his neck. I hate him: it's bad enough to be a tyrant; but to be +a tyrant and a hypocrite, too, is horrible. Well, at any rate he +shan't lord it over me;" and so at last Ned dropped off to sleep. + +He was still soundly asleep when Bill Swinton came in to wake +him. It was half past six, a dull October morning, with a dreary +drizzling rain. Bill brought with him a mug of hot tea and some +thick slices of bread and butter. Ned got up and shook himself. + +"What o'clock is it, Bill?" + +"Half past six--the chaps went off to t' mill an hour gone; oi've +kept some tea hot for ee." + +"Thank you, Bill, my head aches, and so do all my bones, and I feel +as if I hadn't been asleep all night, although, indeed, I must have +slept quite as long as usual. Can't I have a wash?" + +"Yes," Bill said, "thou canst come to our place; but thou had best +take thy breakfast whilst it be hot. It will waken thee up like." + +Ned drank the tea and ate a slice of bread and butter, and felt +refreshed thereat. Then he ran with Bill to his cottage and had a +wash, and then started for the town. It was eight o'clock when he +reached home. Abijah was at the door, looking down the road as he +came up. + +"Oh! Master Ned, how can you go on so? Not a bit of sleep have I +had this blessed night, and the mistress in strong hystrikes all +the evening. Where have you been?" + +Ned gave a grunt at the news of his mother's hysterics--a grunt +which clearly expressed "served her right," but he only answered +the last part of the question. + +"I have been up at Varley, and slept at the schoolhouse. Bill Swinn +and Polly Powlett made me up a bed and got me tea and breakfast. +I am right enough." + +"But you shouldn't have gone away, Master Ned, in that style, +leaving us to wait and worry ourselves out of our senses." + +"Do you know what she told me, Abijah? Wasn't it enough to make +any fellow mad?" + +"Ay, ay," the nurse said. "I know. I have seen it coming months +ago; but it wasn't no good for me to speak. Ay, lad, it's a sore +trouble for you, surely a sore trouble for you, and for us all; but +it ain't no manner of use for you to set yourself agin it. Least +said sooner mended, Master Ned; in a case like this it ain't no +good your setting yourself up agin the missis. She ain't strong in +some things, but she's strong enough in her will, and you ought to +know by this time that what she sets her mind on she gets. It were +so allus in the captain's time, and if he couldn't change her, poor +patient lamb--for if ever there were a saint on arth he was that +--you may be sure that you can't. So try and take it quietly, +dearie. It be main hard for ye, and it ain't for me to say as it +isn't; but for the sake of peace and quiet, and for the sake of the +little ones, Master Ned, it's better for you to take it quiet. If +I thought as it would do any good for you to make a fuss I wouldn't +be agin it: but it ain't, you know, and it will be worse for you +all if you sets him agin you to begin with. Now go up and see your +mother, dearie, afore you goes off to school. I have just taken +her up her tea." + +"I have got nothing to say to her," Ned growled. + +"Yes, you have, Master Ned; you have got to tell her you hopes she +will be happy. You can do that, you know, with a clear heart, for +you do hope so. Fortunately she didn't see him yesterday; for when +he called I told him she was too ill to see him, and a nice taking +she was in when I told her he had been and gone; but I didn't mind +that, you know, and it was better she shouldn't see him when she +was so sore about the words you had said to her. It ain't no use +making trouble aforehand, or setting him agin you. He knows, I +reckon, as he won't be welcomed here by you. The way he has always +come when you would be out showed that clear enough. But it ain't +no use making matters worse. It's a pretty kettle of fish as it +stands. Now, go up, dearie, like a good boy, and make things roight." + +Ned lingered irresolute for a little time in the hall, and then +his father's words, "Be kind to her," came strongly in his mind, +and he slowly went upstairs and knocked at his mother's door. + +"Oh! here you are again!" she said in querulous tones as he entered, +"after being nearly the death of me with your wicked goings on! I +don't know what you will come to, speaking to me as you did yesterday, +and then running away and stopping out all night." + +"It was wrong, mother," Ned said quietly, "and I have come to tell +you I am sorry; but you see the news was very sudden, and I wasn't +prepared for it. I did not know that he had been coming here, and +the news took me quite by surprise. I suppose fellows never do like +their mothers marrying again. It stands to reason they wouldn't; +but, now I have thought it over, I am sorry I spoke as I did, and +I do hope, mother, you will be happy with him." + +Mrs. Sankey felt mollified. She had indeed all along dreaded Ned's +hearing the news, and had felt certain it would produce a desperate +outbreak on his part. Now that it was over she was relieved. The +storm had been no worse than she expected, and now that Ned had so +speedily come round, and was submissive, she felt a load off her +mind, + +"Very well, Ned," she said more graciously than usual, "I am glad +that you have seen the wickedness of your conduct. I am sure that +I am acting for the best, and that it will be a great advantage to +you and your brother and sister having a man like Mr. Mulready to +help you push your way in life. I am sure I am thinking of your +interest as much as my own; and I have spoken to him over and over +again about you, and he has promised dozens of times to do his best +to be like a father to you all." + +Ned winced perceptibly. + +"All right, mother! I do hope you will be happy; but, please, don't +let us talk about it again till--till it comes off; and, please, +don't let him come here in the evening. I will try and get accustomed +to it in time; but you see it's rather hard at first, and you know +I didn't expect it." + +So saying Ned left the room, and collecting his books made his way +off to school, leaving his mother highly satisfied with the interview. + +His absence from afternoon school had, of course, been noticed, +and Smithers had told his friends how Ned had flown at him on his +speaking to him about the talk of his mother and Mulready. Of course +before afternoon school broke up every boy knew that Ned Sankey +had cut up rough about the report; and although the great majority +of the boys did not know Mr. Mulready by name there was a general +feeling of sympathy with Ned, The circumstances of his father's +death had, of course, exalted him greatly in the eyes of his +schoolfellows, and it was the unanimous opinion, that after having +had a hero for his father, a fellow would naturally object to having +a stepfather put over him. + +Ned's absence was naturally associated with the news, and caused +much comment and even excitement. His attack upon Mr. Hathorn had +become a sort of historical incident in the school, and the younger +boys looked up with a sort of respectful awe upon the boy who had +defied a headmaster. There were all sorts of speculations rife +among them as to what Ned had done, there being a general opinion +that he had probably killed Mr. Mulready, and the debate turning +principally upon the manner in which this act of righteous vengeance +had been performed. + +There was, then, a feeling almost of disappointment when Ned walked +into the playground looking much as usual, except that his face +was pale and his eyes looked heavy and dull. No one asked him any +questions; for although Ned was a general favorite, it was generally +understood that he was not the sort of fellow to be asked questions +that might put him out. When they went in school, and the first class +was called up, Ned, who was always at its head, took his place at +the bottom of the class, saying quietly to the master: + +"I have not prepared my lesson today, sir, and I have not done the +exercises." + +Mr. Porson made no remark; he saw at once by Ned's face that +something was wrong with him. When several questions went round, +which Ned could easily have answered without preparation, the master +said: + +"You had better go to your desk, Sankey; I see you are not well. +I will speak to you after school is over." + +Ned sat down and opened a book, but he did not turn a page until +school was over; then he followed his master to the study. + +"Well, my boy," he asked kindly, "what is it?" + +"My mother is going to marry Mr. Mulready," Ned said shortly. The +words seemed to come with difficulty from his lips. + +"Ah! it is true, then. I heard the report some weeks ago, but hoped +that it was not true. I am sorry for you, Ned. I know it must be +a sore trial for you; it is always so when any one steps into the +place of one we have loved and lost." + +"I shouldn't care so much if it wasn't him," Ned said in a dull +voice. + +"But there's nothing against the man, is there?" Mr. Porson asked. +"I own I do not like him myself; but I believe he stands well in +the town." + +"Only with those who don't know him," Ned replied; "his workpeople +say he is the worst master and the biggest tyrant in the district." + +"We must hope it's not so bad as that, Ned; still, I am sorry-- +very sorry, at what you tell me; but, my boy, you must not take +it to heart. You see you will be going out into the world before +long. Your brother will be following you in a few years. It is +surely better that your mother should marry again and have some +one to take care of her." + +"Nice care of her he is likely to take!" Ned laughed bitterly. "You +might as well put a fox to take care of a goose." + +"You are severe on both parties," Mr. Porson said with a slight +smile; "but I can hardly blame you, my boy, for feeling somewhat +bitter at first; but I hope that, for your own sake and your mother's, +you will try and conquer this feeling and will make the best of +the circumstances. It is worse than useless to kick against the +pricks. Any show of hostility on your part will only cause unhappiness, +perhaps between your mother' and him--almost certainly between +you and her. In this world, my boy, we have all our trials. Some +are very heavy ones. This is yours. Happily, so far as you are +concerned, you need only look forward to its lasting eighteen months +or so. In that time you may hope to get your commission; and as +the marriage can hardly take place for some little time to come, +you will have but a year or so to bear it." + +"I don't know, sir," Ned said gloomily; "everything seems upset +now. I don't seem to know what I had best do." + +"I am sure at present, Ned," Mr. Porson said kindly--for he saw +that the boy was just now in no mood for argument--"the best is +to try and think as little of it as possible. Make every allowance +for your mother; as you know, my boy, I would not speak disrespectfully +to you of her on any account; but she is not strong minded. She has +always been accustomed to lean upon some one, and the need of some +one to lean on is imperative with her. Had you been a few years +older, and had you been staying at home, it is probable that you +might have taken your place as her support and strength. As it is, +it was almost inevitable that something of this sort would happen. + +"But you know, Ned, where to look for strength and support. You +have fought one hard battle, my boy, and have well nigh conquered; +now you have another before you. Seek for strength, my boy, where +you will assuredly find it, and remember that this discipline is +doubtless sent you for your good, and that it will be a preparation +for you for the struggle in after life. I don't want you to be +a thoughtless, careless young officer, but a man earnest in doing +his duty, and you cannot but see that these two trials must have +a great effect in forming your character. Remember, Ned, that if +the effect be not for good, it will certainly be for evil." + +"I will try, sir," Ned said; "but I know it is easy to make good +resolutions, and how it will be when he is in the house as master +I can't trust myself even to think." + +"Well, let us hope the best, Ned," Mr. Porson said kindly; "things +may turn out better than you fear." + +Then seeing that further talking would be useless now, he shook +Ned's hand and let him go. + +The next three or four months passed slowly and heavily. Ned went +about his work again quietly and doggedly; but his high spirits +seemed gone. His mother's engagement with Mr. Mulready had been +openly announced, directly after he had first heard of it. Charlie +had, to Ned's secret indignation, taken it quietly. He knew little +of Mr. Mulready, who had, whenever he saw him, spoken kindly to him, +and who now made him frequent presents of books and other things +dear to schoolboys. Little Lucy's liking he had, however, failed +to gain, although in his frequent visits he had spared no pains to +do so, seldom coming without bringing with him cakes or papers of +sweets. Lucy accepted the presents, but did not love the donor, +and confided to Abijah that his teeth were exactly like those of +the wolf who ate Little Red Riding Hood. + +Ned found much more comfort in her society during those dull days +than in Charlie's. He had the good sense, however, never to encourage +her in her expressions of dislike to Mr. Mulready, and even did +his best to combat her impression, knowing how essential it was +for her to get on well with him. Ned himself did not often see +Mr. Mulready during that time. The first time that they met, Ned +had, on his return from school, gone straight up into the drawing +room, not knowing that Mr. Mulready was there. On opening the door +and seeing him he paused suddenly for a moment and then advanced. +For a moment neither of them spoke, then Mr. Mulready said in his +frankest manner: + +"Ned, you have heard I am going to marry your mother. I don't +suppose you quite like it; it wouldn't be natural if you did; I know +I shouldn't if I were in your place. Still you know your disliking +it won't alter it, and I hope we shall get on well together. Give +me your hand, my lad, you won't find me a bad sort of fellow." + +"I hope not," Ned said quietly, taking Mr. Mulready's hand and +continuing to hold it while he went on: "I don't pretend I like +it, and I know it makes no difference whether I do or not; the +principal point is, that my mother should be happy, and if you +make her happy I have no doubt we shall, as you say, get on well +together; if you don't, we shan't." + +There was no mistaking the threat conveyed in Ned's steady tones, +and Mr. Mulready, as Ned dropped his hand, felt that he should have +more trouble with the boy than he had expected. He gave a forced +laugh. + +"One would think, Ned, that you thought it likely I was going to +be unkind to your mother." + +"No," Ned said quietly, "I don't want to think about it one way or +the other, only I promised my father I would be kind to my mother; +that means that I would look after her, and I mean to. + +"Well, mother," he said in his usual tone, turning to Mrs. Sankey, +"and how are you this morning?" + +"I was feeling better, Ned," she said sharply; "but your unpleasant +way of talking, and your nonsense about taking care of me, have +made me feel quite ill again. Somehow you always seem to shake my +nerves. You never seem to me like other boys. One would think I +was a child instead of being your mother. I thought after what you +said to me that you were going to behave nicely." + +"I am trying to behave nicely," Ned said. "I am sure I meant quite +nicely, just as Mr. Mulready does; I think he understands me." + +"I don't understand that boy," Mrs. Sankey said plaintively when +Ned had left the room, "and I never have understood him. He was +dreadfully spoiled when he was in India, as I have often told you; +for in my weak state of health I was not equal to looking after him, +and his poor father was sadly overindulgent. But he has certainly +been much better as to his temper lately, and I do hope, William, +that he is not going to cause trouble." + +"Oh, no!" Mr. Mulready said lightly, "he will not cause trouble; +I have no doubt we shall get on well together. Boys will be boys, +you know; I have been one myself, and of course they look upon +stepfathers as natural enemies; but in this case, you see, we shall +not have to put up with each other long, as he will be getting his +commission in a year or so. Don't trouble yourself about it, love; +in your state of health you ought really not to worry yourself, and +worry, you know, spoils the eyes and the complexion, and I cannot +allow that, for you will soon be my property now." + +The wedding was fixed for March. It was to be perfectly quiet, as +Mrs. Sankey would, up to the day, be still in mourning. A month +before the time Ned noticed that his mother was more uncertain in +her temper than usual, and Abijah confided to him in secret that +she thought things were not going on smoothly between the engaged +couple. + +Nor were they. Mr. Mulready had discovered, to his surprise, that, +indolent and silly as Mrs. Sankey was in many respects, she was +not altogether a fool, and was keen enough where her own interests +were concerned. He had suggested something about settlements, hoping +that she would at once say that these were wholly unnecessary; but +to his surprise she replied in a manner which showed that she had +already thought the matter over, and had very fixed ideas on the +subject. + +"Of course," she said, "that will be necessary. I know nothing about +business, but it was done before, and my poor husband insisted that +my little fortune should be settled so as to be entirely at my own +disposal." + +But this by no means suited Mr. Mulready's views. Hitherto want of +capital had prevented his introducing the new machinery into his +mills, and the competition with the firms which had already adopted +it was injuring him seriously, and he had reckoned confidently upon +the use of Mrs. Sankey's four thousand pounds. Although he kept his +temper admirably under the circumstances, he gave her distinctly +to understand, in the pleasantest way, that an arrangement which +was most admirably suitable in every respect in the case of a lady +marrying an officer in the army, to whom her capital could be of +no possible advantage, was altogether unsuitable in the case of a +manufacturer. + +"You see, my love," he argued, "that it is for your benefit as well +as mine that the business should grow and flourish by the addition +of the new machinery which this little fortune of yours could +purchase. The profits could be doubled and trebled, and we could +look forward ere long to holding our heads as high as the richest +manufacturers at Leeds and Bradford--while the mere interest in +this money invested in consols as at present would be absolutely +useless to us." + +Mrs. Sankey acknowledged the force of his argument, but was firm +in her determination to retain her hold of her money, and so they +parted, not in anger, for Mr. Mulready altogether disclaimed the +possibility of his being vexed, but with the sense that something +like a barrier had sprung up between them. + +This went on for a few days, and although the subject was not mooted, +Mrs. Sankey felt that unless some concession on her part was made +it was likely that the match would fall through. This she had not +the slightest idea of permitting, and rather than it should happen +she would have married without any settlement at all, for she +really loved, in her weak way, the man who had been so attentive +and deferential to her. + +So one day the subject was renewed, and at last an understanding +was arrived at. Mrs. Sankey's money was to be put into the business +in her own name. Should she not survive her husband, he was to have +the option of paying the money to her children or of allowing them +the sum of eighty pounds a year each from the business. Should he +not survive her the mill was to be settled upon any children she +might have after her marriage; should there be no children it was +to be hers absolutely. + +All this was only arrived at after several long discussions, in all +of which Mrs. Sankey protested that she knew nothing of business, +that it was most painful to her to be thus discussing money +matters, and that it would be far better to leave it in the hands +of a solicitor to arrange in a friendly manner with him. She +nevertheless stuck to her views, and drove a bargain as keenly and +shrewdly as any solicitor could have done for her, to the surprise +and exasperation of Mr. Mulready. Had he known that she really +loved him, and would, if she had been driven to it, have sacrificed +everything rather than lose him, he could have obtained very +different terms; but having no heart to speak of, himself, he was +ignorant of the power he possessed over her. + +Bankruptcy stared him in the face unless he could obtain this increase +of capital, and he dared not, by pressing the point, risk its loss. +The terms, he told himself, were not altogether unsatisfactory; it +was not likely that she would survive him. They were of about the +same age; he had never known what it was to be ill, and she, although +not such an invalid as she fancied herself, was still not strong. +If she did not survive him he would have the whole business, subject +only to the paltry annuity of two hundred and forty pounds a year +to the three children. If, the most unlikely thing in the world, +she did survive him--well, it mattered not a jot in that case +who the mill went to. + +So the terms were settled, the necessary deeds were drawn up by a +solicitor, and signed by both parties. Mrs. Sankey recovered her +spirits, and the preparations for the wedding went on. + +Ned had intended to absent himself from the ceremony, but Mr. +Porson, guessing that such might be his intention, had talked the +matter gravely over with him. He had pointed out to Ned that his +absence would in the first place be an act of great disrespect to +his mother; that in the second place it would cause general comment, +and would add to the unfavorable impression which his mother's +early remarriage had undoubtedly created; and that, lastly, it would +justify Mr. Mulready in regarding him as hostile to the marriage, +and, should trouble subsequently arise, he would be able to point +to it in self justification, and as a proof that Ned had from the +first determined to treat him as an enemy. + +So Ned was present at his mother's marriage. Quiet as the wedding +was, for only two or three acquaintances were asked to be present, +the greater part of Marsden were assembled in the church. + +The marriage had created considerable comment. The death of Captain +Sankey in saving a child's life had rendered his widow an object of +general sympathy, and people felt that not only was this marriage +within eighteen months of Captain Sankey's death almost indecent, +but that it was somehow a personal wrong to them, and that they +had been defrauded in their sympathy. + +Therefore the numerous spectators of the marriage were critical +rather than approving. They could find nothing to find fault with, +however, in the bride's appearance. She was dressed in a dove +colored silk, and with her fair hair and pale complexion looked +quite young, and, as every one admitted, pretty. Mr. Mulready, as +usual, was smiling, and seemed to convey by the looks which he cast +round that he regarded the assemblage as a personal compliment to +himself. + +Lucy and Charlie betrayed no emotion either way; they were not +pleased, but the excitement of the affair amused and interested +them, and they might be said to be passive spectators. Ned, however, +although he had brought himself to be present, could not bring +himself to look as if the ceremony had his approval or sanction. +He just glared, as Abijah, who was present, afterward confided +to some of her friends, as if he could have killed the man as he +stood. His look of undisguised hostility was indeed noticed by all +who were in church, and counted heavily against him in the days +which were to come. + + + +CHAPTER X: TROUBLES AT HOME + + +It was not one of the least griefs of the young Sankeys connected +with their mother's wedding that Abijah was to leave them. It was +she herself who had given notice to Mrs. Sankey, saying that she +would no longer be required. The first time that she had spoken of +her intentions, Mrs. Sankey vehemently combated the idea, saying +that neither she nor Lucy could spare her; but she did not afterward +return to the subject, and seemed to consider it a settled thing +that Abijah intended to leave. Mrs. Sankey had, in fact, spoken +to Mr. Mulready on the subject, but instead of taking the view she +had expected, he had said cheerfully: + +"I am glad that she has given notice. I know that she is a valuable +woman and much attached to you. At the same time these old servants +always turn out a mistake under changed circumstances. She would +never have been comfortable or contented. She has, my dear if I may +say so, been mistress too long, and as I intend you to be mistress +of my house, it is much better that she should go." + +As Mrs. Sankey had certain doubts herself as to whether Abijah +would be a success in the new home, the subject was dropped, and it +became an understood thing that Abijah would leave after the wedding. + +The newly married couple were absent for three weeks. Until two +days before their return Abijah remained in the old house with the +young Sankeys; then they moved into their new home, and she went +off to her native village ten miles distant away on the moors. The +next day there was a sale at the old house. A few, a very few, of +the things had been moved. Everything else was sold, to the deep +indignation of Ned, who was at once grieved and angry that all the +articles of furniture which he associated with his father should +be parted with. Abijah shared the boy's feelings in this respect, +and at the sale all the furniture and fittings of Captain Sankey's +study were bought by a friendly grocer on her behalf, and the morning +after the sale a badly written letter, for Abijah's education had +been neglected, was placed in Ned's hand. + +"MY DEAR MASTER NED: Knowing as it cut you to the heart that +everything should go away into the hands of strangers, I have made +so bold as to ask Mr. Willcox for to buy all the furniter and books +in maister's study. He is a-going to stow them away in a dry loft, +and when so bee as you gets a home of your own there they is for +you; they are sure not to fetch much, and when you gets a rich +man you can pay me for them; not as that matters at all one way or +the other. I have been a-saving up pretty nigh all my wages from +the day as you was born, and is quite comfortable off. Write me +a letter soon, dearie, to tell me as how things is going on. Your +affectionate nurse, ABIJAH WOLF." + +Although Ned was a lad of sixteen, he had a great cry over this +letter, but it did him good, and it was with a softer heart that +he prepared to receive his mother and her husband that evening. The +meeting passed off better than he had anticipated. Mrs. Mulready +was really affected at seeing her children again, and embraced +them, Ned thought, with more fondness than she had done when they +went away. Mr. Mulready spoke genially and kindly, and Ned began +to hope that things would not be so bad after all. + +The next morning, to his surprise, his mother appeared at breakfast, +a thing which he could not remember that she had ever done before, +and yet the hour was an early one, as her husband wanted to be off +to the mill. During the meal Mr. Mulready spoke sharply two or three +times, and it seemed to Ned that his mother was nervously anxious +to please him. + +"Things are not going on so well after all," he said to himself as +he walked with his brother to school. "Mother has changed already; +I can see that she isn't a bit like herself. There she was fussing +over whether he had enough sugar with his tea, and whether the +kidneys were done enough for him; then her coming down to breakfast +was wonderful. I expect she has found already that somebody else's +will besides her own has got to be consulted; it's pretty soon for +her to have begun to learn the lesson." + +It was very soon manifest that Mr. Mulready was master in his own +house. He still looked pleasant and smiled, for his smile was a +habitual one; but there was a sharpness in the ring of his voice, +an impatience if everything was not exactly as he wished. He roughly +silenced Charlie and Lucy if they spoke when he was reading his +paper at breakfast, and he spoke snappishly to his wife when she +asked him a question on such occasions. Ned felt his face burn, +as with his eyes on his plate he continued his meal. To him Mr. +Mulready seldom spoke unless it was absolutely necessary. + +Ned often caught himself wondering over the change which had taken +place in his mother. All the ways and habits of an invalid had +disappeared. She not only gave directions for the management of the +house, but looked after everything herself, and was forever going +upstairs and down, seeing that everything was properly done. However +sharply Mr. Mulready spoke she never replied in the same tone. A +little flush of color would come into her cheek, but she would pass +it off lightly, and at all times she appeared nervously anxious to +please him. Ned wondered much over the change. + +"He is a tyrant," he said, "and she has learned it already; but I +do think she loves him. Fancy my mother coming to be the slave of +a man like this! I suppose," he laughed bitterly, "it's the story +of 'a woman, a dog, and a walnut tree, the more you thrash them +the better they will be.' My father spent his whole life in making +hers easy, and in sparing her from every care and trouble, and I +don't believe she cared half as much for him as she does for this +man who is her master." + +For some months Mr. Mulready was very busy at his mill. A steam +engine was being erected, new machinery brought in, and he was away +the greater part of his time superintending it. + +One day at breakfast, a short time before all was in readiness for +a start with the new plant, Mr. Mulready opened a letter directed +in a sprawling and ill written hand which lay at the top of the +pile by his plate. Ned happened to notice his face, and saw the +color fade out from it as he glanced at the contents. The mouth +remained as usual, set in a smile, but the rest of the face expressed +agitation and fear. The hand which held the letter shook. Mrs. +Mulready, whose eyes seldom left her husband's face when he was in +the room, also noticed the change. + +"Is anything the matter, William?" + +"Oh! nothing," he said with an unnatural laugh, "only a little +attempt to frighten me." + +"An attempt which has succeeded," Ned said to himself, "whatever +it is." + +Mr. Mulready passed the letter over to his wife. It was a rough +piece of paper; at the top was scrawled the outline of a coffin +underneath which was written: + +"MR. MULREADY: Sir, this is to give you warning that if you uses +the new machinery you are a dead man. You have been a marked man +for a long time for your tyrannical ways, but as long as you didn't +get the new machinery we let you live; but we has come to the end +of it now; the day as you turns on steam we burns your mill to the +ground and shoots you, so now you knows it." + +At the bottom of this was signed the words "Captain Lud." + +"Oh! William," Mrs. Mulready cried, "you will never do it! You will +never risk your life at the hands of these terrible people!" + +All the thin veneer of politeness was cracked by this blow, and +Mr. Mulready said sullenly: + +"Nice thing indeed; after I have married to get this money, and +then not to be able to use it!" + +His wife gave a little cry. + +"It's a shame to say so," Charlie burst out sturdily. + +Mr. Mulready's passion found a vent. He leaped up and seized the +boy by the collar and boxed his ears with all his force. + +In an instant the fury which had been smoldering in Ned's breast for +months found a vent. He leaped to his feet and struck Mr. Mulready +a blow between the eyes which sent him staggering back against the +wall; then he caught up the poker. The manufacturer with a snarl +like that of an angry wild beast was about to rush at him, but +Ned's attitude as he stood, poker in hand, checked him. + +"Stand back," Ned said threateningly, "or I will strike you. You +coward and bully; for months I have put up with your tyrannizing +over Charlie and Lucy, but touch either of them again if you dare. +You think that you are stronger than I am--so you are ever so +much; but you lay a finger on them or on me, and I warn you, if I +wait a month for an opportunity I will pay you for it, if you kill +me afterward." + +Mrs. Mulready's screams had by this time brought the servants into +the room, and they stood astonished at the spectacle. + +Lucy crying bitterly had run to Ned and thrown her arms round him, +begging him to be quiet. Charlie, hardly recovered from the heavy +blows he had received, was crying too. Mr. Mulready as pale as +death was glaring at Ned, while his wife had thrown herself between +them. Mr. Mulready was the first to recover himself. + +"This is a nice spectacle," he said to the servants. "You see that +boy has attacked me with the poker and might have murdered me. +However, you can go now, and mind, no chattering about what you +have seen. + +"And now," he continued to Ned as the door closed behind the +servants, "out of this house you go this day." + +"You don't suppose I want to stay in your house," Ned said +passionately. "You don't suppose that it's any pleasure to me to +stop here, seeing you play the tyrant over my mother." + +"Oh, Ned, Ned," Mrs. Mulready broke in, "how can you talk so!" + +"It is true, mother, he is a tyrant to you as well as to every one +else; but I don't mean to go, I mean to stop here to protect you +and the children. He daren't turn me out; if he did, I would go +and work in one of the mills, and what would the people of Marsden +say then? What would they think of this popular, pleasant gentleman +then, who has told his wife before her children that he married +her for her money? They shall all know it, never fear, if I leave +this house. I would have gone to Mr. Simmonds and asked him to +apply for a commission for me before now, for other fellows get +it as young as I am; but I have made up my mind that it's my duty +not to do so. + +"I know he has been looking forward to my being out of the way, +and his being able to do just what he likes with the others, but I +ain't going to gratify him. It's plain to me that my duty at present +is to take care of you all, and though God knows how I set my mind +upon going into the army and being a soldier like my father, I will +give it up if it means leaving Charlie here under him." + +"And do you suppose, sir," Mr. Mulready asked with intense bitterness, +"that I am going to keep you here doing nothing all your life, +while you are pleased to watch me?" + +"No, I don't," Ned replied. "I shall get a clerkship or something +in one of the mills, and I shall have Charlie to live with me until +he is old enough to leave school, and then I will go away with him +to America or somewhere. As to mother, I can do nothing for her. +I think my being here makes it worse for her, for I believe you +tyrannize over her all the more because you think it hurts me. I +know you hated me from the first just as I hated you. As for Lucy, +mother must do the best she can for her. Even you daren't hit a +girl." + +"Oh, Ned, how can you go on so?" Mrs. Mulready wailed. "You are a +wicked boy to talk so." + +"All right, mother," Ned replied recklessly; "if I am, I suppose +I am. I know in your eyes he can do no wrong. And I believe if he +beat you, you would think that you deserved it." + +So he flung himself down in his chair and continued his breakfast. + +Mr. Mulready drank off his tea without sitting down, and then left +the room without another word; in fact, as yet he did not know what +to say. + +Almost speechless with passion as he was, he restrained himself from +carrying out his threat and turning Ned at once from the house. +Above all things he prized his position and popularity, and he +felt that, as Ned had said, he would indeed incur a heavy odium by +turning his wife's son from his doors. Captain Sankey's death had +thrown almost a halo over his children. Mr. Mulready knew that he +was already intensely unpopular among the operative class, but he +despised this so long as he stood well with the rest of the townsmen; +but he dared not risk Ned's going to work as an ordinary hand in +one of the factories; public opinion is always against stepfathers, +and assuredly this would be no exception. Hating him as he did, he +dared not get rid of this insolent boy, who had struck and defied +him. He cursed himself now with his rashness in letting his temper +get the best of him and telling his wife openly that he had married +her for her money; for this in Ned's hands would be a serious weapon +against him. + +That his wife's feelings were hurt he cared not a jot, but it would +be an awkward thing to have it repeated in the town. Then there +was this threatening letter; what was he to do about that? Other +men had had similar warnings. Some had defied Captain Lud, and +fortified their mills and held them. Many had had their property +burned to the ground; some had been murdered. It wouldn't be a +pleasant thing to drive about in the country knowing that at any +moment he might be shot dead. His mill was some little distance out +of the town; the road was dark and lonely. He dared not risk it. + +Mr. Mulready was, like all tyrants, a coward at heart, and his face +grew white again as he thought of the letter in his pocket. In the +meantime Mrs. Mulready was alternately sobbing and upbraiding Ned +as he quietly finished his breakfast. The boy did not answer, but +continued his meal in dogged silence, and when it was over collected +his books and without a word went off to school. + +Weeks went on, and no outward change took place. Ned continued to +live at home. Mr. Mulready never addressed him, and beyond helping +him to food entirely ignored his presence. At mealtimes when he +opened his lips it was either to snap at Charlie or Lucy, or to +snarl at his wife, whose patience astonished Ned, and who never +answered except by a smile or murmured excuse. The lad was almost +as far separated from her now as from his stepfather. She treated +him as if he only were to blame for the quarrel which had arisen. +They had never understood each other, and while she was never +weary of making excuses for her husband, she could make none for +her son. In the knowledge that the former had much to vex him she +made excuses for him even in his worst moods. His new machinery +was standing idle, his business was getting worse and worse, he +was greatly pressed and worried, and it was monstrous, she told +herself, that at such a time he should be troubled with Ned's +defiant behavior. + +A short time before the school Christmas holidays Ned knocked at +the door of Mr. Porson's study. Since the conversation which they +had had when first Ned heard of his mother's engagement Mr. Porson +had seen in the lad's altered manner, his gloomy looks, and a hardness +of expression which became more and more marked every week, that +things were going on badly. Ned no longer evinced the same interest +in his work, and frequently neglected it altogether; the master, +however, had kept silence, preferring to wait until Ned should +himself broach the subject. + +"Well, Sankey, what is it?" he asked kindly as the boy entered. + +"I don't think it's any use my going on any longer, Mr. Porson." + +"Well, Sankey, you have not been doing yourself much good this half, +certainly. I have not said much to you about it, for it is entirely +your own business: you know more than nineteen out of twenty of the +young fellows who get commissions, so that if you choose to give +up work it is your own affair." + +"I have made up my mind not to go into the army," Ned said quietly. + +Mr. Porson was silent a minute. + +"I hope, my dear lad," he said, "you will do nothing hastily about +this. Here is a profession open to you which is your own choice and +that of your father, and it should need some very strong and good +reason for you to abandon it. Come let us talk the matter over +together, my boy, not as a master and his pupil, but as two friends. + +"You know, my boy, how thoroughly I have your interest at heart. +If you had other friends whom you could consult I would rather have +given you no advice, for there is no more serious matter than to +say anything which might influence the career of a young fellow just +starting in life. Terrible harm often results from well intentioned +advice or opinions carelessly expressed to young men by their elders; +it is a matter which few men are sufficiently careful about; but +as I know that you have no friends to consult, Ned, and as I regard +you with more than interest, I may say with affection, I think it +would be well for you to tell me all that there is in your mind +before you take a step which may wreck your whole life. + +"I have been waiting for some months in hopes that you would open +your mind to me, for I have seen that you were unhappy; but it was +not for me to force your confidence." + +"I don't know that there's much to tell," Ned said wearily. "Everything has +happened just as it was certain it would do. Mulready is a brute; +he ill treats my mother, he ill treats Charlie and Lucy, and he +would ill treat me if he dared." + +"All this is bad, Ned," Mr. Porson said gravely; "but of course +much depends upon the amount of his ill treatment. I assume that +he does not actively ill treat your mother." + +"No," Ned said with an angry look in his face; "and he'd better +not." + +"Yes, Ned, he had better not, no doubt," Mr. Porson said soothingly; +"but what I want to know, what it is essential I should know if +I am to give you any advice worth having, is what you mean by ill +treatment--is he rough and violent in his way with her? does he +threaten her with violence? is he coarse and brutal?" + +"No," Ned said somewhat reluctantly; "he is not that, sir; he is +always snapping and snarling and finding fault." + +"That is bad, Ned, but it does not amount to ill treatment. When +a man is put out in business and things go wrong with him it is +unhappily too often his custom to vent his ill temper upon innocent +persons; and I fancy from what I hear--you know in a little +place like this every one's business is more or less known--Mr. +Mulready has a good deal to put him out. He has erected new machinery +and dare not put it to work, owing as I hear--for he has lain +the documents before the magistrates--for his having received +threatening letters warning him against doing so. This is very +trying to the man. Then, Ned, you will excuse my saying that perhaps +he is somewhat tried at home. It is no pleasant thing for a man to +have a young fellow like yourself in the house taking up an attitude +of constant hostility. I do not say that his conduct may or may not +justify it; but you will not deny that from the first you were +prepared to receive him as an enemy rather than as a friend. I +heard a story some weeks ago in the town, which emanated no doubt +from the servants, that you had actually struck him." + +"He hit Charlie, sir," Ned exclaimed. + +"That may be," Mr. Porson went on gravely; "and I have no doubt, +Ned, that you considered then, and that you consider now, that you +were acting rightly in interfering on behalf of your brother. But +I should question much whether in such a matter you are the best +judge. You unfortunately began with a very strong prejudice against +this man; you took up the strongest attitude of hostility to him; +you were prepared to find fault with everything he said and did; +you put yourself in the position of the champion of your mother, +brother, and sister against him. Under such circumstances it was +hardly possible that things could go on well. Now I suppose, Ned, +that the idea which you have in your mind in deciding to give up +the profession you have chosen, is that you may remain as their +champion and protector here." + +"Yes, sir," Ned said. "Father told me to be kind to mother, whatever +happened." + +"Quite so, my boy; but the question is, Are you being kind?" + +Ned looked surprised. + +"That you intend to be so, Ned, I am sure. The question is, Are +you going the right way to work? Is this championship that you have +taken upon yourself increasing her happiness, or is it not?" + +Ned was silent. + +"I do not think that it is, Ned. Your mother must be really fond +of this man or she would not have married him. Do you think that it +conduces to the comfort of her home to see the constant antagonism +which prevails between you and him? Is it not the fact that this +ill temper under which she suffers is the result of the irritation +caused to him by your attitude? Do you not add to her burden rather +than relieve it?" + +Ned was still silent. He had so thoroughly persuaded himself that +he was protecting his mother, his brother, and sister from Mr. +Mulready that he had never considered the matter in this light. + +"Does your mother take his part or yours in these quarrels, Ned?" + +"She takes his part, sir," said Ned indignantly. + +"Very well, Ned; that shows in itself that she does not wish for +your championship, that in her eyes the trouble in the house is +in fact caused by you. You must remember that when a woman loves +a man she makes excuses for his faults of temper; his irritable +moods, sharp expressions, and what you call snapping and snarling +do not seem half so bad to her as they do to a third person, +especially when that third person is her partisan. Instead of your +adding to her happiness by renouncing your idea of going into the +army, and of deciding to remain here in some position or other to +take care of her, as, I suppose, is your intention, the result will +be just the contrary. As to your sister, I think the same thing +would happen. + +"Your mother is certainly greatly attached to her and owing to +her changed habits--for I understand that she is now a far more +active, and I may say, Ned, a more sensible woman than before her +marriage--I see no reason why Lucy should not be happy with her, +especially if the element of discord--I mean yourself--were +out of the way. As to Charlie, at the worst I don't think that he +would suffer from your absence. His stepfather's temper will be +less irritable; and as Charlie is away at school all day, and has +to prepare his lessons in the evening, there is really but slight +opportunity for his stepfather treating him with any active +unkindness, even should he be disposed to do so. + +"Did I think, my boy, that your presence here would be likely to +benefit your family I should be the last person to advise you to +avoid making a sacrifice of your private wishes to what you consider +your duty; but upon the contrary I am convinced that the line which +you have, with the best intention, taken up has been altogether a +mistake, that your stay at home does vastly more harm than good, +and that things would go on very much better in your absence." + +This was a bitter mortification for Ned, who had hitherto nursed +the idea that he was performing rather a heroic part, and was +sacrificing himself for the sake of his mother. + +"You don't know the fellow as I do," he said sullenly at last. + +"I do not, Ned; but I know human nature, and I know that any man +would show himself at his worst under such circumstances as those +in which you hare placed him. It is painful to have to say, but I +am sure that you have done harm rather than good, and that things +will get on much better in your absence." + +"I believe he is quite capable of killing her," Ned said passionately, +"if he wanted her out of the way." + +"That is a hard thing to say, Ned; but even were it so, we have no +reason for supposing that he does want her out of the way. Come, +Sankey, I am sure you have plenty of good sense. Hitherto you have +been acting rather blindly in this matter. You have viewed it from +one side only, and with the very best intentions in the world have +done harm rather than good. + +"I am convinced that when you come to think it over you will see +that, in following out your own and your father's intentions and +wishes as to your future career, you will really best fulfil his +last injunctions and will show the truest kindness to your mother. +Don't give me your answer now, but take time to think it over. Try +and see the case from every point of view, and I think you will +come to the conclusion that what I have been saying, although it +may seem rather hard to you at first, is true, and that you had +best go into the army, as you had intended. I am sure in any case +you will know that what I have said, even if it seems unkind, has +been for your good." + +"Thank you, Mr. Porson," Ned replied; "I am quite sure of that. +Perhaps you are right, and I have been making a fool of myself all +along. But anyhow I will think it over." + + + +CHAPTER XI: THE NEW MACHINERY + + +It is rather hard for a lad who thinks that he has been behaving +somewhat as a hero to come to the conclusion that he has been +making a fool of himself; but this was the result of Ned Sankey's +cogitation over what Mr. Porson had said to him. Perhaps he arrived +more easily at that conclusion because he was not altogether +unwilling to do so. It was very mortifying to allow that he had +been altogether wrong; but, on the other hand, there was a feeling +of deep pleasure at the thought that he could, in Mr. Porson's +deliberate opinion, go into the army and carry out all his original +hopes and plans. His heart had been set upon this as long as he +could remember, and it had been a bitter disappointment to him when +he had arrived at the conclusion that it was his duty to abandon +the idea. He did not now come to the conclusion hastily that Mr. +Porson's view of the case was the correct one; but after a fortnight's +consideration he went down on New Year's Day to the school, and +told his master that he had made up his mind. + +"I see, sir," he said, "now that I have thought it all over, that +you are quite right, and that I have been behaving like an ass, +so I shall set to work again and try and make up the lost time. I +have only six months longer, for Easter is the time when Mr. Simmonds +said that I should be old enough, and he will write to the lord +lieutenant, and I suppose that in three months after that I should +get my commission." + +"That is right, Ned. I am exceedingly glad you have been able to +take my view of the matter. I was afraid you were bent upon spoiling +your life, and I am heartily glad that you have been able to see +the matter in a different light." + +A day or two afterward Ned took an opportunity of telling his mother +that he intended at Easter to remind Mr. Simmonds of his promise to +apply for a commission for him; and had he before had any lingering +doubt that the decision was a wise one it would have been dissipated +by the evident satisfaction and relief with which the news was +received; nevertheless, he could not help a feeling of mortification +at seeing in his mother's face the gladness which the prospect of +his leaving occasioned her. + +It was some time since Ned had seen his friend Bill Swinton, for +Bill was now regularly at work in Mr. Mulready's factory and was +only to be found at home in the evening, and Ned had been in no +humor for going out. He now, however, felt inclined for a friendly +talk again, and the next Sunday afternoon he started for Varley. + +"Well, Maister Ned," Bill said as he hurried to the door in answer +to his knock, "it be a long time surely sin oi saw thee last-- +well nigh six months, I should say." + +"It is a long time, Bill, but I haven't been up to anything, even +to coming up here. Put on your cap and we will go for a walk across +the moors together." + +In a few seconds Bill joined him, and they soon left the village +behind. + +"Oi thought as how thou didn't feel oop to talking loike, Moister +Ned. Oi heared tell as how thou did'st not get on well wi' Foxey; +he be a roight down bad un, he be; it were the talk of the place +as how you gived him a clout atween t' eyes, and oi laughed rarely +to myself when oi seed him come through t' mill wi' black and blue +all round 'em. There warn't a hand there but would have given a +week's pay to have seen it done." + +"I am afraid I was wrong, Bill," Ned said, feeling ashamed rather +then triumphant at the thought. "I oughtn't to have done it, but +my beastly temper got the best of it." + +"Doan't say that Maister Ned; he deserves ten toimes worse nor +ye gived him, and he will get it some time if he doan't mind. Oi +tell ee there be lots of talk of him, and Captain Lud's gang be a +getting stronger and stronger. Oi tell ye, t' maisters be agoing +to have a bad time on it afore long, and Foxey be sure to be one +of the first served out." + +"Well, don't you have anything to do with it, Bill. You know +I have told you over and over again that no good can come of such +bad doings, and that the men will only make matters much worse for +themselves. My father used to say that no good ever came of mob +violence. They may do some harm for a time, but it is sure to recoil +on their own heads." + +"Oi doan't ha' nowt to do wi' it," Bill replied, "cause oi told yer +oi wouldn't; but oi've some trouble to keep oot o't. Ye see oi am +nointeen now, and most o' t' chaps of moi age they be in 't; they +meet at the 'Dog' nigh every noight, and they drills regular out +on t' moor here, and it doan't seem natural for oi not to be in +it, especial as moi brothers be in it. They makes it rough for me +in t' village, and says as how I ain't got no spirit, and even t' +girls laughs at me." + +"Not Polly Powlett, I am sure, Bill." + +"No, not Polly," Bill replied. "She be a different sort. A' together +it be a bit hard, and it be well for me as oi 'm main strong and +tough, for oi ha' to fight pretty nigh every Saturday. However, +oi ha thrashed pretty nigh every young chap in Varley, and they be +beginning now to leave oi alone." + +"That's right, Bill; I am sure I have no right to preach to you +when I am always doing wrong myself; still I am quite sure you will +be glad in the long run that you had nothing to do with King Lud. +I know the times are very hard, but burning mills and murdering +masters are not the way to make them better; you take my word for +that. And now how are things going on in Varley?" + +"No great change here," Bill replied. "Polly Powlett bain't made +up her moind yet atween t' chaps as is arter her. They say as she +sent John Stukeley, the smith, to the roight about last Sunday; +he ha' been arter her vor the last year. Some thowt she would have +him, some didn't. He ha' larning, you see, can read and wroite +foine, and ha' got a smooth tongue, and knows how to talk to gals, so +some thought she would take him; oi knew well enough she wouldn't +do nowt of the koind, for oi ha' heard her say he were a mischievous +chap, and a cuss to Varley. Thou know'st, Maister Ned, they do +say, but in course oi knows nowt about it, as he be the head of +the Luddites in this part of Yorkshire. + +"Luke Marner he be dead against King Lud, he be, and so be many of +the older men here; it's most the young uns as takes to them ways; +and nateral, Polly she thinks as Luke does, or perhaps," and Bill +laughed, "it's Polly as thowt that way first, and Luke as thinks +as she does. However it be, she be dead set agin them, and she's +said to me jest the same thing as thou'st been a-saying; anyhow, it +be sartain as Polly ha' said no to John Stukeley, not as she said +nowt about it, and no one would ha' known aboot it ef he hadn't +gone cussing and swearing down at the 'Dog.' + +"I thinks. Maister Ned, as we shall ha' trouble afore long. The +men ha been drilling four or five years now, and oi know as they +ha' been saying, What be the good of it when nowt is done and the +wages gets lower and lower? They have preachments now out on t' +moor on Sunday, and the men comes from miles round, and they tells +me as Stukeley and others, but him chiefly, goes on awful agin t' +maisters, and says, There's Scripture vor it as they owt to smite +'em, and as how tyrants owt vor to be hewed in pieces." + +"The hewing would not be all on one side, Bill, you will see, if +they begin it. You know how easily the soldiers have put down riots +in other places." + +"That be true," Bill said; "but they doan't seem vor to see it. Oi +don't say nowt one way or t' other, and oi have had more nor half +a mind to quit and go away till it's over. What wi' my brothers +and all t' other young chaps here being in it, it makes it moighty +hard vor oi to stand off; only as oi doan't know what else vor to +do, oi would go. Oi ha' been a-thinking that when thou get'st to +be an officer oi'll list in the same regiment and go to the wars +wi' thee. Oi am sick of this loife here." + +"Well, Bill, there will be no difficulty about that if you really +make up your mind to it when the time comes. Of course I should +like to have you very much. I have heard my father say that each +officer has a soldier as his special servant; and if you would +like that, you see, when we were alone together we should be able +to talk about Varley and everything here just as we do now. Then +I suppose I could help you on and get you made first corporal and +then a sergeant." + +"Very well, Maister Ned, then we will look on that as being as good +as settled, and as soon as thou gets to be an officer oi will go +as one of your soldiers." + +For an hour they walked across the moor, talking about a soldier's +life, Ned telling of the various parts of the world in which England +was at that time engaged in war, and wondering in which of them +they would first see service. Then they came back to the village +and there parted, and Ned, feeling in better spirits than he had +been from the day when he first heard of his mother's engagement +to Mr. Mulready, walked briskly down to Marsden. + +For a time matters went on quietly. Few words were exchanged between +Ned and Mr. Mulready; and although the latter could not but have +noticed that Ned was brighter and more cheerful in his talk, he +was brooding over his own trouble, and paid but little heed to it. + +The time was fast approaching when he could no longer go on as at +present. The competition with the mills using the new machinery was +gradually crushing him, and it was necessary for him to come to a +determination either to pluck up heart and to use his new machines, +or to close his mill. + +At last he determined to take the former course and to defy King +Lud. Other manufacturers used steam, and why should not he? It was +annoying to him in the extreme that his friends and acquaintances, +knowing that he had fitted the mill with the new plant, were always +asking him why he did not use it. + +A sort of uneasy consciousness that he was regarded by his townsmen +as a coward was constantly haunting him. He knew in his heart that +his danger was greater than that of others, because he could not +rely on his men. Other masters had armed their hands, and had turned +their factories into strong places, some of them even getting down +cannon for their defense: for, as a rule, the hands employed with +the new machinery had no objection to it, for they were able to +earn larger wages with less bodily toil than before. + +The hostility was among the hands thrown out of employment, or +who found that they could now no longer make a living by the looms +which they worked in their own homes. Hitherto Mr. Mulready had +cared nothing for the goodwill of his hands. He had simply regarded +them as machines from whom the greatest amount of work was to be +obtained at the lowest possible price. They might grumble and curse +him beneath their breaths; they might call him a tyrant behind his +back, for this he cared nothing: but he felt now that it would have +been better had their relations been different: for then he could +have trusted them to do their best in defense of the mill. + +Having once determined upon defying King Lud, Mr. Mulready went +before the magistrates, and laying before them the threatening +letters he had received, for the first had been followed by many +others, he asked them to send for a company of infantry, as he was +going to set his mill to work. The magistrates after some deliberation +agreed to do so, and wrote to the commanding officer of the troops +at Huddersfield asking him to station a detachment at Marsden for +a time. + +The request was complied with. A company of infantry marched in +and were billeted upon the town. A room was fitted up at the mill, +and ten of them were quartered here, and upon the day after their +arrival the new machinery started. + +Now that the step was taken, Mr. Mulready's spirits rose. He +believed that the presence of the soldiers was ample protection +for the mill, and he hoped that ere they left the town the first +excitement would have cooled down, and the Luddites have turned +their attention to other quarters. + +Ned met Bill on the following Sunday. + +"I suppose, Bill," he said, "there is a rare stir about Foxey using +his new machinery?" + +"Ay, that there be, and no wonder," Bill said angrily, "there be +twenty hands turned adrift. Oi bee one of them myself." + +"You, Bill! I had no idea you bad been discharged." + +"Ay; oi have got the sack, and so ha' my brother and young Jarge +Marner, and most o' t' young chaps in the mill. Oi suppose as how +Foxey thinks as the old hands will stick to t' place, and is more +afeerd as the young uns might belong to King Lud, and do him a bad +turn with the machinery. Oi tell ye, Maister Ned, that the sooner +as you goes as an officer the better, vor oi caan't bide here now and +hold off from the others, Oi have had a dog's loife for some time, +and it ull be worse now. It would look as if oi hadn't no spirit +in the world, to stand being put upon and not join the others. T' +other chaps scarce speak to me, and the gals turn their backs as +oi pass them. Oi be willing vor to be guided by you as far as oi +can; but it bain't in nature to stand this. Oi'd as lief go and +hang myself. Oi would go and list tomorrow, only oi don't know what +regiment you are going to." + +"Well, Bill, it is hard," Ned said, "and I am not surprised that +you feel that you cannot stand it; but it won't be for long now. +Easter will be here in a fortnight, and then I shall see Mr. Simmonds +and get him to apply at once. I met him in the street only last +week, and he was talking about it then. He thinks that it will not +be long after he sends in an application before I get my commission. +He says he has got interest in London at the Horse Guards, and will +get the application of the lord lieutenant backed up there; so I +hope that in a couple of months at latest it will all be settled." + +"Oi hope so, oi am sure, vor oi be main sick of this. However, oi +can hold on for another couple of months; they know anyhow as it +ain't from cowardice as I doan't join them. I fowt Jack Standfort +yesterday and licked un; though, as you see, oi 'ave got a rare +pair of black eyes today. If oi takes one every Saturday it's only +eight more to lick, and oi reckon oi can do that." + +"I wish I could help you, Bill," Ned said: "if father had been +alive I am sure he would have let you have a little money to take +you away from here and keep you somewhere until it is time for you +to enlist; but you see I can do nothing now." + +"Doan't you go vor to trouble yourself aboot me, Maister Ned. +Oi shall hold on roight enow. The thought as it is for two months +longer will keep me up. Oi can spend moi evenings in at Luke's. +He goes off to the 'Coo,' but Polly doan't moind moi sitting there +and smoking moi pipe, though it bain't every one as she would let +do that." + +Ned laughed. "It's a pity, Bill, you are not two or three years +older, then perhaps Polly mightn't give you the same answer she +gave to the smith." + +"Lor' bless ee," Bill said seriously, "Polly wouldn't think nowt +of oi, not if oi was ten years older. Oi bee about the same age +as she; but she treats me as if I was no older nor her Jarge. No, +when Polly marries it won't be in Varley. She be a good many cuts +above us, she be. Oi looks upon her jest as an elder sister, and +oi doan't moind how much she blows me up--and she does it pretty +hot sometimes, oi can tell ee; but oi should just loike to hear +any one say a word agin her; but there be no one in Varley would +do that. Every one has a good word for Polly; for when there's +sickness in the house, or owt be wrong, Polly's always ready to +help. Oi do believe that there never was such a gal. If it hadn't +been for her oi would ha' cut it long ago. Oi wouldn't go agin +what ye said, Maister Ned; but oi am danged if oi could ha' stood +it ef it hadn't been for Polly." + +"I suppose," Ned said, "that now they have got the soldiers down +in Marsden it will be all right about the mill." + +"Oi caan't say," Bill replied; "nateral they doan't say nowt to me; +but oi be sure that some'ats oop. They be a-drilling every night, +and there will be trouble avore long. Oi doan't believe as they +will venture to attack the mill as long as the sojers be in Marsden; +but oi wouldn't give the price of a pint of ale for Foxey's loife +ef they could lay their hands on him. He'd best not come up this +way arter dark." + +"He's not likely to do that," Ned said. "I am sure he is a coward +or he would have put the mill to work weeks ago." + +Secure in the protection of the troops, and proud of the new machinery +which was at work in his mill, Mr. Mulready was now himself again. +His smile had returned. He carried himself jauntily, and talked +lightly and contemptuously of the threats of King Lud. Ned disliked +him more in this mood than in the state of depression and irritation +which had preceded it. The tones of hatred and contempt in which +he spoke of the starving workmen jarred upon him greatly, and +it needed all his determination and self command to keep him from +expressing his feelings. Mr. Mulready was quick in perceiving, +from the expression of Ned's face, the annoyance which his remarks +caused him, and reverted to the subject all the more frequently. +With this exception the home life was more pleasant than it had +been before. + +Mr. Mulready, in his satisfaction at the prospect of a new prosperity, +was far more tolerant with his wife, and her spirits naturally rose +with his. She had fully shared his fears as to the threats by the +Luddites, and now agreed cordially with his diatribes against the +workpeople, adopting all his opinions as her own. + +Ned's acquaintance with Bill Swinton had long been a grievance to +her, and her constant complainings as to his love for low company +had been one of the afflictions to which Ned had long been accustomed. +Now, having her husband by her side, it was a subject to which she +frequently reverted. + +"Why can't you leave me alone, mother?" Ned burst out one day when +Mr. Mulready had left the room. "Can't you leave me in quiet as +to my friends, when in two or three months I shall be going away? +Bill Swinton is going to enlist in the same regiment in which I +am, so as to follow me all over the world. + +"Would any of the fine friends you would like me to make do that? +I like all the fellows at school well enough, but there is not one +of them would do a fiftieth part as much for me as Bill would. Even +you, mother, with all your prejudices; must allow that it will be +a good thing for me to have some one with me who will really care for +me, who will nurse me if I am sick or wounded, who would lay down +his life for mine if necessary. I tell you there isn't a finer fellow +than Bill living. Of course he's rough, and he's had no education, +I know that; but it's not his fault. But a truer or warmer hearted +fellow never lived. He is a grand fellow. I wish I was only half +as true and as honest and manly as he is. I am proud to have Bill +as a friend. It won't be long before I have gone, mother. I have +been fighting hard with myself so that there shall be peace and +quietness in the house for the little time I have got to be here, +and you make it harder for me." + +"It's ridiculous your talking so," Mrs. Mulready said peevishly, +"and about a common young fellow like this. I don't pretend +to understand you, Ned. I never have and never shall do. But I am +sure the house will be much more comfortable when you have gone. +Whatever trouble there is with my husband is entirely your making. +I only wonder that he puts up with your ways as he does. If his +temper was not as good as yours is bad he would not be able to do +so." + +"All right, mother," Ned said. "He is an angel, he is, we all +know, and I am the other thing. Well, if you are contented, that's +the great thing, isn't it? I only hope you will always be so; but +there," he said, calming himself with a great effort as his father's +last words again came into his mind, "don't let's quarrel, mother. +I am sorry for what I have said. It's quite right that you should +stick up for your husband, and I do hope that when I go you will, +as you say, be more comfortable and happy. Perhaps you will. I am +sure I hope so. Well, I know I am not nice with him. I can't help +it. It's my beastly temper, I suppose. That's an old story. Come, +mother, I have only a short time to be at home now. Let us both try +and make it as pleasant as we can, so that when I am thousands of +miles away, perhaps in India, we may have it to look back upon. You +try and leave my friends alone and I will try and be as pleasant +as I can with your husband." + +Mrs. Mulready was crying now. + +"You know, Ned, I would love you if you would let me, only you are +so set against my husband. I am sure he always means kindly. Look +how he takes to little Lucy, who is getting quite fond of him." + +"Yes, I am very glad to think that he is, mother," Ned said +earnestly. "You see Lucy is much younger, and naturally remembers +comparatively little about her father, and has been able to take +to Mr. Mulready without our prejudices. I am very glad to see that +he really does like her--in fact I do think he is getting quite +fond of her. I shall go away feeling quite easy about her. I wish +I could say as much about Charlie. He is not strong, like other +boys, and feels unkindness very sharply. I can see him shrink and +shiver when your husband speaks to him, and am afraid he will have +a very bad time of it when I am gone." + +"I am sure, Ned, he will get on very well," Mrs. Mulready said. "I +have no doubt that when he gets rid of the example you set him-- +I don't want to begin to quarrel again--but of the example you +set him of dislike and disrespect to Mr. Mulready, that he will soon +be quite different. He will naturally turn to me again instead of +looking to you for all his opinions, and things will go on smoothly +and well." + +"I am sure I hope so, mother. Perhaps I have done wrong in helping +to set Charlie against Mulready. Perhaps when I have gone, too, +things will be easier for him. If I could only think so I should +go away with a lighter heart. Well, anyhow, mother, I am glad we +have had this talk. It is not often we get a quiet talk together +now." + +"I am sure it is not my fault," Mrs. Mulready said in a slightly +injured tone. + +"Perhaps not, mother," Ned said kindly. "With the best intentions, +I know I am always doing things wrong. It's my way, I suppose. +Anyhow, mother, I really have meant well, and I hope you will think +of me kindly after I have gone." + +"You may be sure I shall do that, Ned," his mother said, weeping +again. "I have no doubt the fault has been partly mine too, but +you see women don't understand boys, and can't make allowances for +them." + +And so Ned kissed his mother for the first time since the day when +she had returned home from her wedding tour, and mother and son +parted on better terms than they had done for very many months, +and Ned went with a lightened heart to prepare his lessons for the +next day. + + + +CHAPTER XII: MURDERED! + + +In spite of Ned's resolutions that he would do nothing to mar the +tranquillity of the last few weeks of his being at home, he had +difficulty in restraining his temper the following day at tea. +Never had he seen his stepfather in so bad a humor. Had he known +that things had gone wrong at the mill that day, that the new machine +had broken one of its working parts and had brought everything to +a standstill till it could be repaired, he would have been able to +make allowances for Mr. Mulready's ill humor. + +Not knowing this he grew pale with the efforts which he made to +restrain himself as his stepfather snarled at his wife, snapped at +Lucy and Charlie, and grumbled and growled at everything throughout +the meal. Everything that was said was wrong, and at last, having +silenced his wife and her children, the meal was completed in gloomy +silence. + +The two boys went into the little room off the hall which they used +of an evening to prepare their lessons for next day. Charlie, who +came in last, did not abut the door behind him. + +"That is a nice man, our stepfather," Ned said in a cold fury. +"His ways get more and more pleasant every day; such an amiable, +popular man, so smiling and pleasant!" + +"Oh! it's no use saying anything," Charlie said in an imploring +voice, "it only makes things worse." + +"Worse!" Ned exclaimed indignantly; "how could they be worse? Well +may they call him Foxey, for foxey he is, a double faced snarling +brute." + +As the last word issued from Ned's lips he reeled under a tremendous +box on the ear from behind. Mr. Mulready was passing through the +hall--for his gig was waiting at the door to take him back to +the mill, where some fitters would be at work till late, repairing +the damages to the machine--when he had caught Ned's words, which +were spoken at the top of his voice. + +The smoldering anger of months burst at once into a flame heightened +by the ill humor which the day's events had caused, and he burst +into the room and almost felled Ned to the ground with his swinging +blow. Recovering himself, Ned flew at him, but the boy was no match +for the man, and Mr. Mulready's passion was as fierce as his own; +seizing his throat with his left hand and forcing him back into a +corner of the room, his stepfather struck him again and again with +all his force with his right. + +Charlie had run at once from the room to fetch his mother, and it +was scarcely a minute after the commencement of the outbreak that +she rushed into the room, and with a scream threw her arms round +her husband. + +"The young scoundrel!" Mr. Mulready exclaimed, panting, as he +released his hold of Ned; "he has been wanting a lesson for a long +time, and I have given him one at last. He called me Foxey, the +young villain, and said I was a double faced snarling brute; let +him say so again and I will knock his head off." + +But Ned just at present was not in a condition to repeat his words; +breathless and half stunned he leaned in the corner, his breath +came in gasps, his face was as pale as death, his cheek was cut, +there were red marks on the forehead which would speedily become +black, and the blood was flowing from a cut on his lip, his eyes +had a dazed and half stupid look. + +"Oh! William!" Mrs. Mulready said as she looked at her son, "how +could you hurt him so!" + +"Hurt him, the young reptile!" Mr. Mulready said savagely. "I meant +to hurt him. I will hurt him more next time." + +Mrs. Mulready paid no attention to his words, but went up to Ned. + +"Ned, my boy," she said tenderly, "what is it? Don't look like +that, Ned; speak to me." + +His mother's voice seemed to rouse Ned into consciousness. He drew +a long breath, then slowly passed his hand across his eyes, and +lips, and mouth. He looked at his mother and seemed about to speak, +but no sound came from his lips. Then his eye fell on his stepfather, +who, rather alarmed at the boy's appearance, was standing near the +door. The expression of Ned's face changed, his mouth became set +and rigid, his eyes dilated, and Mr. Mulready, believing that he +was about to spring upon him, drew back hastily half a step and +threw up his hands to defend himself. Mrs. Mulready threw herself +in Ned's way; the boy made no effort to put her aside, but kept +his eyes fixed over her shoulder at his stepfather. + +"Take care!" he said hoarsely, "it will be my turn next time, and +when it comes I will kill you, you brute." + +"Oh, go away, William!" Mrs. Mulready cried; "oh! do go away, or +there will be more mischief. Oh! Ned, do sit down, and don't look +so dreadful; he is going now." + +Mr. Mulready turned and went with a laugh which he intended to he +scornful, but in which there was a strong tinge of uneasiness. He +had always in his heart been afraid of this boy with his wild and +reckless temper, and felt that in his present mood Ned was capable +of anything. Still as Mr. Mulready took his seat in his gig his +predominant feeling was satisfaction. + +"I am glad I have given him a lesson," he muttered to himself, +"and have paid him off for months of insolence. He won't try it on +again, and as for his threats, pooh! he'll be gone in a few weeks, +and there will be an end of it." + +After he had gone Mrs. Mulready tried to soothe Ned, but the boy +would not listen to her, and in fact did not seem to hear her. + +"Don't you mind, mother," he said in a strange, quiet voice, "I +will pay him off;" and muttering these words over and over again +he went out into the hall, took down his cap in a quiet, mechanical +sort of way, put it on, opened the door, and went out. + +"Oh! Charlie," Mrs. Mulready said to her second son, who, sobbing +bitterly, had thrown himself down in a chair by the table, and +was sitting with his head on his hands, "there will be something +terrible come of this! Ned's temper is so dreadful, and my husband +was wrong, too. He should never have beaten him so, though Ned did +say such things to him. What shall I do? these quarrels will be +the death of me. I suppose Ned will be wandering about all night +again. Do put on your cap, Charlie, and go out and see if you can +find him, and persuade him to come home and go to bed; perhaps he +will listen to you." + +Charlie was absent an hour, and returned saying that he could not +find his brother. + +"Perhaps he's gone up to Varley as he did last time," Mrs. Mulready +said. "I am sure I hope he has, else he will be wandering about all +night, and he had such a strange lock in his face that there's no +saying where he might go to, or what he might do." + +Charlie was almost heartbroken, and sat up till long past his usual +time, waiting for his brother's return. At last his eyes would no +longer keep open, and he stumbled upstairs to bed, where he fell +asleep almost as his head touched the pillow, in spite of his +resolution to be awake until Ned returned. + +Downstairs Mrs. Mulready kept watch. She did not expect Ned to +return, but she was listening for the wheels of her husband's gig. +It was uncertain at what time he would return; for when he rose from +the tea table she had asked him what time he expected to be back, +and he had replied that he could not say; he should stop until the +repairs were finished, and she was to go to bed and not bother. + +So at eleven o'clock she went upstairs, for once before when he +had been out late and she had sat up he had been much annoyed; but +after she got in bed she lay for hours listening for the sound of +the wheels. At last she fell asleep and dreamed that Ned and her +husband were standing at the end of a precipice grappling fiercely +together in a life and death struggle. She was awaked at last by +a knocking at the door; she glanced at her watch, which hung above +her head; it was but half past six. + +"What is it, Mary?" + +"Please, mum, there's a constable below, and he wants to speak to +you immediate." + +Mrs. Mulready sprang from the bed and began to dress herself +hurriedly. All sorts of mischief that might have come to Ned passed +rapidly through her mind; her husband had not returned, but no doubt +he had stopped at the mill all night watching the men at work. His +absence scarcely occasioned her a moment's thought. In a very few +minutes she was downstairs in the kitchen, where the constable +was standing waiting for her. She knew him by sight, for Marsden +possessed but four constables, and they were all well known +characters. + +"What is it?" she asked; "has anything happened to my son?" + +"No, mum," the constable said in a tone of surprise, "I didn't know +as he wasn't in bed and asleep, but I have some bad news for you, +mum; it's a bad job altogether." + +"What is it?" she asked again; "is it my husband?" + +"Well, mum, I am sorry to say as it be. A chap came in early this +morning and told me as summat had happened, so I goes out, and half +a mile from the town I finds it just as he says." + +"But what is it?" Mrs. Mulready gasped. + +"Well, mum, I am sorry to have to tell you, but there was the gig +all smashed to atoms, and there was the little black mare lying +all in a heap with her neck broke, and there was--" and he stopped. + +"My husband!" Mrs. Mulready gasped. + +"Yes, marm, I be main sorry to say it were. There, yards in front +of them, were Mr. Mulready just stiff and cold. He'd been flung +right out over the hoss' head. I expect he had fallen on his head +and must have been killed roight out; and the worst of it be, marm, +as it warn't an accident, for there, tight across the road, about +eighteen inches above the ground, was a rope stretched tight +atween a gate on either side. It was plain enough to see what had +happened. The mare had come tearing along as usual at twelve mile +an hour in the dark, and she had caught the rope, and in course +there had been a regular smash." + +The pretty color had all gone from Mrs. Mulready's face as he began +his story, but a ghastly pallor spread over her face, and a look +of deadly horror came into her eyes as he continued. + +"Oh, Ned, Ned," she wailed, "how could you!" and then she fell +senseless to the ground. + +The constable raised her and placed her in a chair. + +"Are you sure the master's dead?" the servant asked, wiping her +eyes. + +"Sure enough," the constable said. "I have sent the doctor off +already, but it's no good, he's been dead hours and hours. But," +he continued, his professional instincts coming to the surface, +"what did she mean by saying, 'Oh, Ned, how could you!' She asked +me, too, first about him; ain't he at home?" + +"No, he ain't," the servant said, "and ain't been at home all +night; there were a row between him and maister last even; they had +a fight. Maister Charlie he ran into the parlor as I was a clearing +away the' tea things, hallowing out as maister was a-killing Ned. +Missis she ran in and I heard a scream, then maister he drove off, +and a minute or two later Maister Ned he went out, and he ain't +come back again. When I went in with the candles I could see missis +had been a crying. That's all I know about it." + +"And enough too," the constable said grimly. "This here be a pretty +business. Well, you had best get your missis round and see about +getting the place ready for the corpse. They have gone up with a +stretcher to bring him back. They will be here afore long. I must go +to Justice Thompson's and tell him all about it. This be a pretty +kittle of fish, surely. I be main sorry, but I have got my duty to +do." + +An hour later Williams the constable with a companion started out +in search of Ned Sankey, having a warrant in his pocket for his +arrest on the charge of willful murder. + +The excitement in Marsden when it became known that Mr. Mulready +had been killed was intense, and it was immensely heightened when +it was rumored that a warrant had been issued for the arrest of his +stepson on the charge of murder. Quite a little crowd hung all day +round the house with closed blinds, within which their so lately +active and bustling townsman was lying. + +All sorts of conjectures were rife, and there were many who said +that they had all along expected harm would come of the marriage +which had followed so soon after the death of Captain Sankey. The +majority were loud in expression of their sympathy with the dead +mill owner, recalling his cheery talk and general good temper. +Others were disposed to think that Ned had been driven to the act; +but among very few was there any doubt as to his guilt. It was +recalled against him that he had before been in the dock for his +assault upon Mr. Hathorn, and that it had been proved that he had +threatened to kill his master. His sullen and moody demeanor at the +marriage of his mother told terribly against him, and the rumors +of the previous quarrel when Ned had assaulted his stepfather, and +which, related with many exaggerations, had at the time furnished +a subject of gossip in the town, also told heavily to his disadvantage. + +Williams having learned from the servant that Ned was in the habit +of going up to Varley had first made his inquiries there; but neither +Bill nor Luke Marner, who were, the constable speedily learned, his +principal friends there, had seen him. Varley was greatly excited +over the news of the murder. Many of the men worked at Mulready's +mill, and had brought back the news at an early hour, as all work +was of course suspended. + +There was no grief expressed in Varley at Mr. Mulready's death, +indeed the news was received with jubilant exultation. + +"A good job too," was the general verdict; and the constable felt +that were Ned in the village he would be screened by the whole +population. He was convinced, however, that both Bill Swinton and +Luke Marner were ignorant of his whereabouts, so genuine had been +their astonishment at his questions, and so deep their indignation +when they learned his errand. + +"Thou duss'n't believe it, Luke?" Bill Swinton said as he entered +the latter's cottage. + +"No, lad, oi duss'n't," Luke said; "no more does Polly here, but +it looks main awkward," he said slowly stroking his chin, "if as +how what the constable said is right, and there was a fight atween +them that evening." + +"Maister Ned were a hot 'un," Bill said; "he allus said as how he +had a dreadful temper, though oi never seed nowt of it in him, and +he hated Foxey like poison; that oi allows; but unless he tells +me hisself as he killed him nowt will make me believe it. He might +ha' picked up summat handy when Foxey hit him and smashed him, but +oi don't believe it of Maister Ned as he would ha done it arterward." + +"He war a downright bad 'un war Foxey," Luke said, "vor sure. No +worse in the district, and there's many a one as would rejoice as +he's gone to his account, and oi believe as whoever's done it has +saved Captain Lud from a job; but there, it's no use a talking of +that now. Now, look here, Bill, what thou hast got to do be this. +Thou hast got to find the boy; oi expect he be hiding somewheres +up on t' moors. Thou knowst better nor oi wheere he be likely vor +to be. Voind him out, lad, and tell him as they be arter him. Here +be ten punds as oi ha had laying by me for years ready in case of +illness; do thou give it to him and tell him he be heartily welcome +to it, and can pay me back agin when it suits him. Tell him as +he'd best make straight for Liverpool and git aboard a ship there +for 'Merikee--never moind whether he did the job or whether he +didn't. Things looks agin him now, and he best be on his way." + +"Oi'll do't," Bill said, "and oi'll bid thee goodby, Luke, and +thee too, Polly, for ye won't see me back agin. Of course I shall +go wi' him. He haven't got man's strength yet, and oi can work for +us both. I bain't a-going to let him go by hisself, not loikely." + +"Thou art roight, lad," Luke said heartily. "Dang it all, lad, +thou speak'st loike a man. Oi be sorry thou art going, Bill, for +oi loike thee; but thou be right to go wi' this poor lad. Goodby, +lad, and luck be wi' ye;" and Luke wrung Bill's hand heartily. + +"I shan't say goodby, Bill," Mary Powlett said quietly. "I don't +think Ned Sankey can have done this thing, and if he hasn't you +will find that he will not run away, but will stay here and face +it out." + +"Then he will be a fool," Luke Marner said. "I tell ee the evidence +be main strong agin him, and whether he be innocent or not he will +find it hard to clear hisself. Oi don't think much the worst of +him myself if he done it, and most in Varley will be o' my way o' +thinking. Foxey war a tyrant if ever there war one, and the man +what was so hard a maister to his hands would be loike to be hard +to his wife's children." + +"Don't speak like that, feyther," Polly said; "murder is murder, +you know." + +"Ay, lass, and human natur be human natur, and it be no use your +going agin it. If he ha been and ill treated the boy, and I don't +doubt as he has, thou may'st argue all noight, but thou won't get +me to say as oi blames him much if he has done it. Oi don't suppose +as he meant to kill him--not vor a moment. I should think hard +of him if oi thowt as how he did. He meant, oi reckon, vor to throw +his horse down and cut his knees, knowing, as every one did, as +Mulready were moighty proud of his horse, and he may have reckoned +as Foxey would git a good shake, and some bruises as well, as a +scare, but oi doan't believe, not vor a moment, as he meant vor to +kill him. That's how oi reads it, lass." + +"Well, it may be so," Mary assented. "It is possible he may have +done it, meaning really only to give him a fright and a shake; but +I hope he didn't. Still if that was how it happened I will shake +hands, Bill, and wish you goodby and good luck, for it would be +best for him to get away, for I am afraid that the excuse that he +only meant to frighten and not to kill him will not save him. I +am sorry you are going, Bill, very sorry; but if you were my own +brother I would not say a word to stop you. Didn't his feyther give +up his life to save little Janey? and I would give mine to save +his. But I do think it will be good for you, Bill; times are bad, +and it has been very hard for you lately in Varley. I know all +about it, and you will do better across the seas. You will write, +won't you, sometimes?" + +"Never fear," Bill said huskily, "oi will wroite, Polly; goodby, +and God bless you all; but it mayn't be goodby, for oi mayn't foind +him;" and, wringing the hands of Luke and Polly, Bill returned to +his cottage, hastily packed up a few things in a kit, slung it over +his shoulder on a stick, and started out in search of Ned. + +Late that evening there came a knock at the door of Luke's cottage. +On opening it he found Bill standing there. + +"Back again, Bill!--then thou hasn't found him?" + +"No," Bill replied in a dejected voice. "Oi ha' hoonted high and +low vor him; oi ha' been to every place on the moor wheer we ha' +been together, and wheer oi thowt as he might be a-waiting knowing +as oi should set out to look for him as soon as oi heard the news. +Oi don't think he be nowhere on the moor. Oi have been a-tramping +ever sin' oi started this mourning. Twice oi ha' been down Maarsten +to see if so be as they've took him, but nowt ain't been seen of +him. Oi had just coom from there now. Thou'st heerd, oi suppose, +as the crowner's jury ha found as Foxey wer murdered by him; but +it bain't true, you know, Luke--be it?" + +Bill made the assertions stoutly, but there was a tremulous eagerness +in the question which followed it; He was fagged and exhausted. His +faith in Ned was strong, but he had found the opinion in the town +so unanimous against him that he longed for an assurance that some +one beside himself believed in Ned's innocence. + +"Oi doan't know, Bill," Luke Marner said, stroking his chin as he +always did when he was thinking; "oi doan't know, Bill--oi hoape +he didn't do it, wi' all my heart. But oi doan't know aboot it. He +war sorely tried--that be sartain. But if he did it, he did it; +it makes no difference to me. It doan't matter to me one snap ov +the finger whether the lad killed Foxey or whether he didn't-- +that bain't my business or yours. What consarns me is, as the son +of the man as saved my child's loife at t' cost of his own be hunted +by the constables and be in risk of his loife. That's t' question +as comes home to me--oi've had nowt else ringing in my ears all +day. Oi ha' been oot to a searching high and low. Oi ain't a found +him, but oi ha made oop moi moind whaat I be agoing to do." + +They had moved a little away from the cottage now, but Luke lowered +his voice: + +"Oi be agoing down to t' town in the morning to give moiself oop +vor the murder of Foxey." + +Bill gave an exclamation of astonishment: + +"But thou didn'st do it, Luke?" + +"I moight ha' done it for owt thou know'st, Bill. He wer the worst +of maisters, and, as thou know'st, Bill, oi hated him joost as +all the countryside did. He's been warned by King Lud and ha' been +obliged to get the sojers at his factory. Well, thou knowest it was +nateral as he would drive down last noight to see how t' chaps at +t' engine was a-getting on, and it coomed across my moind as it +wer a good opportunity vor to finish un; so ther thou hast it." + +Bill gazed in astonishment through the darkness at his companion. + +"But it bain't true, Luke? Thou wast talking to me arter thou coom'd +out of the Coo at noine o'clock, an thou saidst as thou was off to +bed." + +"Nowt of the koind," Luke replied. "Oi told ye, thou know'st, as I +wer a-going down to t' toon and oi had got a job in hand. Oi spoke +mysterous loike, and you noticed as how oi had got a long rope +coiled up in moi hand." + +Bill gave a gasp of astonishment. + +"That's what thou hast got to say," Luke said doggedly; "only +astead o' its being at noine o'clock it war at ten. Oi were just +a-slipping owt of the cottage, t' others were all asleep and knew +nowt aboot moi having goone out." + +Bill was silent now. + +"Oi wish oi had a-thowt of it," he said at last; "oi would ha' doon +it moiself." + +"Oi wouldn't ha' let thee, Bill," Luke said quietly. "He be a +friend of thine, and oi know thou lovest him loike a brother, and +a soight mor'n most brothers; but it be moi roight. The captain +gave his loife vor moi child's, and oi bee a going vor to give mine +for his. That will make us quits. Besides, thou art young; oi be +a-getting on. Jarge, he will be a-arning money soon; and Polly, she +can get a place in sarvice, and 'ul help t' young uns. They will +manage. Oi ha' been thinking it over in all loites, and ha' settled +it all in moi moind." + +Bill was silent for a time and then said: + +"Ther be one thing agin' it, Luke, and it be this: As we can't hear +nowt of Maister Ned, oi be a thinking as he ha' made straight vor +Liverpool or Bristol or London, wi' a view to going straight across +the seas or of 'listing, or doing somewhat to keep out of t' way. +He be sure to look in t' papers, to see how things be a-going on +here; and as sure as he sees as how you've gived yourself up and +owed up as you ha' done it, he will coom straight back again and +say as how it were him." + +"Maister Ned might ha' killed Foxey in a passion, but not loike +this. He didn't mean to kill him, but only vor to give him a shaake +and frighten him. But oi be sartin sure as he wouldn't let another +be hoonged in his place. So ye see thou'd do more harm nor good." + +"Oi didn't think of that," Luke said, rubbing his chin. "That be +so, surely. He'd be bound to coom back agin. Well, lad, oi will +think it over agin avore moorning, and do thou do t' same. Thou +know'st moi wishes now. We ha' got atween us to get Maister Ned +off--that be the thing as be settled. It doan't matter how it's +done, but it's got to be done soomhow; and oi rely on thee to maake +moi story good, whatever it be. + +"There can't be nowt wrong about it--a loife vor a loife be fair, +any way. There be more nor eno' in Yorkshire in these toimes, and +one more or less be of no account to any one." + +"Oi be thy man, Luke," Bill said earnestly. "Whatever as thou sayest +oi will sweer to; but I would reyther change places." + +"That caan't be, Bill, so it bain't no use thinking aboot it. Oi +know thou wilt do thy best vor Polly and t' young uns. It 'ull be +rough on her, but it bain't to be helped; and as she will be going +away from Varley and settling elsewhere, it wouldn't be brought up +again her as she had an uncle as were a Luddite and got hoong for +killing a bad maister. Goodnoight, lad! oi will see thee i' t' +morning." + + + +CHAPTER XIII: COMMITTED FOR TRIAL + + +After a talk with Luke Marner early in the morning Bill Swinton +went down into Marsden to hear if there was any news of Ned. He +was soon back again. + +"Maister Ned's took," he said as he met Luke, who was standing in +front of his cottage awaiting his return before starting out to +renew his search for Ned. + +"Oi hear, at noine o'clock last noight he walked in to Justice +Thompson's and said as he had coom to give hisself up. He said as +how he had been over at Painton, where the old woman as was his +nurse lives; and directly as the news coom in t' arternoon as Foxey +had been killed and he was wanted for the murder, he coom straight +over." + +"That's roight," Luke said heartily; "that settles it. He must ha' +been innocent or he would ha' bolted straight away, and not coom +back and gi'd hisself oop to justice. It were only his hiding away +as maade oi think as he moight ha' done it. Noo in course he will +be able to clear hisself; for if he was over at Painton, why, he +couldn't be here--that be plain to any one." + +"Oi be aveared, by what t' constable told me, as he won't be able +vor to prove it. It seems as how he didn't get to Painton till t' +morning. He says as how he were awalking aboot on t' moor all night. +So you see he will have hard work vor to clear hisself." + +"Then I shall ha' to give meself up," Luke said quietly. "Ye see as +it can't do him harm now, 'cause he ha' coom back; and ef oi says +as I killed the man they will open the doors, and he will only have +to walk out." + +"Oi ha' been a-thinking of that as I coom back," Bill said, "and +oi doan't think as oi see my way clear through it now. Firstly, +if Maister Ned did it, of course he will hold his tongue and leave +'em to prove it, which maybe they can't do; so he has a chance of +getting off. But if you cooms forward and owns up, he will be saaf, +if he did it, to say so at once; and so you will have done him harm +rather nor good. Vor of course he will be able to prove his story +better nor you will yourn, and you will have put the noose round his +neck instead of getting it put round yourn. In the second place, +it be loike enough as they lawyer chaps moight find out as your +story weren't true when they coom to twisting me inside owt in the +box. They might foind as oi war a-swearing false. There be never no +saying. They moight prove as that bit of rope warn't yourn. Polly +moight swear as she hadn't been asleep till arter the time you said +you went out, and that you never moved as long as she war awake. +Lots of unexpected things moight turn up to show it war a lie and +then you know they'd drop onto Maister Ned wourse nor ever." + +"I doan't believe they would ask you any questions, Bill. When +a man cooms and says, 'Oi did a murder,' they doan't want to ask +many questions aboot it. They takes it vor granted as he wouldn't +be such a fool as vor to say he did it when he didn't. But th' other +point be more sarous. It be loike enough as t' lad did it, and if +he did he will out wi' it when oi cooms forward. If oi could get +to see him first oi moight argue him into holding his tongue by +pointing owt that moi loife bain't of so much valley as hissen, +also that I owe a debt to his feyther." + +"Well, oi ha' been thinking it over," Bill said, "and moi opinion +is thou had best hold thy tongue till the trial. Thou can'st be in +the court. Ef the jury foind him innocent, of course thou will't +hold thy tongue; ef they foind him guilty, then thou'lt get up in +the court, and thou'lt say to the joodge, civil loike: + +"Moi lord, the gentlemen of the jury have made a mistake; oi am the +chap as killed Foxey and oi ha' got a young man here as a witness +as moi words is true." + +"Perhaps that will be the best way, Bill," Luke said thoughtfully. +"Oi ha' bin thinking how we moight get over Polly's evidence agin +me; every noight oi will get up regular and coom and ha' a talk +wi' you; oi will coom out wi'out my shoes as quiet as a cat, and +then if Polly sweers as oi didn't leave t' house that noight thou +can'st sweer as she knows nothing at all aboot it, as oi ha' been +out every noight to see thee." + +So the matter was allowed to stand for the time; and Bill and Luke, +when they had had their breakfast, went down again to Marsden to +hear what was going on. Marsden was greatly excited. The sensation +caused by the news of the murder scarcely exceeded that which was +aroused when it was heard that Ned Sankey had come in and given +himself up. Some thought that at the examination which was to take +place at noon he would at once confess his guilt, while others +believed that he would plead not guilty, and would throw the burden +of proving that he killed his stepfather upon the prosecution. + +All through the previous day Mrs. Mulready had been the central +object of interest to the town gossips pending the capture of her +son. Dr. Green had been in and out of the house all day. It was +known that she had passed from one fit of hysterics into another, +and that the doctor was seriously alarmed about her state. Rumors +were about that the servants, having been interviewed at the +back gate, said, that in the intervals of her screaming and wild +laughter she over and over again accused Ned as the murderer of her +husband. Dr. Green, when questioned, peremptorily refused to give +any information whatever as to his patient's opinions or words. + +"The woman is well nigh a fool at the best of times," he said +irritably, "and at present she knows no more what she is saying +than a baby. Her mind is thrown completely off any little balance +that it had and she is to all intents and purposes a lunatic." + +Only with his friend Mr. Porson, who called upon him after the +first visit had been paid to Mrs. Mulready immediately after her +husband's body had been brought in, did Dr. Green discuss in any +way what had happened. + +"I agree with you, Porson, in doubting whether the poor boy had +a hand in this terrible business. We both know, of course, that +owing to the bad training and total absence of control when he was +a child in India his temper was, when he first came here, very hot +and ungovernable. His father often deplored the fact to me, blaming +himself as being to a great extent responsible for it, through not +having had time to watch and curb him when he was a child; but he +was, as you say, an excellently disposed boy, and your testimony to +the efforts which he has made to overcome his faults is valuable. +But I cannot conceal from you, who are a true friend of the boy's, +what I should certainly tell to no one else, namely, that I fear +that his mother's evidence will be terribly against him. + +"She has always been prejudiced against him. She is a silly, selfish +woman. So far as I could judge she cared little for her first +husband, who was a thousand times too good for her; but strangely +enough she appears to have had something like a real affection for +this man Mulready, who, between ourselves, I believe, in spite of +his general popularity in the town, to have been a bad fellow. One +doesn't like to speak ill of the dead under ordinary circumstances, +but his character is an important element in the question before +us. Of course among my poorer patients I hear things of which +people in general are ignorant, and it is certain that there was +no employer in this part of the country so thoroughly and heartily +detested by his men." + +"I agree with you cordially," Mr. Porson said. "Unfortunately I +know from Ned's own lips that the lad hated his stepfather; but I +can't bring myself to believe that he has done this." + +"I hope not," the doctor said gravely, "I am sure I hope not; but +I have been talking with his brother, who is almost heartbroken, +poor boy, and he tells me that there was a terrible scene last +night. It seems that Mulready was extremely cross and disagreeable +at tea time; nothing, however, took place at the table; but after +the meal was over, and the two boys were alone together in that +little study of theirs, Ned made some disparaging remarks about +Mulready. The door, it seems, was open. The man overheard them, +and brutally assaulted the boy, and indeed Charlie thought that he +was killing him. He rushed in and fetched his mother, who interfered, +but not before Ned had been sadly knocked about. Mulready then drove +off to his factory, and Ned, who seems to have been half stunned, +went out almost without saying a word, and, as you know, hasn't +been heard of since. + +"It certainly looks very dark against him. You and I, knowing the +boy, and liking him, may have our doubts, but the facts are terribly +against him, and unless he is absolutely in the position to prove +an alibi, I fear that it will go hard with him." + +"I cannot believe it," Mr. Porson said, "although I admit that the +facts are terribly against him. Pray, if you get an opportunity +urge upon his mother that her talk will do Ned horrible damage and +may cost him his life. I shall at once go and instruct Wakefield to +appear for him, if he is taken, and to obtain the best professional +assistance for his defense. I feel completely unhinged by the news, +the boy has been such a favorite of mine ever since I came here; he +has fought hard against his faults, and had the makings of a very +fine character in him. God grant that he may be able to clear +himself of this terrible accusation!" + +Ned's first examination was held on the morning after he had given +himself up, before Mr. Simmonds and Mr. Thompson. The sitting was +a private one. The man who first found Mr. Mulready's body testified +to the fact that a rope had been laid across the road. Constable +Williams proved that when he arrived upon the spot nothing had +been touched. Man and horse lay where they had fallen, the gig was +broken in pieces, a strong rope was stretched across the road. He +said that on taking the news to Mrs. Mulready he had learned from +the servants that the prisoner had not slept at home that night, and +that there had been a serious quarrel between him and the deceased +the previous evening. + +After hearing this evidence Ned was asked if he was in a position +to account for the time which had elapsed between his leaving home +and his arrival at his nurse's cottage. + +He replied that he could only say that he had been wandering on +the moor. + +The case was remanded for a week, as the evidence of Mrs. Mulready +and the others in the house would be necessary, and it was felt +that a mother could not be called upon to testify against her son +with her husband lying dead in the house. + +"I am sorry indeed to see you in this position," Mr. Simmonds said +to Ned. "My friendship for your late father, and I may say for +yourself, makes the position doubly painful to me, but I can only +do my duty. I should advise you to say nothing at this period of the +proceedings; but if there is anything which you think of importance +to say, and which will give another complexion to the case, I am +ready to hear it." + +"I have nothing to say, sir," Ned said quietly, "except that I +am wholly innocent of the affair. As you may see by my face I was +brutally beaten by my stepfather on the evening before his death. +I went out of the house scarce knowing what I was doing. I had no +fixed intention of going anywhere or of doing anything, I simply +wanted to get away from home. I went on to the moors and wandered +about, I suppose for some hours. Then I threw myself down under +the shelter of a pile of stones and lay there awake till it was +morning. Then I determined to go to the house of my old nurse and +to stop there until I was fit to be seen. In the afternoon I heard +what had taken place here, and that I was accused of the murder, +and I at once came over here and gave myself up." + +"As you are not in a position to prove what you state," Mr. Simmonds +said, "we have nothing to do but to remand the case until this day +week. I may say that I have received a letter from Dr. Green saying +that he and Mr. Porson are ready to become your bail to any amount; +but we could not think of accepting bail in a charge of murder." + +Ned bowed and followed the constable without a word to the cells. +His appearance had not been calculated to create a favorable +impression. His clothes were stained and muddy; his lips were +swollen, his eyes were discolored and so puffed that he could +scarcely see between the lids, his forehead was bruised and cut in +several places. He had passed two sleepless nights; his voice had +lost its clearness of ring and was low and husky. Mr. Simmonds +shook his head to his fellow magistrate. + +"I am afraid it's a bad case, Thompson, but the lad has been +terribly ill used, there is no doubt about that. It's a thousand +pities he takes up the line of denying it altogether. If he were to +say, what is no doubt the truth, that having been brutally beaten +he put the rope across the road intending to punish and even injure +his stepfather, but without any intention of killing him, I think +under the circumstances of extreme provocation, and what interest +we could bring to bear on the matter, he would get off the capital +punishment, for the jury would be sure to recommend him to mercy. +I shall privately let Green and Porson, who are evidently acting +as his friends in the matter, know that I think it would be far +better for him to tell the truth and throw himself on the mercy of +the crown." + +"They may not find him guilty," Mr. Thompson said. "The jury will +see that he received very strong provocation; and after all, the +evidence is, so far as we know at present, wholly circumstantial, +and unless the prosecution can bring home to him the possession +of the rope, it is likely enough they will give him the benefit of +the doubt." + +"His life is ruined anyhow," Mr. Simmonds said. "Poor lad! poor +lad! Another fortnight and I was going to apply for a commission +for him. I wish to heavens I had done so at Christmas, and then +all this misery would have been spared." + +As soon as Ned had been led back to the cell Mr. Porson obtained +permission to visit him. He found him in a strange humor. + +"Well, my poor boy," he began, "this is a terrible business." + +"Who do you mean it is a terrible business for, Mr. Porson, me or +him?" + +Ned spoke in a hard unnatural voice, without the slightest tone of +trouble or emotion. Mr. Porson perceived at once that his nerves +were brought up to such a state of tension by the events of the +preceding forty-eight hours that he was scarce responsible for what +he was saying. + +"I think I meant for you, Ned. I cannot pretend to have any feeling +for the man who is dead, especially when I look at your face." + +"Yes, it is not a nice position for me," Ned said coldly, "just +at the age of seventeen to be suspected of the murder of one's +stepfather, and such a nice stepfather too, such a popular man in +the town! And not only suspected, but with a good chance of being +hung for it." + +"Ned, my dear boy," Mr. Porson said kindly, "don't talk in that +way. You know that we, your friends, are sure that you did not do +it." + +"Are you quite sure, sir?" Ned said. "I am not quite sure myself. +I know I should have done it if I had had the chance. I thought +over all sorts of ways in which I might kill him, and I wouldn't +quite swear that I did not think of this plan and carry it out, +though it doesn't quite seem to me that I did. I have no very +definite idea what happened that night, and certainly could give +but a vague account of myself from the time I left the house till +next morning, when I found myself lying stiff and half frozen on +the moor. Anyhow, whether I killed him or not it's all the same. I +should have done so if I could. And if some one else has saved me +the trouble I suppose I ought to feel obliged to him." + +Mr. Porson saw that in Ned's present state it was useless to +talk to him. Two nights without sleep, together with the intense +excitement he had gone through, had worked his brain to such a +state of tension that he was not responsible for what he was saying. +Further conversation would do him harm rather than good. What he +required was rest and, if possible, sleep. Mr. Porson therefore +only said quietly: + +"We will not talk about it now, Ned; your brain is over excited with +all you have gone through. What you want now is rest and sleep." + +"I don't feel sleepy, Mr. Porson. I don't feel as if I should ever +get to sleep again. I don't look like it, do I?" + +"No, Ned, I don't think you do at present; but I wish you did, +my boy. Well, remember that we, your old friends, all believe you +innocent of this thing, and that we will spare no pains to prove +it to the world. I see," he said, looking at the table, "that you +have not touched your breakfast. I am not surprised that you could +not eat it. I will see that you have a cup of really good tea sent +you in." + +"No," Ned said with a laugh which it pained Mr. Porson to hear, "I +have not eaten since I had tea at home. It was only the day before +yesterday, but it seems a year." + +On leaving the cell Mr. Porson went to Dr. Green, who lived only +three or four doors away, told him of the state in which he had found +Ned, and begged him to give him a strong and, as far as possible, +tasteless sedative, and to put it in a cup of tea. + +"Yes, that will be the best thing," the doctor replied. "I had +better not go and see him, for talking will do him harm rather than +good. We shall be having him on our hands with brain fever if this +goes on. I will go round with the tea myself to the head constable +and tell him that no one must on any account be permitted to see +Ned, and that rest and quiet are absolutely necessary for him. I +will put a strong dose of opium into the tea." + +Ten minutes later Dr. Green called upon the chief constable and +told him that he feared from what he had heard from Mr. Porson that +Ned was in a very critical state, and that unless he got rest and +sleep he would probably have an attack of brain fever, even if his +mind did not give way altogether. + +"I was intending to have him removed at once," the officer said, +"to a comfortable room at my own house. He was only placed where +he is temporarily. I exchanged a few words with him after the +examination and was struck myself with the strangeness of his tone. +Won't you see him?" + +"I think that any talk is bad for him," the doctor said. "I have +put a strong dose of opium in this tea, and I hope it will send +him off to sleep. When he recovers I will see him." + +"I think, doctor," the constable said significantly, "it would be +a good thing if you were to see him at once. You see, if things go +against him, and between ourselves the case is a very ugly one, if +you could get in the box and say that you saw him here, and that, +in your opinion, his mind was shaken, and that as likely as not +he had not been responsible for his actions from the time he left +his mother's house, it might save his life." + +"That is a capital idea," Dr. Green said, "and Porson's evidence +would back mine. Yes, I will go in and see him even if my visit +does do him harm." + +"I will move him into his new quarters first," the officer said; +"then if he drinks the tea he may, if he feels sleepy, throw himself +on the bed and go off. He will be quiet and undisturbed there." + +Two or three minutes later the doctor was shown into a comfortable +room. A fire was burning brightly, and the tea was placed on a +little tray with a new roll and a pat of butter. + +Ned's mood had somewhat changed. He received the doctor with a +boisterous laugh. + +"How are you, doctor? Here I am, you see, monarch of all I survey. +This is the first time you have visited me in a room which I could +consider entirely my own. Not a bad place either." + +"I hope you will not be here long, Ned," Dr. Green said, humoring +him. "We shall all do our best to get you out as soon as we can." + +"I don't think your trying will be of much use, doctor; but what's +the odds as long as you are happy!" + +"That's right, my boy, nothing like looking at matters cheerfully. +You know, lad, how warmly all your old friends are with you. Would +you like me to bring Charlie next time I come?" + +"No, no, doctor," Ned said almost with a cry. "No. I have thought +it over, and Charlie must not see me. It will do him harm and I +shall break down. I shall have to see him at the trial--of course +he must be there--that will be bad enough." + +"Very well," the doctor said quietly, "just as you like, Ned. I +shall be seeing you every day, and will give him news of you. I am +going to see him now." + +"Tell him I am well and comfortable and jolly," Ned said recklessly. + +"I will tell him you are comfortable, Ned, and I should like to +tell him that you had eaten your breakfast." + +"Oh, yes! Tell him that. Say I ate it voraciously." And he swallowed +down the cup of tea and took a bite at the roll. + +"I will tell him," Dr. Green said. "I will come in again this +evening, and will perhaps bring in with me a little medicine. You +will be all the better for a soothing draught." + +"I want no draughts," Ned said. "Why should I? I am as right as +ninepence." + +"Very well. We will see," the doctor said. "Now I must be going my +rounds." + +As soon as he had gone Ned began pacing up and down the room, +as he had done the whole of the past night without intermission. +Gradually, however, the powerful narcotic began to take effect. +His walk became slower, his head began to droop, and at last he +stumbled toward the bed in the corner of the room, threw himself +heavily down, and was almost instantly sound asleep. Five minutes +later the door opened quietly and Dr. Green entered. + +He had been listening outside the door, had noticed the change in +the character of Ned's walk, and having heard the fall upon the +bed, and had no fear of his rousing himself at his entrance. The +boy was lying across the bed, and the doctor, who was a powerful +man, lifted him gently and laid him with his head upon the pillow. +He felt his pulse, and lifted his eyelid. + +"It was a strong dose," he said to himself, "far stronger than +I should have dared give him at any other time, but nothing less +would have acted, with his brain in such an excited state. I must +keep in the town today and look in from time to time and see how +he is going on. It may be that I shall have to take steps to rouse +him." + +At the next visit Dr. Green looked somewhat anxious as he listened +to the boy's breathing and saw how strongly he was under the +influence of the narcotic. + +"Under any other circumstances," he said to the chief constable, +who had entered the room with him, "I should take strong measures +to arouse him at once, but as it is I will risk it. I know it is a +risk both for him and me, for a nice scrape I should get in if he +slipped through my fingers; but unless he gets sleep I believe his +brain will go, and anything is better than that." + +"Yes, poor lad," the officer said. "When I look at his face I confess +my sympathies are all with him rather than with the man he killed." + +"I don't think he killed him," the doctor said quietly. "I am almost +sure he didn't." + +"You don't say so!" the chief constable said, surprised. "I had +not the least doubt about it." + +"No. Nobody seems to have the least doubt about it," the doctor +said bitterly. "I am almost sure that he had nothing to do with +it; but if he did it it was when he was in a state of such passion +that he was practically irresponsible for his actions. At any rate, +I am prepared to swear that his mind is unhinged at present. I will +go back now and fetch two or three books and will then sit by him. +He needs watching." + +For several hours the doctor sat reading by Ned's bedside. From +time to time he leaned over the lad, listened to his breathing, +felt his pulse, and occasionally lifted his eyelid. After one of +these examinations, late in the afternoon, he rose with a sigh of +relief, pulled down the blinds, gently drew the curtains, and then, +taking his books, went down and noiselessly closed the door after +him. + +"Thank God! he will do now," he said to the chief constable; "but +it has been a very near squeak, and I thought several times I should +have to take immediate steps to wake him. However, the effects are +passing off, and he will soon be in a natural sleep. Pray let the +house be kept as quiet as possible, and let no one go near him. +The chances are he will sleep quietly till morning." + +The doctor called again the last thing that evening, but was told +that no stir had been heard in Ned's room, and the same report met +him when he came again next morning. + +"That is capital," he said. "Let him sleep on. He has a long arrears +to make up. I shall not be going out today; please send in directly +he wakes." + +"Very well," the officer replied. "I will put a man outside his +door, and the moment a move is heard I will let you know." + + + +CHAPTER XIV: COMMITTED FOR TRIAL + + +It was not until after midday that the message arrived, and Dr. +Green at once went in. Ned was sitting on the side of the bed, a +constable having come off with the message as soon as he heard him +make the first move. + +"Well, Ned, how are you now?" Dr. Green asked cheerfully as he +went to the window and drew back the curtains. "Had a good sleep, +my boy, and feel all the better for it, I hope." + +"Yes, I think I have been asleep," Ned said in a far more natural +voice than that of the previous day. "How did the curtains get +drawn?" + +"I drew them, Ned. I looked in in the afternoon, and found you fast +asleep, so I darkened the room." + +"Why, what time is it now?" Ned asked. + +"Half past twelve, Ned." + +"Half past twelve! Why, how can that be?" + +"Why, my boy, you have had twenty-two hours' sleep." + +Ned gave an exclamation of astonishment. + +"You had two nights' arrears to make up for, and nature is not to +be outraged in that way with impunity. I am very thankful that you +had a good night, for I was really anxious about you yesterday." + +"I feel rather heavy and stupid now," Ned said, "but I am all the +better for my sleep. + +"Let me think," he began, looking round the room, for up till now +remembrance of the past had not come back again, "what am I doing +here? Oh! I remember now." + +"You are here, my boy, on a charge of which I have no doubt we shall +prove you innocent. Of course Porson and I and all your friends +know you are innocent, but we have got to prove it to the world, +and we shall want all your wits to help us. But we needn't talk +about that now. The first thing for you to do is to put your head +in a basin of water. By the time you have had a good wash your +breakfast will be here. I told my old cook to prepare it when I came +out, and as you are a favorite of hers I have no doubt it will be +a good one. After you have discussed that we can talk matters over. +I sent my boy down to the school just now to ask Porson to come +up here in half an hour. Then we three can lay our heads together +and see what are the best steps to take." + +"Let me see," Ned said thoughtfully. "Was I dreaming, or have I +seen Mr. Porson since I came here?" + +"You are not dreaming, Ned; but the fact is, you were not quite +yourself yesterday. The excitement you had gone through had been +too much for you." + +"It all seems a dream to me," Ned said in a hopeless tone, "a +confused, muddled sort of dream." + +"Don't think about it now, Ned," the doctor said cheerfully, +"but get off your things at once, and set to and sluice your head +well with water. I will be back in a quarter of an hour with the +breakfast." + +At the end of that time the doctor returned, his boy carrying a tray. +The constable on duty took it from him, and would have carried it +into Ned's room, but the doctor said: + +"Give it me, Walker. I will take it in myself. I don't want him to +see any of you just at present. His head's in a queer state, and +the less he is impressed with the fact that he is in charge the +better." + +Dr. Green found Ned looking all the better for his wash. The swelling +of his face had now somewhat abated, but the bruises were showing +out in darker colors than before; still he looked fresher and +better. + +"Here is your breakfast, Ned, and if you don't enjoy it Jane will +be terribly disappointed." + +"I shall enjoy it, doctor. I feel very weak; but I do think I am +hungry." + +"You ought to be, Ned, seeing that you have eaten nothing for two +days." + +The doctor removed the cloth which covered the tray. The meal consisted +of three kidneys and two eggs, and a great pile of buttered toast. +The steam curled out of the spout of a dainty china teapot, and +there was a small jug brimful of cream. + +The tears came into Ned's eyes. + +"Oh! how good you are, doctor!" + +"Nonsense, good!" the doctor said; "come, eat away, that will be +the best thanks to Jane and me." + +Ned needed no pressing. He ate languidly at first; but his appetite +came as he went on, and he drank cup after cup of the fragrant +tea, thick with cream. With the exception of one egg, he cleared +the tray. + +"There, doctor!" he said, as he pushed back his chair; "if you are +as satisfied as I am you must be contented indeed." + +"I am, Ned; that meal has done us both a world of good. Ah! here +is Porson, just arrived at the right moment." + +"How are you, Ned?" the master asked heartily. + +"I am quite well, sir, thank you. Sleep and the doctor, and the +doctor's cook, have done wonders for me. I hear you came yesterday, +sir, but I don't seem to remember much about it." + +"Yes, I was here, Ned," Mr. Porson said, "but you were pretty well +stupid from want of sleep. However, I am glad to see you quite +yourself again this morning." + +"And now," the doctor said, "we three must put our heads together +and see what is to be done. You understand, Ned, how matters stand, +don't you?" + +"Yes, sir," Ned said after a pause; "I seem to know that some one +said that Mr. Mulready was dead, and some one thought that I had +killed him, and then I started to come over to give myself up. Oh! +yes, I remember that, and then there was an examination before the +magistrates. I remember it all; but it seems just as if it had been +a dream." + +"Yes, that is what happened, Ned, and naturally it seems a dream +to you, because you were so completely overcome by excitement and +want of food and sleep that you were scarcely conscious of what +was passing. Now we want you to think over quietly, as well as you +can, what you did when you left home." + +Ned sat for a long time without speaking. + +"It seems all confused," he said at last. "I don't even remember +going out of the house. I can remember his striking me in the face +again and again, and then I heard my mother scream, and everything +seems to have become misty. But I know I was walking about; I +know that I was worrying to get at him, and that if I had met him +I should have attacked him, and if I had had anything in my hand +I should have killed him." + +"But you don't remember doing anything, Ned? You cannot recall that +you went anywhere and got a rope and fastened it across the road +with the idea of upsetting his gig on the way back from the mill?" + +"No, sir," Ned said decidedly; "I can't recollect anything of that +at all. I am quite sure if I had done that I should remember it; +for I seem to remember, now I think of it, a good deal of what I +did. Yes, I went up through Varley; the lights weren't out, and I +wondered what Bill would say if I were to knock at his door and he +opened it and saw what a state my face was in. Then I went out on +the moor, and it seems to me that I walked about for hours, and +the longer I walked the more angry I was. At last--it could not +have been long before morning, I think--I lay down for a time, +and then when it was light I made up my mind to go over and see +Abijah. I knew she would be with me. That's all I remember about +it. Does my mother think I did it?" + +Dr. Green hesitated a moment. + +"Your mother is not in a state to think one way or the other, Ned; +she is in such a state of grief that she hardly knows what she is +saying or doing." + +In fact Mrs. Mulready entertained no doubt whatever upon the +subject, and had continued to speak of Ned's wickedness until Dr. +Green that morning had lost all patience with her, and told her she +ought to be ashamed of herself to be the first to accuse her son, +and that if he was hung she would only have herself to blame for +it. + +Ned guessed by the doctor's answer that his mother was against him. + +"It is curious," he said, "she did not take on so after my father's +death, and he was always kind and good to her, while this man was +just the reverse." + +"There's never any understanding women," Dr. Green said testily, +"and your mother is a singularly inconsequent and weak specimen of +her sex. Well, Ned, and so that is all you can tell us about the +way you passed that unfortunate evening. What a pity it is, to +be sure, that you did not rouse up your friend Bill. His evidence +would probably have cleared you at once. As it is, of course we +believe your story, my boy. The question is, will the jury believe +it?" + +"I don't seem to care much whether they do or not," Ned said sadly, +"unless we find the man who did it. Every one will think me guilty +even if I am acquitted. Fancy going on living all one's life and +knowing that everyone one meets is thinking to himself, 'That is +the man who killed his stepfather'--it would be better to be hung +at once." + +"You must look at it in a more hopeful way than that, Ned," Mr. +Porson said kindly; "many will from the first believe, with us, +that you are innocent. You will live it down, my boy, and sooner +or later we may hope and believe that God will suffer the truth to +be known. At the worst, you know you need not go on living here. +The world is wide, and you can go where your story is unknown. + +"Do not look on the darkest side of things. And now, for the +present, I have brought you down a packet of books. If I were you +I would try to read--anything is better than going on thinking. +You will want all your wits about you, and the less you worry your +mind the better. Mr. Wakefield will represent you at the examination +next week; but I do not see that there will be much for him to +do, as I fear there is little doubt that you will be committed for +trial, when of course we shall get the best legal assistance for +you. I will tell him exactly what you have said to me, and he can +then come and see you or not as he likes. I shall come in every +day. I have already obtained permission from the magistrates to do +so. I shall go now and see Charlie and tell him all about it. It +will cheer him very much, poor boy. You may be sure he didn't think +you guilty; still, your assurance that you know nothing whatever +about it will be a comfort to him." + +"Yes," Ned said, "Charlie knows that I would not tell a lie to save +my life, though he knows that I might possibly kill any one when +I am in one of my horrible tempers; and I did think I was getting +over them, Mr. Porson!" he broke out with a half sob. "I have really +tried hard." + +"I know you have, Ned. I am sure you have done your best, my boy, +and you have been sorely tried; but, now, I must be off. Keep up +your spirits, hope for the best, and pray God to strengthen you to +bear whatever may be in store for you, and to clear you from this +charge." + +That evening when Mr. Porson was in his study the servant came in +and said that a young man wished to speak to him. + +"Who is it, Mary?" + +"He says his name is Bill Swinton, sir." + +"Oh! I know," the master said; "show him in." + +Bill was ushered in. + +"Sit down, Bill," Mr. Porson said; "I have heard of you as a friend +of Sankey's. I suppose you have come to speak to me about this +terrible business?" + +"Ay," Bill said, "that oi be, sir, seeing as how Ned always spake +of you as a true friend, and loiked you hearty. They say too as +you ha' engaged Lawyer Wakefield to defend him." + +"That is so, Bill. I am convinced of the boy's innocence. He has +always been a favorite of mine. He has no relations to stand by +him now, poor boy, so we who are his friends must do our best for +him." + +"Surely," Bill said heartily; "and dost really think as he didn't +do it?" + +"I may say I am quite sure he did not, Bill. Didn't you think so +too?" + +"No, sir," Bill said; "it never entered my moind as he didn't do +it. Oi heard as how t' chap beat Maister Ned cruel, and it seemed +to me natural loike as he should sarve him out. Oi didn't suppose +as how he meant vor to kill him, but as everyone said as how he +did the job it seemed to me loike enough; but of course it didn't +make no differ to oi whether so be as he killed un or not. Maister +Ned's moi friend, and oi stands by him; still oi be main glad to +hear as you think he didn't do it; but will the joodge believe it?" + +"Ah! that I cannot say," Mr. Porson replied. "I know the lad and +believe his word; but at present appearances are sadly against him. +That unfortunate affair that he had with my predecessor induced a +general idea that he was very violent tempered. Then it has been +notorious that he and his stepfather did not get on well together, +and this terrible quarrel on the evening of Mr. Mulready's death +seems only too plainly to account for the affair; still, without +further evidence, I question if a jury will find him guilty. It is +certain he had no rope when he went out, and unless the prosecution +can prove that he got possession of a rope they cannot bring the +guilt home to him." + +"No, surely," Bill assented, and sat for some time without further +speech; then he went on, "now, sir, what oi be come to thee about +be this. Thou bee'st his friend and know'st best what 'ould be a +good thing for him. Now we ha' been a-talking aboot a plan, Luke +Marner and oi, as is Maister Ned's friends, and we can get plenty +of chaps to join us. We supposes as arter the next toime as they +has him up in coort they will send him off to York Castle to be +tried at the 'sizes." + +"Yes; I have no doubt he will be committed after his next appearance, +Bill; but what is the plan that you and your friend Luke were +thinking of?" + +"Well, we was a-thinking vor twenty or so on us to coom down at +noight and break open t' cells. There be only t' chief constable +and one other, and they wouldn't be no good agin us, and we could +get Maister Ned owt and away long afore t' sojers would have toime +to wake up and coom round; then we could hide un up on moor till +there was toime to get un away across the seas. Luke he be pretty +well bent on it, but oi says as before we did nothing oi would coom +and ax thee, seeing as how thou bee'st a friend of his." + +"No, Bill," Mr. Porson said gravely. "It would not do at all, and +I am glad you came to ask me. If I thought it certain that the jury +would find a verdict of guilty, and that Ned, innocent as I believe +him of the crime, would be hung, I should say that your plan might +be worth thinking of; for in that case Ned might possibly be got +away till we his friends here could get at the bottom of the matter. +Still it would be an acknowledgment for the time of his guilt, and +I am sure that Ned himself would not run away without standing his +trial even if the doors of his cell were opened. I shall see him +tomorrow morning, and will tell him of your scheme on his behalf. +I am sure he will be grateful, but I am pretty certain that he will +not avail himself of it. If you will come down tomorrow evening I +will let you know exactly what he says." + +As Mr. Porson expected, Ned, although much moved at the offer of +his humble friends to free him by force, altogether declined to +accept it. + +"It is just like Bill," he said, "ready to get into any scrape +himself to help me: but I must stand my trial. I know that even if +they cannot prove me guilty I cannot prove I am innocent; still, +to run away would be an acknowledgment of guilt, and I am not going +to do that." + +On the day appointed Ned was again brought up before the magistrates. +The examination was this time in public, and the justice room was +crowded. Ned, whose face was now recovering from the marks of ill +usage, was pale and quiet. He listened in silence to the evidence +proving the finding of Mr. Mulready's body. The next witness put +into the box was one of the engineers at the factory; he proved +that the rope which had been used in upsetting the gig had been cut +from one which he had a short time before been using for moving a +portion of the machinery. He had used the rope about an hour before +Mr. Mulready came back in the evening, and it was then whole. After +it had been done with it was thrown outside the mill to be out of +the way, as it would not be required again. + +After he had given his evidence Mr. Wakefield asked: + +"Did you hear any one outside the mill when Mr. Mulready was there?" + +"No, sir; I heard nothing." + +"Any one might have entered the yard, I suppose, and found the +rope?" + +"Yes; the gates were open, as we were at work." + +"Would the rope be visible to any one who entered the yard?" + +"It would not be seen plainly, because it was a dark night; but +any one prowling about outside the mill might have stumbled against +it." + +"You have no reason whatever for supposing that it was Mr. Edward +Sankey who cut this rope more than anyone else?" + +"No, sir." + +Charlie was the next witness. The boy was as white as a sheet, +and his eyes were swollen with crying. He glanced piteously at his +brother, and exclaimed with a sob, "Oh! Ned." + +"Don't mind, Charlie," Ned said quietly. "Tell the whole story +exactly as it happened. You can't do me any harm, old boy." + +So encouraged Charlie told the whole story of the quarrel arising +in the first place from his stepfather's ill temper at the tea +table. + +"Your brother meant nothing specially unpleasant in calling your +stepfather Foxey?" Mr. Wakefield asked. + +"No, sir; he had always called him so even before he knew that he +was going to marry mother. It was a name, I believe, the men called +him, and Ned got it from them." + +"I believe that your stepfather had received threatening letters, +had he not?" + +"Yes, sir, several; he was afraid to put his new machines to work +because of them." + +"Thank you, that will do," Mr. Wakefield said. "I have those letters +in my possession," he went on to the magistrates. "They are proof +that the deceased had enemies who had threatened to take his life. +Shall I produce them now?" + +"It is hardly worth while, Mr. Wakefield, though they can be brought +forward at the trial. I may say, indeed, that we have seen some +of them already, for it was on account of these letters that we +applied for the military to be stationed here." + +It was not thought necessary to call Mrs. Mulready; but the servant +gave her evidence as to what she had heard of the quarrel, and as +to the absence of Ned from home that night. + +"Unless you are in a position to produce evidence, Mr. Wakefield, +proving clearly that at the time the murder was committed the +prisoner was at a distance from the spot, we are prepared to commit +him for trial." + +Mr. Wakefield intimated that he should reserve his evidence for +the trial itself, and Ned was then formally committed. + +The examination in no way altered the tone of public opinion. The +general opinion was that Ned had followed his stepfather to the +mill, intending to attack him, that he had stumbled onto the coil +of rope, and the idea occurred to him of tying it across the road +and upsetting the gig on its return. Charlie's evidence as to the +savage assault upon his brother had created a stronger feeling of +sympathy than had before prevailed, and had the line of defense been +that, smarting under his injuries, Ned had suddenly determined to +injure his stepfather by upsetting the gig, but without any idea +of killing him, the general opinion would have been that under such +provocation as Ned had received a lengthened term of imprisonment +would have been an ample punishment. More than one, indeed, were +heard to say, "Well, if I were on the jury, my verdict would be, +Served him right." + +Still, although there was greater sympathy than before with Ned, +there were few, indeed, who doubted his guilt. + +After Ned was removed from court he was taken back by the chief +constable to his house, and ten minutes later he was summoned into +the parlor, where he found Charlie and Lucy waiting him. Lucy, +who was now ten years old, sprang forward to meet him; he lifted +her, and for awhile she lay with her head on his shoulder and her +arms round his neck, sobbing bitterly, while Charlie clung to his +brother's disengaged hand. + +"Don't cry, Lucy, don't cry little woman; it will all come right in +the end;" but Lucy's tears were not to be stanched. Ned sat down, +and after a time soothed her into stillness, but she still lay +nestled up in his arms. + +"It was dreadful, Ned," Charlie said, "having to go into court as +a witness against you. I had thought of running away, but did not +know where to go to, and then Mr. Porson had a talk with me and +told me that it was of the greatest importance that I should tell +everything exactly word for word, just as it happened. He said +every one knew there had been a quarrel, and that if I did not +tell everything it would seem as if I was keeping something back +in order to screen you, and that would do you a great deal of +harm, and that, as really you were not to blame in the quarrel, my +evidence would be in your favor rather than against you. He says +he knew that you would wish me to tell exactly what took place." + +"Certainly, Charlie; there is nothing I could want hid. I was +wrong to speak of him as Foxey, and to let fly as I did about him; +but there was nothing intended to offend him in that, because, of +course, I had no idea that he could hear me. The only thing I have +to blame myself very much for is for getting into a wild passion. +I don't think any one would say I did wrong in going out of the +house after being knocked about so; but if I had not got into a +passion, and had gone straight to Bill's, or to Abijah, or to Mr. +Porson, which would have been best of all, to have stopped the +night, all this would not have come upon me; but I let myself get +into a blind passion and stopped in it for hours, and I am being +punished for it." + +"It was natural that you should get in a passion," Charlie said +stoutly. "I think any one would have got in a passion." + +"I don't think you would, Charlie," Ned said, smiling. + +"No," Charlie replied; "but then you see that is not my way. +I should have cried all night; but then I am not a great, strong +fellow like you, and it would not be so hard to be knocked about." + +"It's no use making excuses, Charlie. I know I ought not to have +given way to my temper like that. Now, Lucy dear, as you are feeling +better, you must sit up and talk to me. How is mother?" + +"Mother is in bed," Lucy said. "She's always in bed now; the house +is dreadful, Ned, without you, and they say you are not to come +back yet," and the tears came very near to overflowing again. + +"Ah! well, I hope I shall be back before long, Lucy." + +"I hope so," Lucy said; "but you know you will soon be going away +again to be a soldier." + +"I shall not go away again now, Lucy," Ned said quietly. "When I +come back it will be for good." + +"Oh! that will be nice," Lucy said joyously, "just as it used to +be, with no one to be cross and scold about everything." + +"Hush! little woman, don't talk about that. He had his faults, dear, +as we all have, but he had a great deal to worry him, and perhaps +we did not make allowances enough for him, and I do think he was +really fond of you, Lucy, and when people are dead we should never +speak ill of them." + +"I don't want to," Lucy said, "and I didn't want him to be fond of +me when he wasn't fond of you and Charlie or mother. It seems to +me he wasn't fond of mother, and yet she does nothing but cry; I +can't make that out, can you?" + +Ned did not answer; his mother's infatuation for Mr. Mulready had +always been a puzzle to him, and he could at present think of no +reply which would be satisfactory to Lucy. + +A constable now came in and said that there were other visitors +waiting to see Ned. He then withdrew, leaving the lad to say goodby +to his brother and sister alone. Ned kept up a brave countenance, +and strove to make the parting as easy as possible for the others, +but both were crying bitterly as they went out. + +Ned's next visitors were Dr. Green and Mr. Porson. + +"We have only a minute or two, my boy," Mr. Porson said, "for the +gig is at the door. The chief constable is going to drive you to +York himself. You will go halfway and sleep on the road tonight. +It is very good of him, as in that way no one will suspect that +you are any but a pair of ordinary travelers. Keep up your spirits, +my boy. We have sent to London for a detective from Bow Street to +try and ferret out something of this mysterious business; and even +if we do not succeed, I have every faith that it will come right +in the end. And now goodby, my boy, I shall see you in a fortnight, +for of course I shall come over to York to the trial to give evidence +as to character." + +"And so shall I, Ned, my patients must get on without me for a day +or two," the doctor said. "Mr. Wakefield is waiting to see you. He +has something to tell you which may help to cheer you. He says it +is of no legal value, but it seems to me important." + + + +CHAPTER XV: NOT GUILTY + + +As soon as Mr. Porson and the doctor had left him Mr. Wakefield +appeared. + +"Well, Sankey, I hope you are not downcast at the magistrates' +decision. It was a certainty that they would have to commit you, +as we could not prove a satisfactory alibi. Never mind, I don't +think any jury will find against you on the evidence they have got, +especially in the face of those threatening letters and the fact +that several men in Mulready's position have been murdered by the +Luddites." + +"It won't be much consolation to me, sir, to be acquitted if it +can't be proved to the satisfaction of every one that I am innocent." + +"Tut, tut! my boy; the first thing to do is to get you out of the +hands of the law. After that we shall have time to look about us +and see if we can lay our hands on the right man. A curious thing +has happened today while I was in court. A little boy left a letter +for me at my office here; it is an ill-written scrawl, as you see, +but certainly important." + +Ned took the paper, on which was written in a scrawling hand: + +"Sir, Maister Sankey be innocent of the murder of Foxey. I doan't +want to put my neck in a noose, but if so be as they finds him +guilty in coort and be a-going to hang him, I shall come forward +and say as how I did it. I bean't agoing to let him be hung for +this job. A loife for a loife, saes oi; so tell him to keep up his +heart." + +There was no signature to the paper. + +Ned looked up with delight in his face. + +"But won't the letter clear me, Mr. Wakefield? It shows that it +was not me, but some one else who did it." + +"No, Sankey, pray do not cherish any false hopes on that ground. +The letter is valueless in a legal way. To you and to your friends +it may be a satisfaction; but it can have no effect on the court. +There is nothing to prove that it is genuine. It may have been written +by any friend of yours with a view of obtaining your acquittal. Of +course we shall put it in at the trial, but it cannot be accepted +as legal evidence in any way. Still a thing of that sort may have +an effect upon some of the jury." + +Ned looked again at the letter, and a shade came over his face now +that he looked at it carefully. He recognized in a moment Bill's +handwriting. He had himself instructed him by setting him copies +at the time he was laid up with the broken leg, and Bill had stuck +to it so far that he was able to read and write in a rough way. + +Ned's first impulse was to tell Mr. Wakefield who had written the +note, but he thought that it might get Bill into a scrape. It was +evidently written by his friend, solely to create an impression in +his favor, and he wondered that such an idea should have entered +Bill's head, which was by no means an imaginative one. As to the +young fellow having killed Mr. Mulready it did not even occur to +Ned for a moment. + +As, seated by the side of the chief constable, he drove along that +afternoon, Ned turned it over anxiously in his mind whether it would +be honest to allow this letter to be produced in court, knowing +that it was only the device of a friend, Finally he decided to let +matters take their course. + +"I am innocent," he said to himself, "and what I have got to live +for is to clear myself from this charge. Mr. Wakefield said this +letter would not be of value one way or the other, and if I were +to say Bill wrote it he might insist upon Bill's being arrested, +and he might find it just as hard to prove his innocence as I do." + +The assizes were to come on in three weeks. Ned was treated with more +consideration than was generally the case with prisoners in those +days, when the jails were terribly mismanaged; but Mr. Simmonds had +written to the governor of the prison asking that every indulgence +that could be granted should be shown to Ned, and Mr. Porson had +also, before the lad left Marsden, insisted on his accepting a sum +of money which would enable him to purchase such food and comforts +as were permitted to be bought by prisoners, able to pay for them, +awaiting their trial. + +Thus Ned obtained the boon of a separate cell, he was allowed to +have books and writing materials, and to have his meals in from +outside the prison. + +The days, however, passed but slowly, and Ned was heartily glad +when the time for the assizes was at hand and his suspense was to +come to an end. His case came on for trial on the second day of +the sessions. On the previous evening he received a visit from Mr. +Wakefield, who told him that Mr. Porson, Dr. Green and Charlie had +come over in the coach with him. + +"You will be glad to hear that your mother will not be called," +the lawyer said. "The prosecution, I suppose, thought that it would +have a bad effect to call upon a mother to give evidence against +her son; besides, she could prove no more than your brother will +be able to do. If they had called her, Green would have given her a +certificate that she was confined to her bed and could not possibly +attend. However I am glad they did not call her, for the absence of +a witness called against the prisoner, but supposed to be favorable +to him, always counts against him." + +"And you have no clue as who did it, Mr. Wakefield?" + +"Not a shadow," the lawyer replied. "We have had a man down from +town ever since you have been away, but we have done no good. +He went up to Varley and tried to get into the confidence of the +croppers, but somehow they suspected him to be a spy sent down +to inquire into the Luddite business, and he had a pretty narrow +escape of his life. He was terribly knocked about before he could +get out of the public house, and they chased him all the way down +into Marsden. Luckily he was a pretty good runner, and had the +advantage of having lighter shoes on than they had, or they would +have killed him to a certainty. No, my lad, we can prove nothing; +we simply take the ground that you didn't do it; that he was +a threatened man and unpopular with his hands; and there is not a +shadow of proof against you except the fact that he had ill treated +you just before." + +"And that I was known to bear him ill will," Ned said sadly. + +"Yes, of course that's unfortunate," the lawyer said uneasily. "Of +course they will make a point of that, but that proves nothing. +Most boys of your age do object to a stepfather. Of course we shall +put it to the jury that there is nothing uncommon about that. Oh! +no, I do not think they have a strong case; and Mr. Grant, who is +our leader, and who is considered the best man on the circuit, is +convinced we shall get a verdict." + +"But what do people think at Marsden, Mr. Wakefield? Do people +generally think I am guilty?" + +"Pooh! pooh!" Mr. Wakefield said hastily. "What does it matter +what people think? Most people are fools. The question we have to +concern ourselves with is what do the jury think, or at any rate +with what they think is proved, and Mr. Grant says he does not +believe any jury could find you guilty upon the evidence. He will +work them up. I know he is a wonderful fellow for working up." + +Mr. Grant's experience of juries turned out to be well founded. +Ned, as he stood pale, but firm and composed in the dock, felt that +his case was well nigh desperate when he heard the speech for the +prosecution: his long and notorious ill will against the deceased, +"one of the most genial and popular gentlemen in that part of +the great county of Yorkshire," was dwelt upon. Evidence would be +brought to show that even on the occasion of his mother's marriage the +happiness of the ceremonial was marred by the scowls and menacing +appearance of this most unfortunate and ill conditioned lad; how some +time after the marriage this young fellow had violently assaulted +his stepfather, and had used words in the hearing of the servants +which could only be interpreted as a threat upon his life. This +indeed, was not the first time that this boy had been placed in +the dock as a prisoner. Upon a former occasion he had been charged +with assaulting and threatening the life of his schoolmaster, and +although upon that occasion he had escaped the consequences of his +conduct by what must now be considered as the ill timed leniency +of the magistrates, yet the facts were undoubted and undenied. + +Then the counsel proceeded to narrate the circumstances of the +evening up to the point when Mr. Mulready left the house. + +"Beyond that point, gentlemen of the jury," the counsel said, +"nothing certain is known. The rest must be mere conjecture; and +yet it is not hard to imagine the facts. The prisoner was aware +that the deceased had gone to the mill, which is situated a mile +and a half from the town. You will be told the words which the +prisoner used: 'It will be my turn next time, and when it comes I +will kill you, you brute.' + +"With these words on his lips, with this thought in his heart, he +started for the mill. What plan he intended to adopt, what form +of vengeance he intended to take, it matters not, but assuredly it +was with thoughts of vengeance in his heart that he followed that +dark and lonely road to the mill. Once there he would have hung +about waiting for his victim to issue forth. It may be that he had +picked up a heavy stone, may be that he had an open knife in his +hand; but while he was waiting, probably his foot struck against a +coil of rope, which, as you will hear, had been carelessly thrown +out a few minutes before. + +"Then doubtless the idea of a surer method of vengeance than that +of which he had before thought came into his mind. A piece of the +rope was hastily cut off, and with this the prisoner stole quietly +off until he reached the spot where two gates facing each other on +opposite sides of the lane afforded a suitable hold for the rope. +Whether after fastening it across the road he remained at the spot +to watch the catastrophe which he had brought about, or whether he +hurried away into the darkness secure of his vengeance we cannot +tell, nor does it matter. You will understand, gentlemen, that we +are not in a position to prove these details of the tragedy. I am +telling you the theory of the prosecution as to how it happened. +Murders are not generally done in open day with plenty of trustworthy +witnesses looking on. It is seldom that the act of slaying is +witnessed by human eye. The evidence must therefore to some extent +be circumstantial. The prosecution can only lay before juries the +antecedent circumstances, show ill will and animus, and lead the +jury step by step up to the point when the murderer and the victim +meet in some spot at some time when none but the all seeing eye +of God is upon them. This case is, as you see, no exception to the +general rule. + +"I have shown you that between the prisoner and the deceased there +was what may be termed a long standing feud, which came to a climax +two or three hours before this murder. Up to that fatal evening I +think I shall show you that the prisoner was wholly in fault, and +that the deceased acted with great good temper and self command +under a long series of provocations; but upon this evening his +temper appears to have failed, and I will admit frankly that he +seems to have committed a very outrageous and brutal assault upon +the prisoner. Still, gentlemen, such an assault is no justification +of the crime which took place. Unhappily it supplies the cause, +but it does not supply an excuse for the crime. + +"Your duty in the case will be simple. You will have to say whether +or not the murder of William Mulready is accounted for upon the +theory which I have laid down to you and on no other. Should you +entertain no doubt upon the subject it will be your duty to bring +in a verdict of guilty; if you do not feel absolutely certain you +will of course give the prisoner the benefit of the doubt." + +The evidence called added nothing to what was known at the first +examination. The two servants testified to the fact of the unpleasant +relations which had from the first existed between the deceased and +the prisoner, and detailed what they knew of the quarrel. Charlie's +evidence was the most damaging, as he had to state the threat which +Ned had uttered before he went out. + +The counsel for the defense asked but few questions in cross +examination. He elicited from the servants, however, the fact that +Mr. Mulready at home was a very different person from Mr. Mulready +as known by people in general. They acknowledged that he was by no +means a pleasant master, that he was irritable and fault finding, +and that his temper was trying in the extreme, He only asked one +or two questions of Charlie. + +"You did not find your stepfather a very pleasant man to deal with, +did you?" + +"Not at all pleasant," Charlie replied heartily. + +"Always snapping and snarling and finding fault, wasn't he?" + +"Yes, sir, always." + +"Now about this threat of which we have heard so much on the part +of your brother, did it impress you much? Were you frightened at +it? Did you think that your brother intended to kill your stepfather?" + +"No, sir, I am sure he didn't; he just said it in a passion. He had +been knocked about until he could hardly stand, and he just said +the first thing that came into his head, like fellows do." + +"You don't think that he went out with any deliberate idea of +killing your stepfather?" + +"No, sir; I am sure he only went out to walk about till he got over +his passion, just as he had done before." + +"It was his way, was it, when anything put him out very much, to +go and walk about till he got cool again?" + +"Yes, sir." + +For the defense Mr. Simmonds was called, and produced the threatening +letters which Mr. Mulready had laid before him. He stated that that +gentleman was much alarmed, and had asked that a military force +should be called into the town, and that he himself and his colleague +had considered the danger so serious that they had applied for and +obtained military protection. + +Luke Marner and several of the hands at the mill testified to the +extreme unpopularity of their employer among his men, and said that +they should never have been surprised any morning at hearing that +he had been killed. + +Dr. Green and Mr. Porson testified very strongly in favor of Ned's +character. This was all the evidence produced. Mr. Grant then +addressed the jury, urging that beyond the fact of this unfortunate +quarrel, in which the deceased appeared to have been entirely to +blame and to have behaved with extreme brutality, there was nothing +whatever to associate the prisoner with the crime. The young gentleman +before them, as they had heard from the testimony of gentlemen of +the highest respectability, bore an excellent character. That he +had faults in temper he admitted, such faults being the result of +the lad having been brought up among Indian servants; but Dr. Green +and Mr. Porson had both told them that he had made the greatest +efforts to master his temper, and that they believed that no ordinary +provocation could arouse him. But after all what did what they had +heard amount to? simply this, the lad's mother had been married +a second time to a man who bore the outward reputation of being +a pleasant, jovial man, a leading character among his townsmen, a +popular fellow in the circle in which he moved. + +It had been proved, however, by the evidence of those who knew him +best, of his workpeople, his servants, of this poor lad whom the +prosecution had placed in the box as a witness against his brother, +that this man's life was a long lie; that, smiling and pleasant as +he appeared, he was a tyrant, a petty despot in his family, a hard +master to his hands, a cruel master in his house, What wonder that +between this lad and such a stepfather as this there was no love +lost. There were scores, ay and thousands of boys in England who +similarly hated their stepfathers, and was it to be said that, if +any of the men came to a sudden and violent death, these boys were +to be suspected of their murder. But in the present case, although +he was not in a position to lay his finger upon the man who +perpetrated this crime, they need not go far to look for him. Had +they not heard that he was hated by his workpeople? Evidence had +been laid before them to show that he was a marked man, that he had +received threatening letters from secret associations which had, +as was notorious, kept the south of Yorkshire, and indeed all that +part of the country which was the seat of manufacture, in a state +of alarm. So imminent was the danger considered that the magistrates +had requested the aid of an armed force, and at the tame this murder +was committed there were soldiers actually stationed in the mill, +besides a strong force in the town for the protection of this man +from his enemies. + +The counsel for the prosecution had given them his theory as to +the actions of the prisoner, but he believed that that theory was +altogether wide of the truth. It was known that an accident had +taken place to the machinery, for the mill was standing idle for +the day. It would be probable that the deceased would go over late +in the evening to see how the work was progressing, as every effort +was being made to get the machinery to run on the following morning. + +"What so probable, then, that the enemies of the deceased--and +you know that he had enemies, who had sworn to take his life-- +should choose this opportunity for attacking him as he drove to or +from the town. That an enemy was prowling round the mill, as has +been suggested to you, I admit readily enough. That he stumbled +upon the rope, that the idea occurred to him of upsetting the gig +on its return, that he cut off a portion of the rope and fixed it +between the two gateposts across the road, and that this rope caused +the death of William Mulready. All this I allow; but I submit to +you that the man who did this was a member of the secret association +which is a terror to the land, and was the terror of William +Mulready, and there is no proof whatever, not even the shadow not +even the shadow of a proof, to connect this lad with the crime. + +"I am not speaking without a warrant when I assert my conviction +that it was an emissary of the association known as the Luddites +who had a hand in this matter, for I am in possession of a document, +which unfortunately I am not in a position to place before you, +as it is not legal evidence, which professes to be written by the +man who perpetrated this deed, and who appears, although obedient +to the behests of this secret association of which he is a member, +to be yet a man not devoid of heart, who says that if this innocent +young man is found guilty of this crime he will himself come forward +and confess that he did it. + +"Therefore, gentlemen of the jury, there is every reason to believe +that the slayer of William Mulready is indeed within these walls, +but assuredly he is not the most unfortunate and ill treated young +man who stands in the dock awaiting your verdict to set him free." + +The summing up was brief. The judge commenced by telling the jury +that they must dismiss altogether from their minds the document of +which the counsel for the defense had spoken, and to which, as it +had not been put into court, and indeed could not be put into court, +it was highly irregular and improper for him to have alluded. They +must, he said, dismiss it altogether from their minds. Their duty +was simple, they were to consider the evidence before them. They +had heard of the quarrel which had taken place between the deceased +and the prisoner. They had heard the threat used by the prisoner +that he would kill the deceased if he had an opportunity, and they +had to decide whether he had, in accordance with the theory of +the prosecution, carried that threat into effect; or whether on +the other hand, as the defense suggested, the deceased had fallen +a victim to the agent of the association which had threatened his +life. He was bound to tell them that if they entertained any doubt +as to the guilt of the prisoner at the bar they were bound to give +him the benefit of the doubt. + +The jury consulted together for a short time and then expressed +their desire to retire to consider their verdict. They were absent +about half an hour and on their return the foreman said in reply to +the question of the judge that they found the prisoner "Not Guilty." + +A perfect silence reigned in the court when the jury entered the +box, and something like a sigh of relief followed their verdict. +It was expected, and indeed there was some surprise when the jury +retired, for the general opinion was that whether guilty or innocent +the prosecution had failed to bring home unmistakably the crime +to the prisoner. That he might have committed it was certain, that +he had committed it was probable, but it was assuredly not proved +that he and none other had been the perpetrator of the crime. + +Of all the persons in the court the accused had appeared the least +anxious as to the result. He received almost with indifference the +assurances which Mr. Wakefield, who was sitting at the solicitor's +table below him, rose to give him, that the jury could not find a +verdict against him, and the expression of his face was unchanged +when the foreman announced the verdict. + +He was at once released from the dock. His solicitor, Dr. Green, +and Mr. Porson warmly shook his hand, and Charlie threw his arms +round his neck and cried in his joy and excitement. + +"It is all right, I suppose," Ned said as, surrounded by his friends, +he left the court, "but I would just as lief the verdict had gone +the other way." + +"Oh! Ned, how can you say so?" Charlie exclaimed. + +"Well, no, Charlie," Ned corrected himself. "I am glad for your +sake and Lucy's that I am acquitted; it would have been awful for +you if I had been hung--it is only for myself that I don't care. +The verdict only means that they have not been able to prove me +guilty, and I have got to go on living all my life knowing that I +am suspected of being a murderer. It is not a nice sort of thing, +you know," and he laughed drearily. + +"Come, come, Ned," Mr. Porson said cheerily, "you mustn't take too +gloomy a view of it. It is natural enough that you should do so +now, for you have gone through a great deal, and you are overwrought +and worn out; but this will pass off, and you will find things are +not as bad as you think. It is true that there may be some, not +many, I hope, who will be of opinion that the verdict was like the +Scotch verdict 'Not Proven,' rather than 'Not Guilty;' but I am +sure the great majority will believe you innocent. You have got the +doctor here on your side, and he is a host in himself. Mr. Simmonds +told me when the jury were out of the court that he was convinced +you were innocent, and his opinion will go a long way in Marsden, +and you must hope and trust that the time will come when your innocence +will be not only believed in, but proved to the satisfaction of +all by the discovery of the actual murderer." + +"Ah!" Ned said, "if we ever find that out it will be all right; but +unless we can do so I shall have this dreadful thing hanging over +me all my life." + +They had scarcely reached the hotel where Mr. Porson, the doctor, +and Charlie were stopping, when Mr. Simmonds arrived. + +"I have come to congratulate you, my boy," he said, shaking hands +with Ned. "I can see that at present the verdict does not give so +much satisfaction to you as to your friends, but that is natural +enough. You have been unjustly accused and have had a very hard +time of it, and you are naturally not disposed to look at matters +in a cheerful light; but this gives us time, my boy, and time is +everything. It is hard for you that your innocence has not been +fully demonstrated, but you have your life before you, and we must +hope that some day you will be triumphantly vindicated." + +"That is what I shall live for in future," Ned said. "Of course +now, Mr. Simmonds, there is an end of all idea of my going into +the army. A man suspected of a murder, even if they have failed +to bring it home to him, cannot ask for a commission in the army. +I know there's an end to all that." + +"No," Mr. Simmonds agreed hesitatingly, "I fear that for the present +that plan had better remain in abeyance; we can take it up again +later on when this matter is put straight." + +"That may be never," Ned said decidedly, "so we need say no more +about it." + +"And now, my boy," Mr. Porson said, "try and eat some lunch. I +have just ordered a post chaise to be round at the door in half an +hour. The sooner we start the better. The fresh air and the change +will do you good, and we shall have plenty of time to talk on the +road." + + + +CHAPTER XVI: LUKE MARNER'S SACRIFICE + + +Not until they had left York behind them did Ned ask after his +mother. He knew that if there had been anything pleasant to tell +about her he would have heard it at once, and the silence of his +friends warned him that the subject was not an agreeable one. + +"How is my mother?" he asked at last abruptly. + +"Well, Ned," Dr. Green replied, "I have been expecting your question, +and I am sorry to say that I have nothing agreeable to tell you." + +"That I was sure of," Ned said with a hard laugh. "As I have received +no message from her from the day I was arrested I guessed pretty +well that whatever doubt other people might feel, my mother was +positive that I had murdered her husband." + +"The fact is, Ned," Dr. Green said cautiously, "your mother is +not at present quite accountable for her opinions. The shock which +she has undergone has, I think, unhinged her mind. Worthless as I +believe him to have been, this man had entirely gained her affections. +She has not risen from her bed since he died. + +"Sometimes she is absolutely silent for hours, at others she +talks incessantly; and painful as it is to tell you so, her first +impression that you were responsible for his death is the one which +still remains fixed on her mind. She is wholly incapable of reason +or of argument. At times she appears sane and sensible enough and +talks of other matters coherently; but the moment she touches on +this topic she becomes excited and vehement. It has been a great +comfort to me, and I am sure it will be to you, that your old +servant Abijah has returned and taken up the position of housekeeper. + +"As soon as your mother's first excitement passed away I asked her +if she would like this, and she eagerly assented. The woman was in +the town, having come over on the morning after you gave yourself +up, and to my great relief she at once consented to take up her +former position. This is a great thing for your sister, who is, of +course, entirely in her charge, as your mother is not in a condition +to attend to anything. I was afraid at first that she would not +remain, so indignant was she at your mother's believing your guilt; +but when I assured her that the poor lady was not responsible for +what she said, and that her mind was in fact unhinged altogether +by the calamity, she overcame her feelings; but it is comic to see +her struggling between her indignation at your mother's irresponsible +talk and her consciousness that it is necessary to abstain from +exciting her by contradiction." + +Dr. Green had spoken as lightly as he could, but he knew how painful +it must be to Ned to hear of his mother's conviction of his guilt, +and how much it would add to the trials of his position. + +Ned himself had listened in silence. He sighed heavily when the +doctor had finished. + +"Abijah will be a great comfort," he said quietly, "a wonderful +comfort; but as to my poor mother, it will of course be a trial. +Still, no wonder that, when she heard me say those words when I +went out, she thinks that I did it. However, I suppose that it is +part of my punishment." + +"Have you thought anything of your future plans, Ned?" Mr. Porson +asked after they had driven in silence for some distance. + +"Yes, I have been thinking a good deal," Ned replied, "all the time +I was shut up and had nothing else to do. I did not believe that +they would find me guilty, and of course I had to settle what I +should do afterward. If it was only myself I think I should go away +and take another name; but in that case there would be no chance +of my ever clearing myself, and for father's sake and for the sake +of Charlie and Lucy I must not throw away a chance of that. It would +be awfully against them all their lives if people could say of them +that their brother was the fellow who murdered their stepfather. +Perhaps they will always say so now; still it is evidently my duty +to stay, if it were only on the chance of clearing up the mystery. + +"In the next place I feel that I ought to stay for the sake of +money matters. I don't think, in the present state of things, with +the Luddites burning mills and threatening masters, any one would +give anything like its real value for the mill now. I know that +it did not pay with the old machinery, and it is not every one who +would care to run the risk of working with the new. By the terms +of the settlement that was made before my mother married again the +mill is now hers, and she and Charlie and Lucy have nothing else +to depend upon. As she is not capable of transacting business it +falls upon me to take her place, and I intend to try, for a time +at any rate, to run the mill myself. Of course I know nothing about +it, but as the hands all know their work the foreman will be able to +carry on the actual business of the mill till I master the details. + +"As to the office business, the clerk will know all about it. There +was a man who used to travel about to buy wool, I know my mother's +husband had every confidence in him, and he could go on just as +before. As to the sales, the books will tell the names of the firms +who dealt with us, and I suppose the business with them will go on +as before. At any rate I can but try for a time. Of course I have +quite made up my mind that I shall have no personal interest whatever +in the business. They may think that I murdered Mulready, but they +shall not say that I have profited by his death. I should suppose +that my mother can pay me some very small salary, just sufficient +to buy my clothes. So I shall go on till Charlie gets to an age +when he can manage the business as its master; then if no clue has +been obtained as to the murder I shall be able to give it up and +go abroad, leaving him with, I hope, a good business for himself +and Lucy." + +"I think that is as good a plan as any," Mr. Porson said; "but, +however, there is no occasion to come to any sudden determination +at present. I myself should advise a change of scene and thought +before you decide anything finally. I have a brother living in London +and he would, I am sure, very gladly take you in for a fortnight +and show you the sights of London." + +"Thank you, sir, you are very kind," Ned said quietly; "but I have +got to face it out at Marsden, and I would rather begin at once." + +Mr. Porson saw by the set, steady look upon Ned's face that he +had thoroughly made up his mind as to the part he had to play, and +that any further argument would be of no avail. It was not until +the postchaise was approaching Marsden that any further allusion was +made to Ned's mother. Then the doctor, after consulting Mr. Porson +by various upliftings of the eyebrows, returned to the subject. + +"Ned, my boy, we were speaking some little time ago of your mother. +I think it is best that I should tell you frankly that I do not +consider her any longer responsible for her actions. I tell you +this in order that you may not be wounded by your reception. + +"Since that fatal day she has not left her bed. She declares that +she has lost all power in her limbs. Of course that is nonsense, +but the result is the same. She keeps her bed, and, as far as I can +see, is likely to keep it. This is perhaps the less to be regretted, +as you will thereby avoid being thrown into contact with her; for +I tell you plainly such contact, in her present state of mind, could +only be unpleasant to you. Were you to meet, it would probably at +the least bring on a frightful attack of hysterics, which in her +present state might be a serious matter. Therefore, my boy, you +must make up your mind not to see her for awhile. I have talked the +matter over with your old nurse, who will remain with your mother +as housekeeper, with a girl under her. You will, of course, take +your place as master of the house, with your brother and sister +with you, until your mother is in a position to manage--if ever +she should be. But I trust at any rate that she will ere long so +far recover as to be able to receive you as the good son you have +ever been to her." + +"Thank you," Ned said quietly. "I understand, doctor." + +Ned did understand that his mother was convinced of his guilt +and refused to see him; it was what he expected, and yet it was a +heavy trial. Very cold and hard he looked as the postchaise drove +through the streets of Marsden. People glanced at it curiously, +and as they saw Ned sitting by the side of the men who were known +as his champions they hurried away to spread the news that young +Sankey had been acquitted. + +The hard look died out of Ned's face as the door opened, and Lucy +sprang out and threw her arms round his neck and cried with delight +at seeing him; and Abijah, crying too, greeted him inside with a +motherly welcome. A feeling of relief came across his mind as he +entered the sitting room. Dr. Green, who was one of the trustees +in the marriage settlement, had, in the inability of Mrs. Mulready +to give any orders, taken upon himself to dispose of much of the +furniture, and to replace it with some of an entirely different +fashion and appearance. The parlor was snug and cosy; a bright fire +blazed on the hearth; a comfortable armchair stood beside it; the +room looked warm and homely. Ned's two friends had followed him +in, and tears stood in both their eyes. + +"Welcome back, dear boy!" Mr. Porson said, grasping his hand. "God +grant that better times are in store for you, and that you may +outlive this trial which has at present darkened your life. Now we +will leave you to your brother and sister. I am sure you will be +glad to be alone with them." + +And so Ned took to the life he had marked out for himself. In two +months he seemed to have aged years. The careless look of boyhood +had altogether disappeared from his face. Except from his two friends +he rejected all sympathy. When he walked through the streets of +Marsden it was with a cold, stony face, as if he were wholly unaware +of the existence of passersby. The thought that as he went along +men drew aside to let him pass and whispered after he had gone, +"That is the fellow who murdered his stepfather, but escaped because +they could not bring it home to him," was ever in his mind. His +friends in vain argued with him against his thus shutting himself +off from the world. They assured him that there were very many +who, like themselves, were perfectly convinced of his innocence, +and who would rally round him and support him if he would give them +the least encouragement, but Ned shook his head. + +"I dare say what you say is true," he would reply; "but I could +not do it--I must go on alone. It is as much as I can bear now." + +And his friends saw that it was useless to urge him further. + +On the day after his return to Marsden Luke Marner and Bill Swinton +came back on the coach from York, and after it was dark Ned walked +up to Varley and knocked at Bill's door. + +On hearing who it was Bill threw on his cap and came out to him. +For a minute the lads stood with their hands clasped firmly in each +other's without a word being spoken. + +"Thank God, Maister Ned," Bill said at last, "we ha' got thee +again!" + +"Thank God too!" Ned said; "though I think I would rather that it +had gone the other way." + +They walked along for some time without speaking again, and then +Ned said suddenly: + +"Now, Bill, who is the real murderer?" + +Bill stopped his walk in astonishment. + +"The real murderer!" he repeated; "how ever should oi know, Maister +Ned?" + +"I know that you know, Bill. It was you who wrote that letter to +Mr. Wakefield saying that the man who did it would be at the trial, +and that if I were found guilty he would give himself up. It's no +use your denying it, for I knew your handwriting at once." + +Bill was silent for some time, It had never occurred to him that +this letter would be brought home to him. + +"Come, Bill, you must tell me," Ned said. "Do not be afraid. +I promise you that I will not use it against him. Mind, if I can +bring it home to him in any other way I shall do so; but I promise +you that no word shall ever pass my lips about the letter. I want +to know who is the man of whose crime the world believes me guilty. +The secret shall, as far as he is concerned, be just as much a +secret as it was before." + +"But oi dunno who is the man, Maister Ned. If oi did oi would ha' +gone into the court and said so, even though oi had been sure they +would ha' killed me for peaching when oi came back. Oi dunno no +more than a child." + +"Then you only wrote that letter to throw them on to a false scent, +Bill? Who put you up to that, for I am sure it would never have +occurred to you?" + +"No," Bill said slowly, "oi should never ha' thought of it myself; +Luke told oi what to wroit, and I wroited it." + +"Oh, it was Luke! was it?" Ned said sharply. "Then the man who did +it must have told him." + +"Oi didn't mean to let out as it waar Luke," Bill said in confusion; +"and oi promised him solemn to say nowt about it." + +"Well," Ned said, turning sharp round and starting on his way back +to the village, "I must see Luke himself." + +Bill in great perplexity followed Ned, muttering: "Oh, Lor'! what +ull Luke say to oi? What a fellow oi be to talk, to be sure!" + +Nothing further was said until they reached Luke's cottage. Ned +knocked and entered at once, followed sheepishly by Bill. + +"Maister Ned, oi be main glad to see thee," Luke said as he rose +from his place by the fire; while Polly with a little cry, "Welcome!" +dropped her work. + +"Thanks, Luke--thanks for coming over to York to give evidence. +How are you, Polly? There! don't cry--I ain't worth crying over. +At any rate, it is a satisfaction to be with three people who +don't regard me as a murderer. Now, Polly, I want you to go into +the other room, for I have a question which I must ask Luke, and +I don't want even you to hear the answer." + +Polly gathered her work together and went out. Then Ned went over +to Luke, who was looking at him with surprise, and laid his hand +on his shoulder. + +"Luke," he said, "I want you to tell me exactly how it was that +you came to tell Bill to write that letter to Mr. Wakefield?" + +Luke started and then looked savagely over at Bill, who stood +twirling his cap in his hand. + +"Oi couldn't help it, Luke," he said humbly. "Oi didn't mean vor +to say it, but he got it out of me somehow. He knowed my fist on +the paper, and, says he, sudden loike, 'Who war the man as murdered +Foxey?' What was oi vor to say? He says at once as he knowed the +idea of writing that letter would never ha' coom into my head; and +so the long and short of it be, as your name slipped owt somehow, +and there you be." + +"Now, Luke," Ned said soothingly, "I want to know whether there was +a man who was ready to take my place in the dock had I been found +guilty, and if so, who he was. I shall keep the name as a secret. +I give you my word of honor. After he had promised to come forward +and save my life that is the least I can do, though, as I told +Bill, if I could bring it home to him in any other way I should feel +myself justified in doing so. It may be that he would be willing to +go across the seas, and when he is safe there to write home saying +that he did it." + +"Yes, oi was afraid that soom sich thawt might be in your moind, +Maister Ned, but it can't be done that way. But oi doan't know," +he said thoughtfully, "perhaps it moight, arter all. Perhaps the +chap as was a-coomin' forward moight take it into his head to go +to Ameriky. Oi shouldn't wonder if he did, In fact, now oi thinks +on't, oi am pretty sure as he will. Yes. Oi can say for sartin as +that's what he intends. A loife vor a loife you know, Maister Nod, +that be only fair, bean't it?" + +"And you think he will really go?" Ned asked eagerly. + +"Ay, he will go," Luke said firmly, "it's as good as done; but," +he added slowly, "I dunno as he's got money vor to pay his passage +wi'. There's some kids as have to go wi' him. He would want no more +nor just the fare. But oi doan't see how he can go till he has laid +that by, and in these hard toimes it ull take him some time to do +that." + +"I will provide the money," Ned said eagerly. "Abijah would lend +me some of her savings, and I can pay her back some day." + +"Very well, Maister Ned. Oi expect as how he will take it as +a loan. Moind, he will pay it hack if he lives, honest. Oi doan't +think as how he bain't honest, that chap, though he did kill Foxey. +Very well," Luke went on slowly, "then the matter be as good as +settled. Oi will send Bill down tomorrow, and he will see if thou +canst let un have the money. A loife vor a loife, that's what oi +says, Maister Ned. That be roight, bain't it?" + +"That's right enough, Luke," Ned replied, "though I don't quite +see what that has to do with it, except that the man who has taken +this life should give his life to make amends." + +"Yes, that be it, in course," Luke replied. "Yes; just as you says, +he ought vor to give his loife to make amends." + +That night Ned arranged with Abijah, who was delighted to hand +over her savings for the furtherance of any plan that would tend to +clear Ned from the suspicion which hung over him. Bill came down +next morning, and was told that a hundred pounds would be forthcoming +in two days. + +Upon the following evening the servant came in and told Ned that +a young woman wished to speak to him. He went down into the study, +and, to his surprise, Mary Powlett was shown in. Her eyes were +swollen with crying. + +"Master Ned," she said, "I have come to say goodby." + +"Good-by, Polly! Why, where are you going?" + +"We are all going away, sir, tomorrow across the seas, to Ameriky +I believe. It's all come so sudden it seems like a dream, Feyther +never spoke of such a thing afore, and now all at once we have got +to start. I have run all the way down from Varley to say goodby. +Feyther told me that I wasn't on no account to come down to you. +Not on no account, he said. But how could I go away and know that +you had thought us so strange and ungrateful as to go away without +saying goodby after your dear feyther giving his life for little +Jenny. I couldn't do it, sir. So when he started off to spend the +evening for the last time at the 'Cow' I put on my bonnet and ran +down here. I don't care if he beats me--not that he ever did beat +sir, but he might now--for he was terrible stern in telling me +as I wasn't to come and see you." + +Ned heard her without an interruption. The truth flashed across +his mind. It was Luke Marner himself who was going to America, and +was going to write home to clear him. Yet surely Luke could never +have done it--Luke, so different from the majority of the croppers +--Luke, who had steadily refused to have anything to say to General +Lud and his schemes against the masters. Mary's last words gave +him a clue to the mystery--"Your dear feyther gave his life for +little Jenny." He coupled it with Luke's enigmatical words, "A +loife for a loife." + +For a minute or two he sat absolutely silent. Mary was hurt at +the seeming indifference with which he received the news. She drew +herself up a little, and said, in an altered voice, + +"I will say goodby, sir. I hope you won't think I was taking a +liberty in thinking you would be sorry if we were all to go without +your knowing it." + +Ned roused himself at her words. + +"It is not that, Polly. It is far from being that. But I want to +ask you a question. You remember the night of Mr. Mulready's murder? +Do you remember whether your father was at home all that evening?" + +Polly opened her eyes in surprise at a question which seemed to +her so irrelevant to the matter in hand; + +"Yes, sir," she replied, still coldly. "I remember that night. We +are not likely any of us to forget it. Feyther had not gone to the +'Cow.' He sat smoking at home. Bill had dropped in, and they sat +talking of the doings of the Luddites till it was later than usual. +Feyther was sorry afterward, because he said if he had been down +at the 'Cow' he might have noticed by the talk if any one had an +idea that anything was going to take place." + +"Then he didn't go out at all that night, Polly?" + +"No, sir, not at all that night; and now, sir, I will say goodby." + +"No, Polly, you won't, for I shall go back with you, and I don't +think that you will go to America." + +"I don't understand," the girl faltered. + +"No, Polly, I don't suppose you do; and I have not understood till +now. You will see when you get back." + +"If you please," Mary said hesitatingly, "I would rather that you +would not be there when feyther comes back. Of course I shall tell +him that I have been down to see you, and I know he will be very +angry." + +"I think I shall be able to put that straight. I can't let your +father go. God knows I have few enough true friends, and I cannot +spare him and you; and as for Bill Swinton, he would break his +heart if you went." + +"Bill's only a boy; he will get over it," Polly said in a careless +tone, but with a bright flush upon her cheek. + +"He is nearly as old as you are, Polly, and he is one of the best +fellows in the world. I know he's not your equal in education, but +a steadier, better fellow, never was." + +Mary made no reply, and in another minute the two set out together +for Varley. In spite of Ned's confident assurance that he would +appease Luke's anger, Mary was frightened when, as they entered +the cottage, she saw Luke standing moodily in front of the fire. + +"Oi expected this," he said in a tone of deep bitterness. "Oi were +a fool vor to think as you war different to other gals, and that +you would give up your own wishes to your feyther's." + +"Oh, feyther!" Polly cried, "don't speak so to me. Beat me if you +like, I deserve to be beaten, but don't speak to me like that. I +am ready to go anywhere you like, and to be a good daughter to you; +forgive me for this once disobeying you." + +"Luke, old friend," Ned said earnestly, putting his hand on the +cropper's shoulder, "don't be angry with Polly, she has done me a +great service. I have learned the truth, and know what you meant +now by a life for a life. You were going to sacrifice yourself for +me. You were going to take upon yourself a crime which you never +committed to clear me. You went to York to declare yourself the +murderer of Mulready, in case I had been found guilty. You were +going to emigrate to America to send home a written confession." + +"Who says as how oi didn't kill Foxey?" Luke said doggedly. "If oi +choose to give myself oop now who is to gainsay me?" + +"Mary and Bill can both gainsay you," Ned said. "They can prove that +you did not stir out of the house that night. Come, Luke, it's of +no use. I feel with all my heart grateful to you for the sacrifice +you were willing to make for me. I thank you as deeply and as heartily +as if you had made it. It was a grand act of self sacrifice, and +you must not be vexed with Polly that she has prevented you carrying +it out. It would have made me very unhappy had she not done so. +When I found that you were gone I should certainly have got out +from Bill the truth of the matter, and when your confession came +home I should have been in a position to prove that you had only made +it to screen me. Besides, I cannot spare you. I have few friends, +and I should be badly off indeed if the one who has proved himself +the truest and best were to leave me. I am going to carry on the +mill, and I must have your help. I have relied upon you to stand +by me, and you must be the foreman of your department. Come, Luke, +you must say you forgive Polly for opening my eyes just a little +sooner than they would otherwise have been to the sacrifice you +wanted to make for me." + +Luke, who was sorely shaken by Mary's pitiful sobs, could resist +no longer, but opened his arms, and the girl ran into them. + +"There, there," he said, "don't ee go on a crying, girl; thou hasn't +done no wrong, vor indeed it must have seemed to thee flying in +the face of natur to go away wi' out saying goodby to Maister Ned. +Well, sir, oi be main sorry as it has turned out so. Oi should ha' +loiked to ha' cleared thee; but if thou won't have it oi caan't +help it. Oi think thou beest wrong, but thou know'st best." + +"Never mind, Luke, I shall be cleared in time, I trust," Ned said. +"I am going down to the mill tomorrow for the first time, and shall +see you there. You have done me good, Luke. It is well, indeed, for +a man to know that he has such a friend as you have proved yourself +to be." + + + +CHAPTER XVII: A LONELY LIFE + + +The machinery had not started since the death of Mr. Mulready, the +foreman having received several letters threatening his life if +he ventured to use the new machinery; and the works had therefore +been carried on on their old basis until something was settled as +to their future management. + +The first few days after his return Ned spent his time in going +carefully through the books with the clerk, and in making himself +thoroughly acquainted with the financial part of the business. He +was assisted by Mr. Porson, who came every evening to the house, +and went through the accounts with him. The foreman and the men in +charge of the different rooms were asked to give their opinion as +to whether it was possible to reduce expenses in any way, but they +were unanimous in saying that this could not be done. The pay was +at present lower than in any other mill in the district, and every +item of expenditure had been kept down by Mr. Mulready to the lowest +point. + +"It is clear," Ned said at last, "that if the mill is to be kept on +we must use the new machinery. I was afraid it would be so, or he +would never have taken to it and risked his life unless it had been +absolutely necessary. I don't like it, for I have strong sympathies +with the men, and although I am sure that in the long run the +hands will benefit by the increased trade, it certainly cause great +suffering at present, so if it had been possible I would gladly +have let the new machinery stand idle until the feeling against it +had passed away; but as I see that the mill has been running at a +loss ever since prices fell, it is quite clear that we must use it +at once." + +The next morning Ned called the foreman into his office at the +mill, and told him that he had determined to set the new machinery +at work at once. + +"I am sorry to be obliged to do so," he said, "as it will considerably +reduce the number of hands at work; but it cannot be helped, it +is either that or stopping altogether, which would be worse still +for the men. Be as careful as you can in turning off the hands, +and as far as possible retain all the married men with families. +The only exception to that rule is young Swinton, who is to be kept +on whoever goes." + +That evening Luke Marner called at the house to see Ned. + +"Be it true, Maister Ned, as the voreman says, the new machines is +to be put to work?" + +"It is true, Luke, I am sorry to say. I would have avoided it if +possible; but I have gone into the matter with Mr. Porson, and I +find I must either do that or shut up the mill altogether, which +would be a good deal worse for you all. Handwork cannot compete +with machinery, and the new machines will face a dozen yards of +cloth while a cropper is doing one, and will do it much better and +more evenly." + +"That be so, surely, and it bain't no use my saying as it ain't, +and it's true enough what you says, that it's better half the +hands should be busy than none; but those as gets the sack won't +see it, and oi fears there will be mischief. Oi don't hold with +the Luddites, but oi tell ye the men be getting desperate, and oi +be main sure as there will be trouble afore long. Your loife won't +be safe, Maister Ned." + +"I don't hold much to my life," Ned laughed bitterly, "so the +Luddites won't be able to frighten me there." + +"I suppose thou wilt have some of the hands to sleep at the mill, +as they do at some of the other places. If thou wilt get arms those +as is at work will do their best to defend it. Cartwright has got +a dozen or more sleeping in his mill." + +"I will see about it," Ned said, "but I don't think I shall do +that. I don't want any men to get killed in defending our property." + +"Then they will burn it, thou wilt see if they doan't," Luke said +earnestly. + +"I hope not, Luke. I shall do my best to prevent it anyhow." + +"Oi will give ee warning if a whisper of it gets to moi ears, you +may be sure, but the young uns doan't say much to us old hands, +who be mostly agin them, and ov course they will say less now if +oi be one of those kept on." + +"We must chance it, Luke; but be sure, whatever I do I shan't let +the mill be destroyed if I can help it." + +And so on the Monday following the waterwheel was set going and +the new machinery began to work. The number of hands at the mill +was reduced by nearly one half, while the amount of cloth turned +out each week was quadrupled. + +The machinery had all the latest improvements, and was excellently +arranged. Mr. Mulready had thoroughly understood his business, +and Ned soon saw that the profits under the new system of working +would be fully as great as his stepfather had calculated. + +A very short time elapsed before threatening letters began to come +in. Ned paid no heed to them, but quietly went on his way. The +danger was, however, undoubted. The attitude of the Luddites had +become more openly threatening. Throughout the whole of the West +Riding open drilling was carried on. + +The mills at Marsden, Woodbottom, and Ottewells were all threatened. +In answer to the appeals of the mill owners the number of troops +in the district was largely increased. Infantry were stationed +in Marsden, and the 10th King's Bays, the 15th Hussars, and the +Scots Greys were alternately billeted in the place. The roads to +Ottewells, Woodbottom, and Lugards Mill were patrolled regularly, +and the whole country was excited and alarmed by constant rumors +of attacks upon the mills. + +Ned went on his way quietly, asking for no special protection for +his mill or person, seemingly indifferent to the excitement which +prevailed. Except to the workmen in the mill, to the doctor, and +Mr. Porson he seldom exchanged a word with any one during the day. + +Mr. Simmonds and several of his father's old friends had on his +return made advances toward him, but he had resolutely declined to +meet them. Mr. Porson and the doctor had remonstrated with him. + +"It is no use," he replied. "They congratulated me on my acquittal, +but I can tell by their tones that there is not one of them who +thoroughly believes in his heart that I am innocent." + +The only exception which Ned made was Mr. Cartwright, a mill owner +at Liversedge. He had been slightly acquainted with Captain Sankey; +and one day soon after Ned's return as he was walking along the +street oblivious, as usual, of every one passing, Mr. Cartwright +came up and placing himself in front of him, said heartily: + +"I congratulate you with all my heart, Sankey, on your escape from +this rascally business. I knew that your innocence would be proved: +I would have staked my life that your father's son never had any +hand in such a black affair as this. I am heartily glad!" + +There was no withstanding the frank cordiality of the Yorkshireman's +manner. Ned's reserve melted at once before it. + +"Thank you very much," he said, returning the grasp of his hand; +"but I am afraid that though I was acquitted my innocence wasn't +proved, and never will be. You may think me innocent, but you will +find but half a dozen people in Marsden to agree with you." + +"Pooh! pooh!" Mr. Cartwright said. "You must not look at things +in that light. Most men are fools, you know; never fear. We shall +prove you innocent some day. I have no doubt these rascally Luddites +are at the bottom of it. And now, look here, young fellow, I hear +that you are going to run the mill. Of course you can't know much +about it yet. Now I am an old hand and shall be happy to give you +any advice in my power, both for your own sake and for that of +your good father. Now I mean what I say, and I shall be hurt if you +refuse. I am in here two or three times a week, and my road takes +me within five hundred yards of your mill, so it will be no trouble +to me to come round for half an hour as I pass, and give you a few +hints until you get well into harness. There are dodges in our trade, +you know, as well as in all others, and you must be put up to them +if you are to keep up in the race. There is plenty of room for us +all, and now that the hands are all banding themselves against us, +we mill owners must stand together too." + +Ned at once accepted the friendly offer, and two or three times +a week Mr. Cartwright came round to the mill, went round the place +with Ned, and gave him his advice as to the commercial transactions. Ned +found this of inestimable benefit. Mr. Cartwright was acquainted +with all the buyers in that part of Yorkshire, and was able +several times to prevent Ned from entering into transactions with +men willing to take advantage of his inexperience. + +Sometimes he went over with Mr. Cartwright to his mill at Liversedge +and obtained many a useful hint there as to the management of his +business. Only in the matter of having some of his hands to sleep +at the mill Ned declined to act on the advice of his new friend. + +"No," he said; "I am determined that I will have no lives risked in +the defense of our property. It has cost us dearly enough already." + +But though Ned refused to have any of his hands to sleep at the +mill, he had a bed fitted up in his office, and every night at ten +o'clock, after Charlie had gone to bed, he walked out to the mill +and slept there: Heavy shutters were erected to all the lower +windows, and bells were attached to these and to the doors, which +would ring at the slightest motion. + +A cart one evening arrived from Huddersfield after the hands had +left the mill, and under Ned's direction a number of small barrels +were carried up to his office. + +Although three months had now elapsed since his return home he +had never once seen his mother, and the knowledge that she still +regarded him as the murderer of her husband greatly added to the +bitterness of his life. Of an evening after Lucy had gone to bed +he assisted Charlie with his lessons, and also worked for an hour +with Bill Swinton, who came regularly every evening to be taught. + +Bill had a strong motive for self improvement. Ned had promised him +that some day he should be foreman to the factory, but that before +he could take such a position it would, of course, be necessary +that he should be able to read and write well. But an even higher +incentive was Bill's sense of his great inferiority in point of +education to Polly Powlett. He entertained a deep affection for her, +but he knew how she despised the rough and ignorant young fellows +at Varley, and he felt that even if she loved him she would not +consent to marry him unless he were in point of education in some +way her equal; therefore he applied himself with all his heart to +improving his education. + +It was no easy task, for Bill was naturally somewhat slow and heavy; +but he had perseverance, which makes up for many deficiencies, and +his heart being in his work he made really rapid progress. + +Sometimes Ned would start earlier than usual, and walk up with Bill +Swinton, talking to him as they went over the subjects on which he +had been working, the condition of the villagers, or the results +of Bill's Sunday rambles over the moors. + +On arriving at Varley Ned generally went in for half an hour's talk +with Luke Marner and Mary Powlett before going off for the night +to sleep at the mill. With these three friends, who all were +passionately convinced of his innocence, he was more at his ease +than anywhere else, for at home the thought of the absent figure +upstairs was a never ceasing pain. + +"The wind is very high tonight," Ned said one evening as the cottage +shook with a gust which swept down from the moor. + +"Ay, that it be," Luke agreed; "but it is nowt to a storm oi saw +when oi war a young chap on t' coast!" + +"I did not know you had ever been away from Varley," Ned said, +"tell me about it, Luke." + +"Well, it coomed round i' this way. One of t' chaps from here had +a darter who had married and gone to live nigh t' coast, and he +went vor a week to see her. + +"Theere'd been a storm when he was there, and he told us aboot the +water being all broke up into furrowes, vor all the world like a +plowed field, only each ridge wur twice as high as one of our houses, +and they came a moving along as fast as a horse could gallop, and +when they hit the rocks vlew up into t' air as hoigh as the steeple +o' Marsden church. It seemed to us as this must be a lie, and there +war a lot of talk oor it, and at last vour on us made up our moinds +as we would go over and see vor ourselves. + +"It war a longer tramp nor we had looked vor, and though we sometoimes +got a lift i' a cart we was all pretty footsore when we got to the +end of our journey. The village as we was bound for stood oop on +t' top of a flattish hill, one side of which seemed to ha' been +cut away by a knife, and when you got to the edge there you were +a-standing at the end o' the world. Oi know when we got thar and +stood and looked out from the top o' that wall o' rock thar warn't +a word among us. + +"We was a noisy lot, and oi didn't think as nothing would ha' +silenced a cropper; but thar we stood a-looking over at the end +of the world, oi should say for five minutes, wi'out a word being +spoke. Oi can see it now. There warn't a breath of wind nor a +cloud i' the sky. It seemed to oi as if the sky went away as far +as we could see, and then seemed to be doubled down in a line and +to coom roight back agin to our feet. It joost took away our breath, +and seemed somehow to bring a lump into the throat. Oi talked it +over wi' the others afterward and we'd all felt just the same. + +"It beat us altogether, and you never see a lot of croppers so quiet +and orderly as we war as we went up to t' village. Most o' t' men +war away, as we arterward learned, fishing, and t' women didn't +know what to make o' us, but gathered at their doors and watched +us as if we had been a party o' robbers coom down to burn the place +and carry 'em away. However, when we found Sally White--that war +the name of the woman as had married from Varley--she went round +the village and told 'em as we was a party of her friends who had +joost walked across Yorkshire to ha' a lock at the sea. Another +young chap, Jack Purcell war his name, as was Sally's brother, and +oi, being his mate, we stopt at Sally's house. The other two got +a lodging close handy. + +"Vor the vurst day or two vokes war shy of us, but arter that +they began to see as we meant no harm. Of course they looked on us +as foreigners, just as we croppers do here on anyone as cooms to +Varley. Then Sally's husband coom back from sea and spoke up vor +us, and that made things better, and as we war free wi' our money +the fishermen took to us more koindly. + +"We soon found as the water warn't always smooth and blue like the +sky as we had seen it at first. The wind coom on to blow the vurst +night as we war thar, and the next morning the water war all tossing +aboot joost as Sally's feyther had said, though not so high as +he had talked on. Still the wind warn't a blowing much, as Sally +pointed owt to us; in a regular storm it would be a different sort +o' thing altogether. We said as we should loike to see one, as we +had coom all that way o' purpose. The vorth noight arter we got +there Sally's husband said: 'You be a going vor to have your wish; +the wind be a getting up, and we are loike to have a big storm on +the coast tomorrow.' And so it war. Oi can't tell you what it war +loike, oi've tried over and over again to tell Polly, but no words +as oi can speak can give any idee of it. + +"It war not loike anything as you can imagine. Standing down on +the shore the water seemed all broke up into hills, and as if each +hill was a-trying to get at you, and a-breaking itself up on the +shore wi' a roar of rage when it found as it couldn't reach you. +The noise war so great as you couldn't hear a man standing beside +you speak to you. Not when he hallooed. One's words war blowed away. +It felt somehow as if one war having a wrastle wi' a million wild +beasts. They tells me as the ships at sea sometoimes floates and +gets through a storm loike that; but oi doan't believe it, and +shouldn't if they took their Bible oath to it, it bain't in reason. + +"One of them waves would ha' broaked this cottage up loike a +eggshell. Oi do believes as it would ha' smashed Marsden church, +and it doan't stand to reason as a ship, which is built, they tells +me, of wood and plank, would stand agin waves as would knock doon +a church. Arter the storm oi should ha' coom back next morning, vor +I felt fairly frightened. There didn't seem no saying as to what +t' water moight do next toime. We should ha' gone there and then, +only Sally's husband told us as a vessel war expected in two or +three days wi' a cargo of tubs and she was to run them in a creek +a few miles away. + +"He said as loike as not there moight be a foight wi' the officers, +and that being so we naterally made up our moinds vor to stop and +lend un a hand. One night arter it got dark we started, and arter +a tramp of two or three hours cam' to the place. It were a dark +noight, and how the ship as was bringing the liquor was to foind +oot the place was more nor oi could make oot. Jack he tried to +explain how they did it, but oi couldn't make head nor tails on it +except that when they got close they war to show a loight twice, +and we war to show a loight twice if it war all roight for landing. + +"Oi asked what had becoom of the revenue men, and was told as a +false letter had been writ saying a landing was to be made fifteen +mile away. We went vorward to a place whar there war a break in the +rocks, and a sort of valley ran down to the sea. There war a lot +of men standing aboot, and just as we coom up thar war a movement +and we hears as the loights had been shown and the vessel war +running in close. Down we goes wi' the others, and soon a boat +cooms ashore. As soon as she gets close the men runs out to her; +the sailors hands out barrels and each man shoulders one and trudges +off. We does the same and takes the kegs up to t' top, whar carts +and horses was waiting for 'em. Oi went oop and down three toimes +and began to think as there war moor hard work nor fun aboot it. +Oi war a-going to knock off when some one says as one more trip +would finish the cargo, so down oi goes again: Just when oi gets +to t' bottom there war a great shouting oop at top. + +"'They're just too late,' a man says; 'the kegs be all safe away +except this lot,' for the horses and carts had gone off the instant +as they got their loads. 'Now we must run for it, for the revenue +men will be as savage as may be when they voinds as they be too +late.' 'Where be us to run?' says oi. 'Keep close to me, oi knows +the place,' says he. + +"So we runs down and voinds as they had tumbled the bar'ls into +t' boat again, and t' men war just pushing her off when there war +a shout close to us. 'Shove, shove!' shouted the men, and oi runs +into t' water loike t' rest and shooved. Then a lot o' men run up +shouting, 'Stop! in the king's name!' and began vor to fire pistols. + +"Nateral oi wasn't a-going to be fired at for nowt, so oi clutches +moi stick and goes at 'em wi' the rest, keeping close to t' chap +as told me as he knew the coontry. There was a sharp foight vor a +minute. Oi lays aboot me hearty and gets a crack on my ear wi' a +cootlas, as they calls theer swords, as made me pretty wild. + +"We got the best o't. 'Coom on,' says the man to me, 'there's a lot +moor on 'em a-cooming.' So oi makes off as hard as oi could arter +him. He keeps straight along at t' edge o' t' water. It war soft +rowing at first, vor t' place war as flat as a table, but arter +running vor a vew minutes he says, 'Look owt!' Oi didn't know what +to look owt vor, and down oi goes plump into t' water. Vor all at +once we had coomed upon a lot o' rocks covered wi' a sort of slimy +stuff, and so slippery as you could scarce keep a footing on 'em. +Oi picks myself up and vollers him. By this toime, maister, oi +war beginning vor to think as there warn't so mooch vun as oi had +expected in this koind o' business. Oi had been working two hours +loike a nigger a-carrying tubs. Oi had had moi ear pretty nigh cut +off, and it smarted wi' the salt water awful. Oi war wet from head +to foot and had knocked the skin off moi hands and knees when oi +went down. However there warn't no toime vor to grumble. Oi vollers +him till we gets to t' foot o' t' rocks, and we keeps along 'em +vor aboot half a mile. + +"The water here coombed close oop to t' rocks, and presently we +war a-walking through it. 'Be'st a going vor to drown us all?' says +oi. 'We are jest there,' says he. 'Ten minutes later we couldn't +ha' got along.' T' water war a-getting deeper and deeper, and t' +loomps of water cooms along and well nigh took me off my feet. Oi +was aboot to turn back, vor it war better, thinks oi, to be took +by t' king's men than to be droonded, when he says, 'Here we be.' +He climbs oop t' rocks and oi follows him. Arter climbing a short +way he cooms to a hole i' rocks, joost big enough vor to squeeze +through, but once inside it opened out into a big cave. A chap had +struck a loight, and there war ten or twelve more on us thar. 'We +had better wait another five minutes,' says one, 'to see if any +more cooms along. Arter that the tide ull be too high.' + +"We waits, but no one else cooms; me and moi mate war t' last. +Then we goes to t' back of the cave, whar t' rock sloped down lower +and lower till we had to crawl along one arter t'other pretty nigh +on our stomachs, like raats going into a hole. Oi wonders whar on +aarth we war agoing, till at last oi found sudden as oi could stand +oopright. Then two or three more torches war lighted, and we begins +to climb oop some steps cut i' the face of t' rock. A rope had been +fastened alongside to hold on by, which war a good job for me, vor +oi should never ha' dared go oop wi'out it, vor if oi had missed +my foot there warn't no saying how far oi would ha' fallen to t' +bottom. At last the man avore me says, 'Here we be!' and grateful +oi was, vor what wi' the crawling and the climbing, and the funk as +oi was in o' falling, the swaat was a-running down me loike water. +The torches war put out, and in another minute we pushes through +some bushes and then we war on t' top of the cliff a hundred yards +or so back from t' edge, and doon in a sort of hollow all covered +thickly over wi' bushes. We stood and listened vor a moment, but +no sound war to be heard. Then one on em says, 'We ha' done 'em +agin. Now the sooner as we gets off to our homes the better.' Looky +for me, Jack war one of the lot as had coom up through the cave. +'Coom along, Luke,' says he, 'oi be glad thou hast got out of it +all roight. We must put our best foot foremost to get in afore day +breaks.' So we sets off, and joost afore morning we gets back to +village. As to t'other two from Varley, they never coom back agin. +Oi heerd as how all as war caught war pressed for sea, and oi expect +they war oot in a ship when a storm coom on, when in coorse they +would be drownded. Oi started next day vor hoam, and from that day +to this oi ha' never been five mile away, and what's more, oi ha' +never grudged the price as they asked for brandy. It ud be cheap +if it cost voive toimes as much, seeing the trouble and danger as +there be in getting it ashore, to say nothing o' carrying it across +the sea." + +"That was an adventure, Luke," Ned said, "and you were well out +of it. I had no idea you had ever been engaged in defrauding the +king's revenue. But now I must be off. I shall make straight across +for the mill without going into Varley." + +One night Ned had as usual gone to the mill, and having carried +down the twelve barrels from the office and placed them in a pile +in the center of the principal room of the mill he retired to bed. +He had been asleep for some hours when he was awoke by the faint +tingle of a bell. The office was over the principal entrance to the +mill, and leaping from his bed he threw up the window and looked +out. The night was dark, but he could see a crowd of at least two +hundred men gathered in the yard. + +As the window was heard to open a sudden roar broke from the men, +who had hitherto conducted their operations in silence. + +"There he be, there's the young fox; burn the mill over his head. +Now to work, lads, burst in the door." + +And at once a man armed with a mighty sledgehammer began to batter +at the door. + +Ned tried to make himself heard, but his voice was lost in the +roar without. Throwing on some clothes he ran rapidly downstairs +and lighted several lamps in the machine room. Then he went to the +door, which was already tottering under the heavy blows, shot back +some of the bolts, and then took his place by the side of the pile +of barrels with a pistol in his hand. + +In another moment the door yielded and fell with a crash, and the +crowd with exultant cheers poured in. + +They paused surprised and irresolute at seeing Ned standing quiet +and seemingly indifferent by the pile of barrels in the center of +the room. + +"Hold!" he said in a quiet, clear voice, which sounded distinctly +over the tumult. "Do not come any nearer, or it will be the worse +for you. Do you know what I have got here, lads? This is powder. If +you doubt it, one of you can come forward and look at this barrel +with the head out by my side. Now I have only got to fire my pistol +into it to blow the mill, and you with it, into the air, and I +mean to do it. Of course I shall go too; but some of you with black +masks over your faces, who, I suppose, live near here, may know +something about me, and may know that my life is not so pleasant +a one that I value it in the slightest. As far as I am concerned +you might burn the mill and me with it without my lifting a finger; +but this mill is the property of my mother, brother, and sister. +Their living depends upon it, and I am going to defend it. Let one +of you stir a single step forward and I fire this pistol into this +barrel beside me." + +And Ned held the pistol over the open barrel. + +A dead silence of astonishment and terror had fallen upon the crowd. +The light was sufficient for them to see Ned's pale but determined +face, and as his words came out cold and steady there was not one +who doubted that he was in earnest, and that he was prepared to +blow himself and them into the air if necessary. + +A cry of terror burst from them as he lowered the pistol to the +barrel of powder. Then in wild dismay every man threw down his +arms and fled, jostling each other fiercely to make their escape +through the doorway from the fate which threatened them. In a few +seconds the place was cleared and the assailants in full flight +across the country. Ned laughed contemptuously. Then with some +difficulty he lifted the broken door into its place, put some props +behind it, fetched a couple of blankets from his bed, and lay down +near the powder, and there slept quietly till morning. + +Luke and Bill Swinton were down at the factory an hour before the +usual time. The assailants had for the most part come over from +Huddersfield, but many of the men from Varley had been among them. +The terror which Ned's attitude had inspired had been so great that +the secret was less well kept than usual, and as soon as people were +astir the events of the night were known to most in the village. +The moment the news reached the ears of Luke and Bill they hurried +down to the mill without going in as usual for their mug of beer +and bit of bread and cheese at the "Brown Cow." The sight of the +shattered door at once told them that the rumors they had heard +were well founded. They knocked loudly upon it. + +"Hullo!" Ned shouted, rousing himself from his slumbers; "who is +there? What are you kicking up all this row about?" + +"It's oi, Maister Ned, oi and Bill, and glad oi am to hear your +voice. It's true, then, they haven't hurt thee?" + +"Not a bit of it," Ned said as he moved the supports of the door. +"I think they got the worst of it." + +"If so be as what oi ha' heard be true you may well say that, Maister +Ned. Oi hear as you ha' gived 'em such a fright as they won't get +over in a hurry. They say as you was a-sitting on the top of a heap +of gunpowder up to the roof with a pistol in each hand." + +"Not quite so terrible as that, Luke; but the effect would have +been the same. Those twelve barrels of powder you see there would +have blown the mill and all in it into atoms." + +"Lord, Maister Ned," Bill said, "where didst thou get that powder, +and why didn't ye say nowt about it? Oi ha' seen it up in the +office, now oi thinks on it. Oi wondered what them barrels piled +up in a corner and covered over wi' sacking could be; but it warn't +no business o' mine to ax." + +"No, Bill, I did not want any of them to know about it, because +these things get about, and half the effect is lost unless they +come as a surprise; but I meant to do it if I had been driven to +it, and if I had, King Lud would have had a lesson which he would +not have forgotten in a hurry. Now, Luke, you and Bill had better +help me carry them back to their usual place. I don't think they +are likely to be wanted again." + +"That they won't be," Luke said confidently; "the Luddites ull +never come near this mill agin, not if thou hast twenty toimes as +many machines. They ha' got a froight they won't get over. They +told me as how some of the chaps at Varley was so freighted that +they will be a long toime afore they gets round. Oi'll go and ask +tonight how that Methurdy chap, the blacksmith, be a feeling. Oi +reckon he's at the bottom on it. Dang un for a mischievous rogue! +Varley would ha' been quiet enough without him. Oi be wrong if oi +shan't see him dangling from a gibbet one of these days, and a good +riddance too." + +The powder was stowed away before the hands began to arrive, all +full of wonder and curiosity. They learned little at the mill, +however. Ned went about the place as usual with an unchanged face, +and the hands were soon at their work; but many during the day +wondered how it was possible that their quiet and silent young +employer should have been the hero of the desperate act of which +every one had heard reports more or less exaggerated. + +A lad had been sent over to Marsden the first thing for some +carpenters, and by nightfall a rough but strong door had been hung +in place of that which had been shattered. By the next day rumor +had carried the tale all over Marsden, and Ned on his return home +was greeted by Charlie with: + +"Why, Ned, there is all sorts of talk in the place of an attack +upon the mill the night before last. Why didn't you tell me about +it?" + +"Yes, Maister Ned," Abijah put in, "and they say as you blew up +about a thousand of them." + +"Yes, Abijah," Ned said with a laugh, "and the pieces haven't come +down yet." + +"No! but really, Ned, what is it all about?" + +"There is not much to tell you, Charlie. The Luddites came and broke +open the door. I had got several barrels of powder there, and when +they came in I told them if they came any further I should blow +the place up. That put them in a funk, and they all bolted, and I +went to sleep again. That's the whole affair." + +"Oh!" Charlie said in a disappointed voice, for this seemed rather +tame after the thrilling reports he had heard. + +"Then you didn't blow up any of 'em, Maister Ned," Abijah said +doubtfully. + +"Not a man jack, Abijah. You see I could not very well have blown +them up without going up myself too, so I thought it better to put +it off for another time." + +"They are very wicked, bad men," Lucy said gravely. + +"Not so very wicked and bad, Lucy. You see they are almost starving, +and they consider that the new machines have taken the bread out +of their mouths, which is true enough. Now you know when people are +starving, and have not bread for their wives and children, they are +apt to get desperate. If I were to see you starving, and thought +that somebody or something was keeping the bread out of your mouth, +I dare say I should do something desperate." + +"But it would be wrong all the same," Lucy said doubtfully. + +"Yes, my dear, but it would be natural; and when human nature +pulls one way, and what is right pulls the other, the human nature +generally gets the best of it." + +Lucy did not exactly understand, but she shook her head gravely in +general dissent to Ned's view. + +"Why did you not tell us when you came home to breakfast yesterday?" +Charlie asked. + +"Because I thought you were sure to hear sooner or later. I saw all +the hands in the mill had got to know about it somehow or other, +and I was sure it would soon get over the place; and I would rather +that I could say, if any one asked me, that I had not talked about +it to any one, and was in no way responsible for the absurd stories +which had got about. I have been talked about enough in Marsden, +goodness knows, and it is disgusting that just as I should think +they must be getting tired of the subject here is something fresh +for them to begin upon again." + +As they were at tea the servant brought in a note which had just +been left at the door. It was from Mr. Thompson, saying that in +consequence of the rumors which were current in the town he should +be glad to learn from Ned whether there was any foundation for them, +and would therefore be obliged if he would call at eight o'clock +that evening. His colleague, Mr. Simmonds, would be present. + +Ned gave an exclamation of disgust as he threw down the note. + +"Is there any answer, sir?" the servant asked. "The boy said he +was to wait." + +"Tell him to say to Mr. Thompson that I will be there at eight +o'clock; but that--no, that will do. + +"It wouldn't be civil," he said to Charlie as the door closed +behind the servant, "to say that I wish to goodness he would let +my affairs alone and look to his own." + +When Ned reached the magistrates at the appointed hour he found that +the inquiry was of a formal character. Besides the two justices, +Major Browne, who commanded the troops at Marsden, was present; +and the justices' clerk was there to take notes. + +Mr. Simmonds greeted Ned kindly, Mr. Thompson stiffly. He was one +of those who had from the first been absolutely convinced that +the lad had killed his stepfather. The officer, who was of course +acquainted with the story, examined Ned with a close scrutiny. + +"Will you take a seat, Ned?" Mr. Simmonds, who was the senior +magistrate, said. "We have asked you here to explain to us the meaning +of certain rumors which are current in the town of an attack upon +your mill." + +"I will answer any questions that you may ask," Ned said quietly, +seating himself, while the magistrates' clerk dipped his pen in +the ink and prepared to take notes of his statement. + +"Is it the case that the Luddites made an attack upon your mill +the night before last?" + +"It is true, sir." + +"Will you please state the exact circumstances." + +"There is not much to tell," Ned said quietly. "I have for some +time been expecting an attack, having received many threatening +letters. I have, therefore, made a habit of sleeping in the mill, +and a month ago I got in twelve barrels of powder from Huddersfield. +Before going to bed of a night I always pile these in the middle +of the room where the looms are, which is the first as you enter. +I have bells attached to the shutters and doors to give me notice +of any attempt to enter. The night before last I was awoke by +hearing one of them ring, and looking out of the window made out +a crowd of two or three hundred men outside. They began to batter +the door, so, taking a brace of pistols which I keep in readiness +by my bed, I went down and took my place by the powder. When they +broke down the door and entered I just told them that if they came +any further I should fire my pistol into one of the barrels, the +head of which I had knocked out, and, as I suppose they saw that I +meant to do it, they went off. That is all I have to tell, so far +as I know." + +The clerk's pen ran swiftly over the paper as Ned quietly made his +statement. Then there was a silence for a minute or two. + +"And did you really mean to carry out your threat, Mr. Sankey?" + +"Certainly," Ned said. + +"But you would, of course, have been killed yourself." + +"Naturally," Ned said dryly; "but that would have been of no great +consequence to me or any one else. As the country was lately about +to take my life at its own expense it would not greatly disapprove +of my doing so at my own, especially as the lesson to the Luddites +would have been so wholesale a one that the services of the troops +in this part of the country might have been dispensed with for some +time." + +"Did you recognize any of the men concerned?" + +"I am glad to say I did not," Ned replied. "Some of them were +masked. The others were, so far as I could see among such a crowd +of faces in a not very bright light, all strangers to me." + +"And you would not recognize any of them again were you to see +them?" + +"I should not," Ned replied. "None of them stood out prominently +among the others." + +"You speak, Mr. Sankey," Mr. Thompson said, "as if your sympathies +were rather on the side of these men, who would have burned your +mill, and probably have murdered you, than against them." + +"I do not sympathize with the measures the men are taking to obtain +redress for what they regard as a grievance; but I do sympathize +very deeply with the amount of suffering which they are undergoing +from the introduction of machinery and the high prices of provisions; +and I am not surprised that, desperate as they are, and ignorant +as they are, they should be led astray by bad advice. Is there any +other question that you wish to ask me?" + +"Nothing at present, I think," Mr. Simmonds said after consulting +his colleague by a look. "We shall, of course, forward a report of +the affair to the proper authorities, and I may say that although +you appear to take it in a very quiet and matter of fact way, you +have evidently behaved with very great courage and coolness, and +in a manner most creditable to yourself. I think, however, that you +ought immediately to have made a report to us of the circumstances, +in order that we might at once have determined what steps should +be taken for the pursuit and apprehension of the rioters." + +Ned made no reply, but rising, bowed slightly to the three gentlemen +and walked quietly from the room. + +"A singular young fellow!" Major Browne remarked as the door closed +behind him. "I don't quite know what to make of him, but I don't +think he could have committed that murder. It was a cowardly business, +and although I believe he might have a hand in any desperate affair, +as indeed this story he has just told us shows, I would lay my life +he would not do a cowardly one." + +"I agree with you," Mr. Simmonds said, "though I own that I have +never been quite able to rid myself of a vague suspicion that he +was guilty." + +"And I believe he is so still," Mr. Thompson said. "To me there is +something almost devilish about that lad's manner." + +"His manner was pleasant enough," Mr. Simmonds said warmly, "before +that affair of Mulready. He was as nice a lad as you would wish +to see till his mother was fool enough to get engaged to that man, +who, by the way, I never liked. No wonder his manner is queer now; +so would yours be, or mine, if we were tried for murder and, though +acquitted, knew there was still a general impression of our guilt." + +"Yes, by Jove," the officer said, "I should be inclined to shoot +myself. You are wrong, Mr. Thompson, take my word for it. That +young fellow never committed a cowardly murder. I think you told +me, Mr. Simmonds, that he had intended to go into the army had it +not been for this affair? Well, his majesty has lost a good officer, +for that is just the sort of fellow who would lead a forlorn hope +though he knew the breach was mined in a dozen places. It is a +pity, a terrible pity!" + + + +CHAPTER XVIII: NED IS ATTACKED + + +As Ned had foreseen and resented, the affair at the mill again made +him the chief topic of talk in the neighborhood, and the question +of his guilt or innocence of the murder of his stepfather was again +debated with as much earnestness as it had been when the murder was +first committed. There was this difference, however, that whereas +before he had found but few defenders, for the impression that he +was guilty was almost universal, there were now many who took the +other view. + +The one side argued that a lad who was ready to blow himself and +two or three hundred men into the air was so desperate a character +that he would not have been likely to hesitate a moment in taking +the life of a man whom he hated, and who had certainly ill treated +him. The other side insisted that one with so much cool courage +would not have committed a murder in so cowardly a way as by tying +a rope across the road which his enemy had to traverse. One party +characterized his conduct at the mill as that of the captain of +a pirate ship, the other likened it to any of the great deeds of +devotion told in history--the death of Leonidas and his three +hundred, or the devotion of Mutius Scaevola. + +Had Ned chosen now he might have gathered round himself a strong +party of warm adherents, for there were many who, had they had the +least encouragement, would have been glad to shake him by the hand +and to show their partisanship openly and warmly; but Ned did not +choose. The doctor and Mr. Porson strongly urged upon him that he +should show some sort of willingness to meet the advances which +many were anxious to make. + +"These people are all willing to admit that they have been wrong, +Ned, and really anxious to atone as far as they can for their mistake +in assuming that you were guilty. Now is your time, my boy; what +they believe today others will believe tomorrow; it is the first +step toward living it down. I always said it would come, but I +hardly ventured to hope that it would come so soon." + +"I can't do it, Mr. Porson; I would if I could, if only for the +sake of the others; but I can't talk, and smile, and look pleasant. +When a man knows that his mother lying at home thinks that he is +a murderer how is he to go about like other people?" + +"But I have told you over and over again, Ned, that your mother +is hardly responsible for her actions. She has never been a very +reasonable being, and is less so than ever at present. Make an +effort, my boy, and mix with others. Show yourself at the cricket +match next week. You know the boys are all your firm champions, +and I warrant that half the people there will flock round you and +make much of you if you will but give them the chance." + +But Ned could not, and did not, but went on his way as before, +living as if Marsden had no existence for him, intent upon his work +at the mill, and unbending only when at home with his brother and +sister. + +His new friend, Cartwright, was, of course, one of the first to +congratulate him on the escape the mill had had of destruction. + +"I was wondering what you would do if they came," he said, "and +was inclined to think you were a fool for not following my example +and having some of your hands to sleep at the mill. Your plan was +best, I am ready to allow; that is to say, it was best for any one +who was ready to carry out his threat if driven to it. I shouldn't +be, I tell you fairly. If the mill is attacked I shall fight and +shall take my chance of being shot, but I could not blow myself up +in cold blood." + +"I don't suppose I could have done so either in the old times," Ned +said with a faint smile. "My blood used to be hot enough, a good +deal too hot, but I don't think anything could get it up to boiling +point now, so you see if this thing had to be done at all it must +have been in cold blood." + +"By the way, Sankey, I wish you would come over one day next week +and dine with me; there will be no one else there except my daughter." + +Ned hastily muttered an excuse. + +"Oh, that is all nonsense," Mr. Cartwright said good humoredly; +"you are not afraid of me, and you needn't be afraid of my daughter. +She is only a child of fifteen, and of course takes you at my +estimate, and is disposed to regard you as a remarkable mixture +of the martyr and the hero, and to admire you accordingly. Pooh, +pooh, lad! you can't be living like a hermit all your life; and +at any rate if you make up your mind to have but a few friends you +must be all the closer and more intimate with them. I know you dine +with Porson and Green, and I am not going to let you keep me at +arm's length; you must come, or else I shall be seriously offended." + +So Ned had no resource left him, and had to consent to dine at +Liversedge. Once there he often repeated the visit. With the kind +and hearty manufacturer he was perfectly at home, and although at +first he was uncomfortable with his daughter he gradually became +at his ease with her, especially after she had driven over with +her father to make friends with Lucy, and, again, a short time +afterward, to carry her away for a week's visit at Liversedge. For +this Ned was really grateful. Lucy's life had been a very dull one. +She had no friends of her own age in Marsden, for naturally at the +time of Mr. Mulready's death all intimacy with the few acquaintances +they had in the place had been broken off, for few cared that their +children should associate with a family among whom such a terrible +tragedy had taken place. + +Charlie was better off, for he had his friends at school, and the +boys at Porson's believed in Ned's innocence as a point of honor. +In the first place, it would have been something like a reflection +upon the whole school to admit the possibility of its first boy +being a murderer; in the second, Ned had been generally popular +among them, he was their best cricketer, the life and soul of all +their games, never bullying himself and putting down all bullying +among others with a strong hand. Their championship showed itself +in the shape of friendship for Charlie; and at the midsummer following +Mr. Mulready's death he had received invitations from many of them +to stay with them during the holidays, and had indeed spent that +time on a series of short visits among them. + +He himself would, had he had his choice, have remained at home +with Ned, for he knew how lonely his brother's life was, and that +his only pleasure consisted in the quiet evenings; but Ned would +not hear of it. + +"You must go, Charlie, both for your sake and my own. The change +will do you good; and if you were to stop at home and refuse to +go out people would say that you were ashamed to be seen, and that +you were crushed down with the weight of my guilt. You have got +to keep up the honor of the family now, Charlie; I have proved a +failure." + +It was September now, and six months had elapsed since the death of +Mr. Mulready. The getting in of the harvest had made no difference +in the price of food, the general distress was as great as ever, +and the people shook their heads and said that there would be bad +doings when the winter with its long nights was at hand. + +The mill was flourishing under its new management. The goods turned +out by the new machinery were of excellent quality and finish, +and Ned had more orders on hand than he could execute. The profits +were large, the hands well paid and contented. Ned had begged Dr. +Green and the other trustees of his mother's property to allow him +to devote a considerable part of the profits to assist, during the +hard time of winter, the numerous hands in Varley and other villages +round Marsden who were out of employment; but the trustees said +they were unable to permit this. Mrs. Mulready absolutely refused to +hear anything about the mill or to discuss any questions connected +with money, therefore they had no resource but to allow the profits, +after deducting all expenses of living, to accumulate until, at +any rate, Lucy, the youngest of the children, came of age. + +Ned, however, was not to be easily thwarted, and he quietly reverted +to the old method of giving out a large quantity of work to the +men to be performed by the hand looms in their own cottages, while +still keeping his new machinery fully employed. There was, indeed, +a clear loss upon every yard of cloth so made, as it had, of course, +to be sold at the lower prices which machinery had brought about; +still the profits from the mill itself were large enough to bear +the drain, and means of support would be given to a large number +of families throughout the winter. Ned told Dr. Green what he had +done. + +"You see, doctor," he said, "this is altogether beyond your province. +You and Mr. Lovejoy appointed me, as the senior representative of +the family, to manage the mill. Of course I can manage it in my +own way, and as long as the profits are sufficient to keep us in +the position we have hitherto occupied I don't see that you have +any reason to grumble." + +"You are as obstinate as a mule, Ned," the doctor said, smiling; +"but I am glad enough to let you have your way so long as it is not +clearly my duty to thwart you; and indeed I don't know how those +poor people at Varley and at some of the other villages would get +through the winter without some such help." + +"I am very glad I hit upon the plan. I got Luke Marner to draw up +a list of all the men who had families depending upon them; but indeed +I find that I have been able to set pretty nearly all the looms in +the neighborhood at work, and of course that will give employment +to the spinners and croppers. I have made a close calculation, and +find that with the profit the mill is making I shall just be able +to clear our household expenses this winter, after selling at a +loss all the cloth that can be made in the looms round." + +"At any rate, Ned," the doctor said, "your plan will be a relief to +me in one way. Hitherto I have never gone to bed at night without +an expectation of being awakened with the news that you have been +shot on your way out to the mill at night. The fellows you frightened +away last month must have a strong grudge against you in addition +to their enmity against you as an employer. You will be safe enough +in future, and can leave the mill to take care of itself at night +if you like. You will have the blessings of all the poor fellows +in the neighborhood, and may henceforth go where you will by night +or day without the slightest risk of danger." + +"You are right, no doubt," Ned said, "though that did not enter my +mind. When I took the step my only fear was that by helping them +for a time I might be injuring them in the future. Hand weaving, +spinning, and cropping are doomed. Nothing can save them, and +the sooner the men learn this and take to other means of gaining +a livelihood the better. Still the prices that I can give are +of course very low, just enough to keep them from starvation, and +we must hope that ere long new mills will be erected in which the +present hand workers will gradually find employment." + +Hardly less warm than the satisfaction that the announcement that +Sankey was about to give out work to all the hand looms excited in +the villages round Marsden, was that which Abijah felt at the news. + +Hitherto she had kept to herself the disapprobation which she felt +at Ned's using the new machinery. She had seen in her own village +the sufferings that had been caused by the change, and her sympathies +were wholly with the Luddites, except of course when they attempted +anything against the life and property of her boy. Strong in the +prejudices of the class among whom she had been born and reared, +she looked upon the new machinery as an invention of the evil one +to ruin the working classes, and had been deeply grieved at Ned's +adoption of its use. Nothing but the trouble in which he was could +have compelled her to keep her opinion on the subject to herself. + +"I am main glad, Maister Ned. I b'lieve now as we may find out about +that other affair. I never had no hope before, it warn't likely as +things would come about as you wanted, when you was a-flying in the +face of providence by driving poor folks to starvation with them +noisy engines of yours; it warn't likely, and I felt as it was +wrong to hope for it. I said my prayers every night, but it wasn't +reasonable to expect a answer as long as that mill was a-grinding +men to powder." + +"I don't think it was as bad as all that, Abijah. In another ten +years there will be twice as many hands employed as ever there +were, and there is no saying how large the trade may not grow." + +Abijah shook her head as if to imply her belief that an enlargement +of trade by means of these new machines would be clearly flying in +the face of providence, however, she was too pleased at the news that +hand work was to be resumed in the district to care about arguing +the question. Even the invalid upstairs took a feeble interest in +the matter when Abijah told her that Master Ned had arranged to +give work to scores of starving people through the winter. + +As a rule Abijah never mentioned his name to her mistress, for it +was always the signal for a flood of tears, and caused an excitement +and agitation which did not calm down for hours; but lately she +had noticed that her mistress began to take a greater interest in +the details she gave her of what was passing outside. She spoke more +cheerfully when Lucy brought in her work and sat by her bedside, +and she had even exerted herself sufficiently to get up two or three +times and lie upon the sofa in her room. It was Charlie who, full +of the news, had rushed in to tell her about Ned's defense at the +mill. She had made no comment whatever, but her face had flushed +and her lips trembled, and she had been very silent and quiet all +that day. Altogether Abijah thought that she was mending, and Dr. +Green was of the same opinion. + +Although the setting to work of the hand looms and spindles relieved +the dire pressure of want immediately about Marsden, in other parts +things were worse than ever that winter, and the military were +kept busy by the many threatening letters which were received by +the mill owners from King Lud. + +One day Mr. Cartwright entered Ned's office at the mill. + +"Have you heard the news, Sankey?" + +"No, I have heard no news in particular." + +"Horsfall has been shot." + +"You don't say so!" Ned exclaimed. + +"Yes, he has been threatened again and again. He was over at +Huddersfield yesterday afternoon; he started from the 'George' on +his way back at half past five. It seems that his friend Eastwood, +of Slaithwaite, knowing how often his life had been threatened, +offered to ride back with him, and though Horsfall laughed at the +offer and rode off alone, Eastwood had his horse saddled and rode +after him, but unfortunately did not overtake him. + +"About six o'clock Horsfall pulled up his horse at the Warren House +Inn at Crossland Moor. There he gave a glass of liquor to two of +his old work people who happened to be outside, drank a glass of +rum and water as he sat in the saddle, and then rode off. A farmer +named Parr was riding about a hundred and fifty yards behind him. +As Horsfall came abreast of a plantation Parr noticed four men +stooping behind a wall, and then saw two puffs of smoke shoot out. +Horsfall's horse started round at the flash, and he fell forward +on his saddle. + +"Parr galloped up, and jumping off caught him as he was falling. +Horsfall could just say who he was and ask to be taken to his +brother's house, which was near at hand. There were lots of people +in the road, for it was market day in Huddersfield, you know, and +the folks were on their way home, so he was soon put in a cart and +taken back to the Warren House. It was found that both balls had +struck him, one in the right side and one in the left thigh. I hear +he is still alive this morning, but cannot live out the day." + +"That is a bad business, indeed," Ned said. + +"It is, indeed. Horsfall was a fine, generous, high spirited fellow, +but he was specially obnoxious to the Luddites, whose doings he +was always denouncing in the most violent way. Whose turn will it +be next, I wonder? The success of this attempt is sure to encourage +them, and we may expect to hear of some more bad doings. Of course +there will be a reward offered for the apprehension of the murderers. +A laborer saw them as they were hurrying away from the plantation, +and says he should know them again if he saw them; but these fellows +hang together so that I doubt if we shall ever find them out." + +After Mr. Cartwright had gone Ned told Luke what had happened. + +"I hope, Luke, that none of the Varley people have had a hand in +this business?" + +"Oi hoape not," Luke said slowly, "but ther bain't no saying; oi +hears little enough of what be going on. Oi was never much in the +way of hearing, but now as I am head of the room, and all the hands +here are known to be well contented, oi hears less nor ever. Still +matters get talked over at the 'Cow.' Oi hears it said as many of +the lads in the village has been wishing to leave King Lud since +the work was put out, but they have had messages as how any man +turning traitor would be put out of the way. It's been somewhat +like that from the first, and more nor half of them as has joined +has done so because they was afeared to stand out. They ain't +tried to put the screw on us old hands, but most of the young uns +has been forced into joining. + +"Bill has had a hard toime of it to stand out. He has partly managed +because of his saying as how he has been sich good friends with you +that he could not join to take part against the maisters; part, as +oi hears, because his two brothers, who been in the thick of it +from the first, has stuck up agin Bill being forced into it. Oi +wish as we could get that blacksmith out of t' village; he be at +the bottom of it all, and there's nowt would please me more than +to hear as the constables had laid their hands on him. Oi hear as +how he is more violent than ever at that meeting house. Of course +he never mentions names or says anything direct, but he holds forth +agin traitors as falls away after putting their hands to the plow, +and as forsakes the cause of their starving brethren because their +own stomachs is full." + +"I wish we could stop him," Ned said thoughtfully. "I might get a +constable sent up to be present at the meetings, but the constables +here are too well known, and if you were to get one from another +place the sight of a stranger there would be so unusual that it +would put him on his guard at once. Besides, as you say, it would +be very difficult to prove that his expressions applied to the +Luddites, although every one may understand what he means. One +must have clear evidence in such a case. However, I hope we shall +catch him tripping one of these days. These are the fellows who +ought to be punished, not the poor ignorant men who are led away +by them." + +The feeling of gratitude and respect with which Ned was regarded +by the workpeople of his district, owing to his action regarding +the hand frames, did something toward lightening the load caused +by the suspicion which still rested upon him. Although he still +avoided all intercourse with those of his own station, he no longer +felt the pressure so acutely. The hard, set expression of his face +softened somewhat, and though he was still strangely quiet and +reserved in his manner toward those with whom his business necessarily +brought him in contact, he no longer felt absolutely cut off from +the rest of his kind. + +Ned had continued his practice of occasionally walking up with Bill +Swinton to Varley on his way to the mill. There was now little fear +of an attempt upon his life by the hands in his neighborhood; but +since the failure on the mill he had incurred the special enmity +of the men who had come from a distance on that occasion, and he +knew that any night he might be waylaid and shot by them. It was +therefore safer to go round by Varley than by the direct road. One +evening when he had been chatting rather later than usual at Luke +Marner's, Luke said: + +"Oi think there's something i' t' wind. Oi heerd at t' Cow this +evening that there are some straangers i' the village. They're at +t' Dog. Oi thinks there's soom sort ov a council there. Oi heers +as they be from Huddersfield, which be the headquarters o' General +Lud in this part. However, maister, oi doan't think as there's +any fear of another attack on thy mill; they war too badly scaared +t'other noight vor to try that again." + +When Ned got up to go Bill Swinton as usual put on his cap to +accompany him, as he always walked across the moor with him until +they came to the path leading down to the back of the mill, this +being the road taken by the hands from Varley coming and going from +work. When they had started a minute or two George, who had been +sitting by the fire listening to the talk, got up and stretched +himself preparatory to going to bed, and said in his usual slow +way: + +"Oi wonders what they be a-doing tonoight. Twice while ye ha' been +a-talking oi ha' seen a chap a-looking in at t' window." + +"Thou hast!" Luke exclaimed, starting up. "Dang thee, thou young +fool! Why didn't say so afore? Oi will hoide thee when oi comes +back rarely! Polly, do thou run into Gardiner's, and Hoskings', and +Burt's; tell 'em to cotch up a stick and to roon for their loives +across t' moor toward t' mill. And do thou, Jarge, roon into Sykes' +and Wilmot's and tell 'em the same; and be quick if thou would save +thy skin. Tell 'em t' maister be loike to be attacked." + +Catching up a heavy stick Luke hurried off, running into two cottages +near and bringing on two more of the mill hands with him. He was +nearly across the moor when they heard the sound of a shot. Luke, +who was running at the top of his speed, gave a hoarse cry as of +one who had received a mortal wound. Two shots followed in quick +succession. A minute later Luke was dashing down the hollow through +which the path ran down from the moor. Now he made out a group of +moving figures and heard the sounds of conflict. His breath was +coming in short gasps, his teeth were set; fast as he was running, +he groaned that his limbs would carry him no faster. It was scarce +two minutes from the time when the first shot was fired, but it +seemed ages to him before he dashed into the group of men, knocking +down two by the impetus of his rush. He was but just in time. +A figure lay prostrate on the turf; another standing over him had +just been beaten to his knee. But he sprang up again at Luke's +onward rush. His assailants for a moment drew back. + +"Thou'rt joist in toime, Luke," Bill panted out. "Oi war well nigh +done." + +"Be t' maister shot?" + +"No, nowt but a clip wi' a stick." + +As the words passed between them the assailants again rushed forward +with curses and execrations upon those who stood between them and +their victim. + +"Moind, Luke, they ha' got knoives!" Bill exclaimed. "Oi ha' got +more nor one slash already." + +Luke and Bill fought vigorously, but they were overmatched. Anger +and fear for Ned's safety nerved Luke's arm, the weight of the +last twenty years seemed to drop off him, and he felt himself again +the sturdy young cropper who could hold his own against any in the +village. But he had not yet got back his breath, and was panting +heavily. The assailants, six in number, were active and vigorous +young men; and Bill, who was streaming with blood from several +wounds, could only fight on the defensive. Luke then gave a short +cry of relief as the two men who had started with him, but whom +he had left behind from the speed which his intense eagerness had +given him, ran up but a short minute after he had himself arrived +and ranged themselves by him. The assailants hesitated now. + +"Ye'd best be off," Luke said; "there ull be a score more here in +a minute." + +With oaths of disappointment and rage the assailants fell back and +were about to make off when one of them exclaimed: "Ye must carry +Tom off wi' thee. It ull never do to let un lay here." + +The men gathered round a dark figure lying a few yards away. Four +of them lifted it by the hands and feet, and then they hurried +away across the moor. As they did so Bill Swinton with a sigh fell +across Ned's body. In two or three minutes four more men, accompanied +by George and Polly, whose anxiety would not let her stay behind, +hurried up. Luke and his companions had raised Ned and Bill into +a sitting posture. + +"Are they killed, feyther?" Polly cried as she ran up breathless +to them. + +"Noa, lass; oi think as t' maister be only stunned, and Bill ha' +fainted from loss o' blood. But oi doan't know how bad he be hurted +yet. We had best carry 'em back to t' house; we can't see to do +nowt here." + +"Best let them stay here, feyther, till we can stop the bleeding. +Moving would set the wounds off worse." + +"Perhaps you are right, Polly. Jarge, do thou run back to t' house +as hard as thou canst go. Loight t' lanterns and bring 'em along, +wi' a can o' cold water." + +Although the boy ran to the village and back at the top of his +speed the time seemed long indeed to those who were waiting. When +he returned they set to work at once to examine the injuries. Ned +appeared to have received but one blow. The blood was slowly welling +from a wound at the back of his head. + +"That war maade by a leaded stick, oi guess," Luke said; "it's cut +through his hat, and must pretty nigh ha' cracked his skool. One +of you bathe un wi' the water while we looks arter Bill." + +Polly gave an exclamation of horror as the light fell upon Bill +Swinton. He was covered with blood. A clean cut extended from the +top of the ear to the point of the chin, another from the left +shoulder to the breast, while a third gash behind had cut through +to the bone of the shoulder blade. + +"Never moind t' water, lass," Luke said as Polly with trembling +hands was about to wash the blood from the cut on the face, "the +bluid won't do un no harm--thou must stop t' bleeding." + +Polly tore three or four long strips from the bottom of her dress. +While she was doing so one of the men by Luke's directions took +the lantern and gathered some short dry moss from the side of the +slope, and laid it in a ridge on the gaping wound. Then Luke with +Polly's assistance tightly bandaged Bill's head, winding the strips +from the back of the head round to the chin, and again across the +temples and jaw. Luke took out his knife and cut off the coat and +shirt from the arms and shoulder, and in the same way bandaged up +the other two wounds. + +After George had started to fetch the lantern, Luke had at Polly's +suggestion sent two men back to the village, and these had now +returned with doors they had taken off the hinges. When Bill's +wounds were bandaged he and Ned were placed on the doors, Ned giving +a faint groan as he was moved. + +"That's roight," Luke said encouragingly; "he be a-cooming round." + +Two coats were wrapped up and placed under their heads, and they +were then lifted and carried off, Polly hurrying on ahead to make +up the fire and get hot water. + +"Say nowt to no one," Luke said as he started. "Till t' master +cooms round there ain't no saying what he'd loike done. Maybe he +won't have nowt said aboot it." + +The water was already hot when the party reached the cottage; the +blood was carefully washed off Ned's head, and a great swelling +with an ugly gash running across was shown. Cold water was dashed +in his face, and with a gasp he opened his eyes. + +"It be all roight, Maister Ned," Luke said soothingly; "it be all +over now, and you be among vriends. Ye've had an ugly one on the +back o' thy head, but I dowt thou wilt do rarely now." + +Ned looked round vaguely, then a look of intelligence came into +his face. + +"Where is Bill?" he asked. + +"He be hurted sorely, but oi think it be only loss o' blood, and +he will coom round again; best lie still a few minutes, maister, +thou wilt feel better then; Polly, she be tending Bill." + +In a few minutes Ned was able to sit up; a drink of cold brandy +and water further restored him. He went to the bed on which Bill +had been placed. + +"He's not dead?" he asked with a gasp, as he saw the white face +enveloped in bandages. + +"No, surelie," Luke replied cheerfully; "he be a long way from dead +yet, oi hoape, though he be badly cut about." + +"Have you sent for the doctor?" Ned asked. + +"No!" + +"Then send for Dr. Green at once, and tell him from me to come up +here instantly." + +Ned sat down in a chair for a few minutes, for he was still dazed +and stupid; but his brain was gradually clearing. Presently he looked +up at the men who were still standing silently near the door. + +"I have no doubt," he said, "that I have to thank you all for saving +my life, but at present I do not know how it has all come about. I +will see you tomorrow. But unless it has already got known, please +say nothing about this. I don't want it talked about--at any rate +until we see how Bill gets on. + +"Now, Luke," he continued, when the men had gone, "tell me all +about it. My brain is in a whirl, and I can hardly think." + +Luke related the incidents of the fight and the flight of the +assailants, and said that they had carried off a dead man with +them. Ned sat for some time in silence. + +"Yes," he said at last, "I shot one. I was walking along with Bill +when suddenly a gun was fired from a bush close by; then a number +of men jumped up and rushed upon us. I had my pistol, and had just +time to fire two shots. I saw one man go straight down, and then +they were upon us. They shouted to Bill to get out of the way, but +he went at them like a lion. I don't think any of the others had +guns; at any rate they only attacked us with sticks and knives. I +fought with my back to Bill as well as I could, and we were keeping +them off, till suddenly I don't remember any more." + +"One on them hit ye from behind wi' a loaded stick," Luke said, +"and thou must ha' gone doon like a felled ox; then oi expects as +Bill stood across thee and kept them off as well as he could, but +they war too much for t' lad; beside that cut on the head he ha' +one on shoulder and one behind. Oi war only joost in toime, another +quarter of a minute and they'd ha' got their knives into thee." + +"Poor old Bill," Ned said sadly, going up to the bedside and laying +his hand on the unconscious figure. "I fear you have given your +life to save one of little value to myself or any one else." + +"Don't say that, Master Ned," Polly said softly; "you cannot say +what your life may be as yet, and if so be that Bill is to die, and +God grant it isn't so, he himself would not think his life thrown +away if it were given to save yours." + +But few words were spoken in the cottage until Dr. Green arrived. +Ned's head was aching so that he was forced to lie down. Polly +from time to time moistened Bill's lips with a few drops of brandy. +George had been ordered off to bed, and Luke sat gazing at the +fire, wishing that there was something he could do. + +At last the doctor arrived; the messenger had told him the nature of +the case, and he had come provided with lint, plaster, and bandages. + +"Well, Ned," he asked as he came in, "have you been in the wars +again?" + +"I am all right, doctor. I had a knock on the head which a day or +two will put right; but I fear Bill is very seriously hurt." + +The doctor at once set to to examine the bandages. + +"You have done them up very well," he said approvingly; "but the +blood is still oozing from them. I must dress them afresh; get me +plenty of hot water, Polly, I have brought a sponge with me. Can +you look on without fainting?" + +"I don't think I shall faint, sir," Polly said quietly; "if I do, +feyther will take my place." + +In a quarter of an hour the wounds were washed, drawn together, +and bandaged. There was but little fresh bleeding, for the lad's +stock of life blood had nearly all flowed away. + +"A very near case," the doctor said critically; "as close a shave +as ever I saw. Had the wound on the face been a quarter of an inch +nearer the eyebrow it would have severed the temporal artery. As +it is it has merely laid open the jaw. Neither of the other wounds +are serious, though they might very well have been fatal." + +"Then you think he will get round, doctor?" Ned asked in a low +tone. + +"Get round! Of course he will," Dr. Green replied cheerily. "Now +that we have got him bound up we will soon bring him round. It is +only a question of loss of blood." + +"Hullo! this will never do," he broke off as Ned suddenly reeled +and would have fallen to the ground had not Luke caught him. + +"Pour this cordial down Swinton's throat, Polly, a little at +a time, and lift his head as you do it, and when you see him open +his eyes, put a pillow under his head; but don't do so till he +begins to come round. Now let me look at Ned's head. + +"It must have been a tremendous blow, Luke," he said seriously. "I, +only hope it hasn't fractured the skull. However, all this swelling +and suffusion of blood is a good sign. Give me that hot water. I +shall put a lancet in here and get it to bleed freely. That will +be a relief to him." + +While he was doing this an exclamation of pleasure from Polly +showed that Bill was showing signs of returning to life. His eyes +presently opened. Polly bent over him. + +"Lie quiet, Bill, dear; you have been hurt, but the doctor says you +will soon be well again. Yes; Master Ned is all right too. Don't +worry yourself about him." + +An hour later both were sleeping quietly. + +"They will sleep till morning," Dr. Green said, "perhaps well on +into the day; it is no use my waiting any longer. I will be up the +first thing." + +So he drove away, while Polly took her work and sat down to watch +the sleepers during the night, and Luke, taking his stick and hat, +set off to guard the mill till daylight. + +Ned woke first just as daylight was breaking; he felt stupid and +heavy, with a splitting pain in his head. He tried to rise, but +found that he could not do so. He accordingly told George to go +down in an hour's time to Marsden, and to leave a message at the +house saying that he was detained and should not be back to breakfast, +and that probably he might not return that night. The doctor kept +his head enveloped in wet bandages all day, and he was on the +following morning able to go down to Marsden, although still terribly +pale and shaken. His appearance excited the liveliest wonder and +commiseration on the part of Charlie, Lucy, and Abijah; but he told +them that he had had an accident, and had got a nasty knock on the +back of his head. He kept his room for a day or two; but at the end +of that time he was able to go to the mill as usual. Bill Swinton +was longer away, but broths and jellies soon built up his strength +again, and in three weeks he was able to resume work, although it +was long before the ugly scar on his face was healed. The secret +was well kept, and although in time the truth of the affair became +known in Varley it never reached Marsden, and Ned escaped the talk +and comment which it would have excited had it been known, and, +what was worse, the official inquiry which would have followed. + +The Huddersfield men naturally kept their own council. They had +hastily buried their dead comrade on the moor, and although several +of them were so severely knocked about that they were unable to +go to work for some time, no rumor of the affair got about outside +the circle of the conspirators. It need hardly be said that this +incident drew Ned and Bill even more closely together than before, +and that the former henceforth regarded Bill Swinton in the light +of a brother. + +At the end of the Christmas holidays Mr. Porson brought home a +mistress to the schoolhouse. She was a bright, pleasant woman, and +having heard from her husband all the particulars of Ned's case +she did her best to make him feel that she fully shared in her +husband's welcome whenever he came to the house, and although Ned +was some little time in accustoming himself to the presence of one +whom he had at first regarded as an intruder in the little circle +of his friends, this feeling wore away under the influence of her +cordiality and kindness. + +"Is it not shocking," she said to her husband one day, "to think +that for nearly a year that poor lad should never have seen his own +mother, though she is in the house with him, still worse to know +that she thinks him a murderer? Do you think it would be of any +good if I were to go and see her, and tell her how wicked and wrong +her conduct is?" + +"No, my dear," Mr. Porson said, smiling, "I don't think that course +would be at all likely to have a good effect. Green tells me that +he is sure that this conviction which she has of Ned's guilt is a +deep and terrible grief to her. He thinks that, weak and silly as +she is, she has really a strong affection for Ned, as well as for +her other children, and it is because this is so that she feels +so terribly what she believes to be his guilt. She suffers in her +way just as much, or more, than he does in his. He has his business, +which occupies his mind and prevents him from brooding over his +position; besides, the knowledge that a few of us are perfectly +convinced of his innocence enables him to hold up. She has no +distraction, nothing to turn her thoughts from this fatal subject. + +"Green says she has several times asked him whether a person could +be tried twice for the same offense, after he has been acquitted +the first time, and he believes that the fear is ever present +in her mind that some fresh evidence may be forthcoming which may +unmistakably bring the guilt home to him. I have talked it over +with Ned several times, and he now takes the same view of it as +I do. The idea of his guilt has become a sort of monomania with +her, and nothing save the most clear and convincing proof of his +innocence would have any effect upon her mind. If that is ever +forthcoming she may recover, and the two may be brought together +again. At the same time I think that you might very well call +upon her, introducing yourself by saying that as I was a friend of +Captain Sankey's and of her sons you were desirous of making her +acquaintance, especially as you heard that she was such an invalid. +She has no friends whatever. She was never a very popular woman, and +the line every one knows she has taken in reference to the murder +of her second husband has set those who would otherwise have been +inclined to be kind against her. Other people may be convinced of +Ned's guilt, but you see it seems to every one to be shocking that +a mother should take part against her son." + +Accordingly Mrs. Porson called. On the first occasion when she did +so Mrs. Mulready sent down to say that she was sorry she could not +see her, but that the state of her health did not permit her to +receive visitors. Mrs. Porson, however, was not to be discouraged. +First she made friends with Lucy, and when she knew that the girl +was sure to have spoken pleasantly of her to her mother she opened +a correspondence with Mrs. Mulready. At first she only wrote to +ask that Lucy might be allowed to come and spend the day with her. +Her next letter was on the subject of Lucy's music. The girl had +long gone to a day school kept by a lady in Marsden, but her music +had been neglected, and Mrs. Porson wrote to say that she found +that Lucy had a taste for music, and that having been herself well +taught she should be happy to give her lessons twice a week, and +that if Mrs. Mulready felt well enough to see her she would like +to have a little chat with her on the subject. + +This broke the ice. Lucy's backwardness in music had long been a +grievance with her mother, who, as she lay in bed and listened to +the girl practicing below had fretted over the thought that she +could obtain no good teacher for her in Marsden. Mrs. Porson's offer +was therefore too tempting to be refused, and as it was necessary +to appear to reciprocate the kindness of that lady, she determined +to make an effort to receive her. + +The meeting went off well. Having once made the effort Mrs. Mulready +found, to her surprise, that it was pleasant to her after being cut +off for so many months from all intercourse with the world, except +such as she gained from the doctor, her two children, and the old +servant, to be chatting with her visitor, who exerted herself to +the utmost to make herself agreeable. The talk was at first confined +to the ostensible subject of Mrs. Porson's visit; but after that +was satisfactorily arranged the conversation turned to Marsden and +the neighborhood. Many people had called upon Mrs. Porson, and as +all of them were more or less known to Mrs. Mulready, her visitor +asked her many questions concerning them, and the invalid was +soon gossiping cheerfully over the family histories and personal +peculiarities of her neighbors. + +"You have done me a world of good," she said when Mrs. Porson rose +to leave. "I never see any one but the doctor, and he is the worst +person in the world for a gossip. He ought to know everything, but +somehow he seems to know nothing. You will come again, won't you? +It will be a real kindness, and you have taken so much interest in +my daughter that it quite seems to me as if you were an old friend." + +And so the visit was repeated: but not too often, for Mrs. Porson +knew that it was better that her patient should wait and long for +her coming, and now that the ice was once broken, Mrs. Mulready +soon came to look forward with eagerness to these changes in her +monotonous existence. + +For some time Ned's name was never mentioned between them. Then +one day Mrs. Porson, in a careless manner, as if she had no idea +whatever of the state of the relations between mother and son, +mentioned that Ned had been at their house the previous evening, +saying: "My husband has a wonderful liking and respect for your +son; they are the greatest friends, though of course there is a +good deal of difference in age between them. I don't know any one +of whom John thinks so highly." + +Mrs. Mulready turned very pale, and then in a constrained voice +said: "Mr. Porson has always been very kind to my sons." + +Then she sighed deeply and changed the subject of conversation. + +"Your wife is doing my patient a great deal more good than I have +ever been able to do," Dr. Green said one day to the schoolmaster. +"She has become quite a different woman in the last five or six +weeks. She is always up and on the sofa now when I call, and I notice +that she begins to take pains with her dress again; and that, you +know, is always a first rate sign with a woman. I think she would +be able to go downstairs again soon, were it not for her feeling +about Ned. She would not meet him, I am sure. You don't see any +signs of a change in that quarter, I suppose?" + +"No," Mrs. Porson replied. "The last time I mentioned his name +she said: 'My son is a most unfortunate young man, and the subject +pains me too much to discuss. Therefore, if you please, Mrs. Porson, +I would rather leave it alone.' So I am afraid there is no chance +of my making any progress there." + + + +CHAPTER XIX: THE ATTACK ON CARTWRIGHT'S MILL + + +Ned still slept at the mill. He was sure that there was no chance +of a renewal of the attack by the workpeople near, but an assault +might be again organized by parties from a distance. The murder +of Mr. Horsfall had caused greater vigilance than ever among the +military. At some of the mills the use of the new machinery had +been discontinued and cropping by hand resumed. This was the case +at the mills at Ottewells and Bankbottom, both of which belonged +to Messrs. Abraham & John Horsfall, the father and uncle of the +murdered man, and at other mills in the neighborhood. Mr. Cartwright +and some of the other owners still continued the use of the new +machinery. One night Ned had just gone to bed when he was startled +by the ringing of the bell. He leaped from his bed. He hesitated +to go to the window, as it was likely enough that men might be +lying in wait to shoot him when he appeared. Seizing his pistols, +therefore, he hurried down below. A continued knocking was going +on at the front entrance. It was not, however, the noisy din which +would be made by a party trying to force their way in, but rather +the persistent call of one trying to attract attention. + +"Who is there?" he shouted through the door; "and what do you want?" + +"Open the door, please. It is I, Polly Powlett," a voice replied. +"I want to speak to you particularly, sir. + +"I have come down, sir," she said as Ned threw open the door and +she entered, still panting from her long run, "to tell you that +Cartwright's mill is going to be attacked. I think some of the +Varley men are concerned in it. Anyhow, the news has got about in +the village. Feyther and Bill are both watched, and could not get +away to give you the news; but feyther told me, and I slipped out +at the back door and made my way round by the moor, for they have +got a guard on the road to prevent any one passing. There is no +time to spare, for they were to join a party from Longroyd Bridge, +at ten o'clock at the steeple in Sir George Armitage's fields, which +ain't more than three miles from the mill. It's half past ten now, +but maybe they will be late. I couldn't get away before, and indeed +feyther only learned the particulars just as I started. He told +me to come straight to you, as you would know what to do. I said, +'Should I go and fetch the troops?' but he said No--it would be +sure to be found out who had brought them, and our lives wouldn't +be worth having. But I don't mind risking it, sir, if you think +that's the best plan." + +"No, Polly; on no account. You have risked quite enough in coming +to tell me. I will go straight to Cartwright's. Do you get back +as quickly as you can, and get in the same way you came. Be very +careful that no one sees you." + +So saying he dashed upstairs, pulled on his shoes, and then started +at full speed for Liversedge. As he ran he calculated the probabilities +of his being there in time. Had the men started exactly at the +hour named they would be by this time attacking the mill; but it +was not likely that they would be punctual--some of the hands +would be sure to be late. There would be discussion and delay +before starting. They might well be half an hour after the time +named before they left the steeple, as the obelisk in Sir George +Armitage's field was called by the country people. He might be +in time yet, but it would be a close thing; and had his own life +depended upon the result Ned could not have run more swiftly. + +He had hopes that as he went he might have come across a cavalry +patrol and sent them to Marsden and Ottewells to bring up aid; but +the road was quiet and deserted. Once or twice he paused for an +instant, thinking he heard the sound of distant musketry. He held +his breath, but no sound could he hear save the heavy thumping of +his own heart. + +His hopes rose as he neared Liversedge. He was close now, but as he +ran into the yard he heard a confused murmur and the dull tramping +of many feet. He had won the race, but by a few seconds only. The +great stone built building lay hushed in quiet; he could see its +outline against the sky, and could even make out the great alarm +bell which had recently been erected above the roof. He ran up to +the doorway and knocked heavily. The deep barking of a dog within +instantly resounded through the building. Half a minute later Mr. +Cartwright's voice within demanded who was there. + +"It is I, Ned Sankey--open at once. The Luddites are upon you!" + +The bolts were hastily undrawn, and Ned rushed in and assisted to +fasten the door behind him. + +"They will be here in a minute," he panted out. "They are just +behind." + +The noise had already roused the ten men who slept in the building; +five of these were Mr. Cartwright's workmen, the other five were +soldiers. Hastily they threw on their clothes and seized their arms; +but they were scarcely ready when a roar of musketry was heard, +mingled with a clatter of falling glass, nearly every pane in the +lower windows being smashed by the discharge of slugs, buckshot +and bullets. + +This was followed by the thundering noise of a score of sledge +hammers at the principal entrance and the side doors. Mr. Cartwright +and one of his workmen ran to the bell rope, and in a moment its +iron tongue was clanging out its summons for assistance to the +country round. A roar of fury broke from the Luddites; many of them +fired at the bell in hopes of cutting the rope, and the men plied +their hammers more furiously than before. But the doors were +tremendously strong and were backed with plates of iron. + +The defenders were not idle; all had their allotted places at the +windows, and from these a steady return was kept up in answer to +the scattering fire without. Ned had caught up the gun which Mr. +Cartwright had laid down when he ran to the bell rope, and with it +he kept up a steady fire at the dark figures below. + +There was a shout of "Bring up Enoch!" This was a name given to +the exceedingly heavy hammers at that time used in the Yorkshire +smithies. They were manufactured by the firm of Enoch & James +Taylor, of Marsden, and were popularly known among the men by the +name of their maker. A powerful smith now advanced with one of +these heavy weapons and began to pound at the door, which, heavy +as it was, shook under his blows. + +Ned, regardless of the fire of the Luddites, leaned far out of the +window so as to be able to aim down at the group round the door, +and fired. The gun was loaded with a heavy charge of buckshot. He +heard a hoarse shout of pain and rage, and the hammer dropped to +the ground. Another man caught up the hammer and the thundering +din recommenced. + +Mr. Cartwright had now joined Ned, leaving his workmen to continue +to pull the bell rope. + +"You had better come down, Sankey. The door must give way ere long; +we must make a stand there. If they once break in, it will soon be +all up with us." + +Calling together three or four of the soldiers the manufacturer +hurried down to the door. They were none too soon. The panels had +already been splintered to pieces and the iron plates driven from +their bolts by the tremendous blows of the hammer, but the stout +bar still stood. Through the yawning holes in the upper part of +the door the hammermen could be seen at work without. + +Five guns flashed out, and yells and heavy falls told that the +discharge had taken serious effect. The hammering ceased, for the +men could not face the fire. Leaving Ned and one of the soldiers +there, Mr. Cartwright hurried round to the other doors, but the +assault had been less determined there and they still resisted; +then he went upstairs and renewed the firing from the upper windows. +The fight had now continued for twenty minutes, and the fire of +the Luddites was slackening; their supply of powder and ball was +running short. The determined resistance, when they had hoped to +have effected an easy entrance by surprise, had discouraged them; +several had fallen and more were wounded, and at any time the +soldiers might be upon them. + +Those who had been forced by fear to join the association--and +these formed no small part of the whole--had long since begun to +slink away quietly in the darkness, and the others now began to +follow them. The groans and cries of the wounded men added to their +discomfiture, and many eagerly seized the excuse of carrying these +away to withdraw from the fight. + +Gradually the firing ceased, and a shout of triumph rose from the +little party in the mill at the failure of the attack. The defenders +gathered in the lower floor. + +"I think they are all gone now," Ned said. "Shall we go out, +Mr. Cartwright, and see what we can do for the wounded? There are +several of them lying round the door and near the windows. I can +hear them groaning." + +"No, Ned," Mr. Cartwright said firmly, "they must wait a little +longer. The others may still be hiding close ready to make a rush +if we come out; besides, it would likely enough be said of us that +we went out and killed the wounded; we must wait awhile." + +Presently a voice was heard shouting without: "Are you all right, +Cartwright?" + +"Yes," the manufacturer replied. "Who are you?" + +The questioner proved to be a friend who lived the other side of +Liversedge, and who had been aroused by the ringing of the alarm +bell. He had not ventured to approach until the firing had ceased, +and had then come on to see the issue. + +Hearing that the rioters had all departed, Mr. Cartwright ordered +the door to be opened. The wounded Luddites were lifted and carried +into the mill, and Mr. Cartwright sent at once for the nearest +surgeon, who was speedily upon the spot. Long before he arrived +the hussars had ridden up, and had been dispatched over the country +in search of the rioters, of whom, save the dead and wounded, no +signs were visible. + +As day dawned the destruction which had been wrought was clearly +visible. The doors were in splinters, the lower window frames were +all smashed in, scarce a pane of glass remained in its place throughout +the whole building, the stonework was dotted and splashed with +bullet marks, the angles of the windows were chipped and broken, +there were dark patches of blood in many places in the courtyard, +and the yard itself and the roads leading from the mill were strewn +with guns, picks, levers, hammers, and pikes, which had been thrown +away by the discomfited rioters in their retreat. + +"They have had a lesson for once," Mr. Cartwright said as he looked +round, "they won't attack my mill again in a hurry. I need not say, +Sankey, how deeply I am obliged to you for your timely warning. +How did you get to know of it?" + +Ned related the story of his being awakened by Mary Powlett. He +added, "I don't think, after all, my warning was of much use to +you. You could have kept them out anyhow." + +"I don't think so," Mr. Cartwright said. "I imagine that your +arrival upset all their plans; they were so close behind you that +they must have heard the knocking and the door open and close. The +appearance of lights in the mill and the barking of the dog, would, +at any rate, have told them that we were on the alert, and seeing +that they ran on and opened fire I have no doubt that their plan was +to have stolen quietly up to the windows and commenced an attack +upon these in several places, and had they done this they would +probably have forced an entrance before we could have got together +to resist them. No, my lad, you and that girl have saved the mill +between you." + +"You will not mention, Mr. Cartwright, to any one how I learned +the news. The girl's life would not be safe were it known that she +brought me word of the intention of the Luddites." + +"You may rely on me for that; and now, if you please, we will go +off home at once and get some breakfast. Amy may have heard of the +attack and will be in a rare fright until she gets news of me." + +Mr. Cartwright's house was about a mile from the mill. When they +arrived there it was still closed and quiet, and it was evident that +no alarm had been excited. Mr. Cartwright's knocking soon roused +the servants, and a few minutes later Amy hurried down. + +"What is it, papa? What brings you back so early? it is only seven +o'clock now. How do you do, Mr. Sankey? Why, papa, how dirty and +black you both look! What have you been doing? And, oh, papa! you +have got blood on your hands!" + +"It is not my own, my dear, and you need not be frightened. The +attack on the mill has come at last and we have given the Luddites +a handsome thrashing. The danger is all over now, for I do not think +the mill is ever likely to be attacked again. But I will tell you +all about it presently; run and get breakfast ready as soon as you +can, for we are as hungry as hunters, I can tell you. We will go +and have a wash, and will be ready in ten minutes." + +"We can't be ready in ten minutes, papa, for the fires are not +lighted yet, but we will be as quick as we can; and do please make +haste and come and tell me all about this dreadful business." + +In half an hour the party were seated at breakfast. Amy had already +been told the incidents of the fight, and trembled as she heard +how nearly the rioters had burst their way into the mill, and was +deeply grateful to Ned for the timely warning which had frustrated +the plans of the rioters. + +In vain did the soldiers scour the country. The Luddites on their +retreat had scattered to their villages, the main body returning to +Huddersfield and appearing at their work as usual in the morning. +Large rewards were offered for information which would lead to the +apprehension of any concerned in the attack, but these, as well as +the notices offering two thousand pounds for the apprehension of +the murderers of Mr. Horsfall, met with no responses. Scores of +men must have known who were concerned in these affairs, but either +fidelity to the cause or fear of the consequences of treachery kept +them silent. + +Mr. Cartwright was anxious to offer a handsome reward to Mary +Powlett for the service she had rendered him, but Ned told him that +he was sure she would not accept anything. Mr. Cartwright, however, +insisting on the point, Ned saw Mary and sounded her upon the +subject. She was indignant at the idea. + +"No, Master Ned," she said, "I would not take money, not ever so. +I came down to tell you because I thought it wicked and wrong of +the men to destroy the mill, and because they would no doubt have +murdered Mr. Cartwright and the people there; but I would not +take money for doing it. Even if nobody ever got to know of it, it +would always seem to me as if I had sold the hands, and they have +suffered enough, God knows." + +"I don't think Mr. Cartwright thought of offering you money. I told +him that I was sure that you wouldn't take it, but he hoped that +he might be able to do something for you in some other way." + +"No, thank you, sir," Mary said with quiet dignity; "there isn't +any way that I could take anything for doing what I did." + +"Well, Mary, we won't say anything more about it. I only spoke, you +know, because Mr. Cartwright insisted, and, of course, as he did +not know you he could not tell how different you were from other +girls. There is no suspicion, I hope, that you were away from the +village?" + +"No, sir, I don't think so. Two of the men sat here talking with +feyther till past eleven o'clock, but they thought that I was +in bed, as I had said goodnight and had gone into my room an hour +before, and I did not see any one about in the village as I came +back over the moor behind." + +"None of the hands belonging to the village are missing, I hope, +Mary. I was glad to find that none of them were among the killed +and wounded round the mill." + +"No, sir, except that John Stukeley has not been about since. The +smithy was not opened the next morning and the chapel was closed +yesterday. They say as he has been taken suddenly ill, but feyther +thinks that perhaps he was wounded. Of course men don't speak much +before feyther, and I don't talk much to the other women of the +village, so we don't know what's going on; anyhow the doctor has +not been here to see him, and if he had been only ill I should think +they would have had Dr. Green up. Old Sarah James is nursing him. +I saw her this morning going to the shop and asked her how he was; +she only said it was no business of mine. But she doesn't like me +because sometimes I nurse people when they are ill, and she thinks +it takes money from her; and so it does, but what can I do if people +like me to sit by them better than her? and no wonder, for she is +very deaf and horribly dirty." + +"I don't think they are to be blamed, Polly," Ned said, smiling. +"If I were ill I should certainly like you to nurse me a great deal +better than that bad tempered old woman." + + + +The attack on Cartwright's mill made a great sensation through +that part of the country. It was the most determined effort which +the Luddites had yet made, and although it showed their determination to +carry matters to an extremity, it also showed that a few determined +men could successfully resist their attacks. Nothing else was talked +about at Marsden, and as Mr. Cartwright everywhere said that the +success of the resistance was due entirely to the upsetting of the +plans of the rioters by the warning Ned had given him, the latter +gained great credit in the eyes of all the peaceful inhabitants. +But as it would make Ned still more obnoxious to the Luddites, +Major Browne insisted on placing six soldiers permanently at the +mill and on four accompanying him as an escort whenever he went +backward or forward. + +Ned was very averse to these measures, but the magistrates agreed +with Major Browne as to the danger of assassination to which Ned +was exposed from the anger of the croppers at his having twice +thwarted their attempts, and he the more readily agreed as the +presence of this guard soothed the fears which Charlie and Lucy felt +for his safety whenever he was absent from the town. What perhaps +most influenced him was a conversation which he had with Mrs. +Porson. + +"Your mother was speaking of you to me today, Ned," she said; "it +is the first time she has done so since I made her acquaintance. +She began by saying, 'Please, Mrs. Porson, tell me all about this +attack on George Cartwright's mill; Abijah and Lucy have been +talking about it, but Abijah always gets confused in her stories, +and of course Lucy knows only what she is told. I should like to +know all about it.' Of course I told her the whole story, and how +much Mr. Cartwright says he is indebted to you for the warning +you brought him, and how every one is speaking in praise of your +conduct, and what a good effect it has had. + +"I told her that of course the Luddites would be very much incensed +against you and that it was adding to the risks that you already +ran. She lay on the sofa quietly with her eyes shut all the time +I was speaking. I could see her color come and go, and some tears +fell down her cheeks; then she said in a tone which she tried to +make hard and careless, but which really trembled, 'The military +ought to put a guard over my son. Why does he go risking his life +for other people? What business is it of his whether Cartwright's +mill is burned or not?' I said that Mr. Cartwright had been very +kind to you, and that I knew that you were much attached to him. +I also said that the military were anxious that you should have an +escort to and from the mill, but that you objected. I said that I +was afraid that your life had not much value in your own eyes, for +that it was by no means a happy one. 'It has value in other people's +eyes,' she said irritably, 'in Lucy's and in his brother's. What +would they do if he was to throw it away? Who would look after the +mill and business then? He has no right to run such risks, Mrs. +Porson, no right at all. Of course he is unhappy. People who let +their tempers master them and do things are sure to be unhappy, +and make other people unhappy, too; but that is no reason that he +should cause more unhappiness by risking his own life needlessly, +so, Mrs. Porson, please talk to your husband and tell him to make +my son have an escort. I know he always listens to Mr. Porson.'" + +"Naturally my mother is anxious, for the sake of Charlie and Lucy, +that I should live to carry on the mill until Charlie is old enough +to run it himself," Ned said bitterly. + +"I do not think that it is only that, Ned," Mrs. Porson said kindly. +"That was only the excuse that your mother made. I could see that +she was deeply moved. I believe, Ned, that at heart she still +loves you dearly. She has this unhappy fixed idea in her mind that +you killed her husband, and believing this she cannot bear to see +you; but I am sure she is most unhappy, most deeply to be pitied. +I cannot imagine anything more dreadful than the state of mind of +a woman who believes that a son of hers has murdered her husband. +I think that if you quite realized what her feelings must be you +would feel a little less bitter than you do. + +"I know, Ned, how much you have to try you, but I am sure that I +would not exchange your position for that of your mother. Her pain +must be far greater than yours. You know that you are innocent, +and hope that some day you may be able to prove it. She thinks she +knows that you are guilty, and is in constant dread that something +may occur that may prove your guilt to the world." + +"Perhaps you are right, Mrs. Porson," Ned said wearily; "at any rate +I will put up with the nuisance of this escort. I suppose it will +not be for very long, for I expect that we shall not hear very much +more of the Luddites. The failures upon Cartwright's mill and mine +must have disheartened them, and the big rewards that are offered +to any one who will come forward and betray the rest must make +them horribly uncomfortable, for no one can be sure that some one +may not be tempted to turn traitor." + +"What is the matter with Bill?" Ned asked Luke Marner that afternoon. +"I see he is away." + +"Yes, sir, he be a-sitting with John Stukeley, who they say is main +bad. It seems as how he has taken a fancy to t' lad, though why he +should oi dunno, for Bill had nowt to do wi' his lot. Perhaps he +thinks now as Bill were right and he were wrong; perhaps it only +is as if Bill ha' got a name in the village of being a soft hearted +chap, allus ready to sit up at noight wi' any one as is ill. Anyhow +he sent last noight to ask him to go and sit wi' him, and Bill sent +me word this morning as how he couldn't leave the man." + +"Do you know what is the matter with him?" + +"I dunno for certain, Maister Ned, but I has my suspicions." + +"So have I, Luke. I believe he got a gunshot wound in that affair +at the mill." + +Luke nodded significantly. + +"Dr. Green ought to see him," Ned said. "A gunshot wound is not a +thing to be trifled with." + +"The doctor ha' been up twice a day on the last three e days," Luke +replied. "Oi suppose they got frighted and were obliged to call +him in." + +"They had better have done so at first," Ned said; "they might +have been quite sure that he would say nothing about it to the +magistrates whatever was the matter with Stukeley. I thought that +fellow would get into mischief before he had done." + +"It war a bad day for the village when he coomed," Luke said; "what +wi' his preachings and his talk, he ha' turned the place upside +down. I doan't say as Varley had ever a good name, or was a place +where a quiet chap would have chosen to live, For fighting and drink +there weren't a worse place in all Yorkshire, but there weren't +no downright mischief till he came. Oi wur afraid vor a bit when +he came a-hanging aboot Polly, as the gal might ha' took to him, +for he can talk smooth and has had edication, and Polly thinks a +wonderful lot of that. Oi were main glad when she sent him aboot +his business." + +"Well, there is one thing, Luke; if anything happens to him it +will put an end to this Luddite business at Varley. Such a lesson +as that in their midst would do more to convince them of the danger +of their goings on than any amount of argument and advice." + +"It will that," Luke said. "Oi hear as they are all moighty down +in the mouth over that affair at Cartwright's. If they could not +win there, when they were thirty to one, what chance can they have +o' stopping the mills? Oi consider as how that has been the best +noight's work as ha' been done in Yorkshire for years and years. +There ain't a-been anything else talked of in Varley since. I ha' +heard a score of guesses as to how you found owt what was a-going +on in toime to get to the mill--thank God there ain't one +as suspects as our Polly brought you the news. My own boys doan't +know, and ain't a-going to; not as they would say a word as would +harm Polly for worlds, but as they gets a bit bigger and takes to +drink, there's no saying what mightn't slip out when they are in +liquor. So you and oi and Bill be the only ones as ull ever know +the ins and outs o' that there business." + + + +CHAPTER XX: CLEARED AT LAST. + + +The night was a wild one. The weather had changed suddenly, and +the rain beat fiercely in the faces of the hands as they made their +way back from the mill up to Varley. As the night came on the storm +increased. The wind as it swept across the moor swirled down into +the hollow in which Varley stood, as if it would scoop the houses +out of their foundations, and the drops of rain were driven against +roof and wall with the force of hailstones. + +Bill Swinton was sitting up again with John Stukeley, and as he +bent over the sick man's bed and tenderly lifted his head while +he held a cup with some cooling drink to his lips, the contrast +between his broad, powerful figure, and his face, marked with the +characteristics alike of good temper, kindness, and a resolute will, +and the thin, emaciated invalid was very striking. Stukeley's face +was without a vestige of color; his eyes were hollow and surrounded +by dark circles; his cheeks were of an ashen gray pallor, which +deepened almost to a lead color round his lips. + +"Thou ought'st not to talk so much, John," Bill was saying. "Thou +know'st the doctor said thou must not excite thyself." + +"It makes no difference, Bill, no difference at all, talk or not +talk. What does it matter? I am dying, and he knows it, and I know +it--so do you. That bit of lead in my body has done its work. +Strange, isn't it, that you should be here nursing me when I have +thought of shooting you a score of times? A year ago it seemed +absurd that Polly Powlett should like a boy like you better than +a man like me, and yet I was sure it was because of you she would +have nothing to say to me; but she was right, you will make the best +husband of the two. I suppose it's because of that I sent for you. +I was very fond of Polly, Bill, and when I felt that I was going, +and there wasn't any use my being jealous any longer, I seemed to +turn to you. I knew you would come, for you have been always ready +to do a kindness to a chap who was down. You are different to the +other lads here. I do believe you are fond of reading. Whenever +you think I am asleep you take up your book." + +"Oi am trying to improve myself," Bill said quietly. "Maister Sankey +put me in the roight way. He gives me an hour, and sometimes two, +every evening. He has been wonderful kind to me, he has; there +ain't nothing oi wouldn't do for him." + +The sick man moved uneasily. + +"No more wouldn't Luke and Polly," Bill went on. "His father gived +his loife, you know, for little Jenny. No, there ain't nowt we +wouldn't do for him," he continued, glad to turn the subject from +that of Stukeley's affection for Polly. "He be one of the best of +maisters. Oi would give my life's blood if so be as oi could clear +him of that business of Mulready's." + +For a minute or two not a word was said. The wind roared round the +building, and in the intervals of the gusts the high clock in the +corner of the room ticked steadily and solemnly as if distinctly +intimating that its movements were not to be hurried by the commotion +without. + +Stukeley had closed his eyes, and Bill began to hope that he was +going to doze off, when he asked suddenly; "Bill, do you know who +sent that letter that was read at the trial--I mean the one from +the chap as said he done it, and was ready to give himself up if +the boy was found guilty?" + +Bill did not answer. + +"You can tell me, if you know," Stukeley said impatiently. "You +don't suppose as I am going to tell now! Maybe I shan't see any +one to tell this side of the grave, for I doubt as I shall see the +morning. Who wrote it?" + +"I wrote it," Bill said; "but it warn't me as was coming forward, +it war Luke's idee fust. He made up his moind as to own up as it +was he as did it and to be hung for it to save Maister Ned, acause +the captain lost his loife for little Jenny." + +"But he didn't do it," Stukeley said sharply. + +"No, he didn't do it," Bill replied. + +There was a silence again for a long time; then Stukeley opened +his eyes suddenly. + +"Bill, I should like to see Polly again. Dost think as she will +come and say goodby?" + +"Oi am sure as she will," Bill said steadily. "Shall oi go and +fetch her?" + +"It's a wild night to ask a gal to come out on such an errand," +Stukeley said doubtfully. + +"Polly won't mind that," Bill replied confidently. "She will just +wrap her shawl round her head and come over. Oi will run across +and fetch her. Oi will not be gone three minutes." + +In little more than that time Bill returned with Mary Powlett. + +"I am awfully sorry to hear you are so bad, John," the girl said +frankly. + +"I am dying, Polly; I know that, or I wouldn't have sent for ye. +It was a good day for you when you said no to what I asked you." + +"Never mind that now, John; that's all past and gone." + +"Ay, that's all past and gone. I only wanted to say as I wish you +well, Polly, and I hope you will be happy, and I am pretty nigh +sure of it. Bill here tells me that you set your heart on having +young Sankey cleared of that business as was against him. Is that +so?" + +"That is so, John; he has been very kind to us all, to feyther +and all of us. He is a good master to his men, and has kept many +a mouth full this winter as would have been short of food without +him; but why do you ask me?" + +"Just a fancy of mine, gal, such a fancy as comes into the head +of a man at the last. When you get back send Luke here. It is late +and maybe he has gone to bed, but tell him I must speak to him. And +now, goodby, Polly. God bless you! I don't know as I hasn't been +wrong about all this business, but it didn't seem so to me afore. +Just try and think that, will you, when you hear about it. I thought +as I was a-acting for the good of the men." + +"I will always remember that," Polly said gently. + +Then she took the thin hand of the man in hers, glanced at Bill +as if she would ask his approval, and reading acquiescence in his +eyes she stooped over the bed and kissed Stukeley's forehead. Then +without a word she left the cottage and hurried away through the +darkness. + +A few minutes later Luke Marner came in, and to Bill's surprise +Stukeley asked him to leave the room. In five minutes Luke came +out again. + +"Go in to him, Bill," he said hoarsely. "Oi think he be a-sinking. +For God's sake keep him up. Give him that wine and broath stuff +as thou canst. Keep him going till oi coom back again; thou doan't +know what depends on it." + +Hurrying back to his cottage Luke threw on a thick coat, and to the +astonishment of Polly announced that he was going down into Marsden. + +"What! on such a night as this, feyther?" + +"Ay, lass, and would if it were ten toimes wurse. Get ye into thy +room, and go down on thy knees, and pray God to keep John Stukeley +alive and clear headed till oi coomes back again." + +It was many years since Luke Marner's legs had carried him so fast +as they now did into Marsden. The driving rain and hail which beat +against him seemed unheeded as he ran down the hill at the top of +his speed. He stopped at the doctor's and went in. Two or three minutes +after the arrival of this late visitor Dr. Green's housekeeper was +astonished at hearing the bell ring violently. On answering the +bell she was ordered to arouse John, who had already gone to bed, +and to tell him to put the horse into the gig instantly. + +"Not on such a night as this, doctor! sureley you are not a-going +out on such a night as this!" + +"Hold your tongue, woman, and do as you are told instantly," the +doctor said with far greater spirit than usual, for his housekeeper +was, as a general thing, mistress of the establishment. + +With an air of greatly offended dignity she retired to carry out +his orders. Three minutes later the doctor ran out of his room as +he heard the man servant descending the stairs. + +"John," he said, "I am going on at once to Mr. Thompson's; bring +the gig round there. I shan't want you to go further with me. +Hurry up, man, and don't lose a moment--it is a matter of life +and death." + +A quarter of an hour later Dr. Green, with Mr. Thompson by his +side, drove off through the tempest toward Varley. + +The next morning, as Ned was at breakfast, the doctor was announced. + +"What a pestilently early hour you breakfast at, Ned! I was not in +bed till three o'clock, and I scarcely seemed to have been asleep +an hour when I was obliged to get up to be in time to catch you +before you were off." + +"That is hard on you indeed, doctor," Ned said, smiling; "but why +this haste? Have you got some patient for whom you want my help? +You need not have got up so early for that, you know. You could +have ordered anything you wanted for him in my name. You might +have been sure I should have honored the bill. But what made you +so late last night? You were surely never out in such a gale!" + +"I was, Ned, and strange as it seems I never went in answer to a +call which gave me so much satisfaction. My dear lad, I hardly know +how to tell you. I have a piece of news for you; the greatest, the +best news that man could have to tell you." + +Ned drew a long breath and the color left his cheeks. + +"You don't mean, doctor, you can't mean"--and he paused. + +"That you are cleared, my boy. Yes; that is my news. Thank God, +Ned, your innocence is proved." + +Ned could not speak. For a minute he sat silent and motionless. +Then he bent forward and covered his face with his hands, and his +lips moved as he murmured a deep thanksgiving to God for this mercy, +while Lucy and Charlie, with cries of surprise and delight, leaped +from the table, and when Ned rose to his feet, threw their arms +round his neck with enthusiastic delight; while the doctor wrung +his hand, and then, taking out his pocket handkerchief, wiped his +eyes, violently declaring, as he did so, that he was an old fool. + +"Tell me all about it, doctor. How has it happened? What has brought +it about?" + +"Luke Marner came down to me at ten o'clock last night to tell +me that John Stukeley was dying, which I knew very well, for when +I saw him in the afternoon I saw he was sinking fast; but he told +me, too, that the man was anxious to sign a declaration before a +magistrate to the effect that it was he who killed your stepfather. +I had my gig got out and hurried away to Thompson's. The old fellow +was rather crusty at being called out on such a night, but to do +him justice, I must say he went readily enough when he found what +he was required for, though it must have given him a twinge of +conscience, for you know he has never been one of your partisans. +However, off we drove, and got there in time. + +"Stukeley made a full confession. It all happened just as we +thought. It had been determined by the Luddites to kill Mulready, +and Stukeley determined to carry out the business himself, convinced, +as he says, that the man was a tyrant and an oppressor, and that +his death was not only richly deserved, but that such a blow was +necessary to encourage the Luddites. He did not care, however, to +run the risk of taking any of the others into his confidence, and +therefore carried it out alone, and to this day, although some of +the others may have their suspicions, no one knows for certain that +he was the perpetrator of the act. + +"He had armed himself with a pistol and went down to the mill, +intending to shoot Mulready as he came out at night, but, stumbling +upon the rope, thought that it was a safer and more certain means. +After fastening it across the road he sat down and waited, intending +to shoot your stepfather if the accident didn't turn out fatal. +After the crash, finding that Mulready's neck was broken and that +he was dead, he made off home. He wished it specially to be placed +on his deposition that he made his confession not from any regret +at having killed Mulready, but simply to oblige Mary Powlett, whose +heart was bent upon your innocence being proved. He signed the +deposition in the presence of Thompson, myself, and Bill Swinton." + +"And you think it is true, doctor, you really think it is true? It +is not like Luke's attempt to save me?" + +"I am certain it is true, Ned. The man was dying, and there was +no mistake about his earnestness. There is not a shadow of doubt. +I sent Swinton back in the gig with Thompson and stayed with the +man till half past two. He was unconscious then. He may linger a +few hours, but will not live out the day, and there is little chance +of his again recovering consciousness. Thompson will today send a +copy of the deposition to the home secretary, with a request that +it may be made public through the newspapers. It will appear in +all the Yorkshire papers next Saturday, and all the world will know +that you are innocent." + +"What will my mother say?" Ned exclaimed, turning pale again. + +"I don't know what she will say, my lad, but I know what she +ought to say. I am going round to Thompson's now for a copy of the +deposition, and will bring it for her to see. Thompson will read +it aloud at the meeting of the court today, so by this afternoon +every one will know that you are cleared." + +Abijah's joy when she heard that Ned's innocence was proved was +no less than that of his brother and sister. She would have rushed +upstairs at once to tell the news to her mistress, but Ned persuaded +her not to do so until the doctor's return. + +"Then he will have to be quick," Abijah said, "for if the mistress' +bell rings, and I have to go up before he comes, I shall never be +able to keep it to myself. She will see it in my face that something +has happened. If the bell rings, Miss Lucy, you must go up, and if +she asks for me, say that I am particular busy, and will be up in +a few minutes." + +The bell, however, did not ring before the doctor's return. After +a short consultation between him and Ned, Abijah was called in. + +"Mr. Sankey agrees with me, Abijah, that you had better break the +news. Your mistress is more accustomed to you than to any one else, +and you understand her ways. Here is the deposition. I shall wait +below here till you come down. There is no saying how she will take +it. Be sure you break the news gently." + +Abijah went upstairs with a hesitating step, strongly in contrast +with her usual quick bustling walk. She had before felt rather +aggrieved that the doctor should be the first to break the news; +but she now felt the difficulty of the task, and would gladly have +been spared the responsibility. + +"I have been expecting you for the last quarter of an hour, Abijah," +Mrs. Mulready said querulously. "You know how I hate to have the +room untidy after I have dressed. + +"Why, what's the matter?". she broke off sharply as she noticed +Abijah's face. "Why, you have been crying!" + +"Yes, ma'am, I have been crying," Abijah said unsteadily, "but I +don't know as ever I shall cry again, for I have heard such good +news as will last me the rest of my whole life." + +"What news, Abijah?" Mrs. Mulready asked quickly. "What are you +making a mystery about, and what is that paper in your hand?" + +"Well, ma'am, God has been very good to us all. I knew as he would +be sooner or later, though sometimes I began to doubt whether it +would be in my time, and it did break my heart to see Maister Ned +going about so pale and unnatural like for a lad like him, and to +know as there was people as thought that he was a murderer. And +now, thank God, it is all over." + +"All over! what do you mean, Abijah?" Mrs. Mulready exclaimed, +rising suddenly from her invalid chair. + +"What do you mean by saying that it is all over?" and she seized +the old nurse's arm with an eager grasp. + +"Don't excite yourself so, mistress. You have been sore tried, but +it is over now, and today all the world will know as Maister Ned is +proved to be innocent. This here paper is a copy of the confession +of the man as did it, and who is, they say, dead by this time. It +was taken all right and proper afore a magistrate." + +"Innocent!" Mrs. Mulready gasped in a voice scarcely above a whisper. +"Did you tell me, Abijah, that my boy, my boy Ned, is innocent?" + +"I never doubted as he was innocent, ma'am; but now, thank God, +all the world will know it. There, ma'am, sit yourself down. Don't +look like that. I know as how you must feel, but for mercy sake +don't look like that." + +Mrs. Mulready did not seem to hear her, did not seem to notice, as +she passively permitted herself to be seated in the chair, while +Abijah poured out a glass of wine. Her face was pale and rigid, +her eyes wide open, her expression one of horror rather than relief. + +"Innocent! Proved innocent!" she murmured. "What must he think of +me--me, his mother!" + +For some time she sat looking straight before her, taking no notice +of the efforts of Abijah to call her attention, and unheeding the +glass of wine which she in vain pressed her to drink. + +"I must go away," she said at last, rising suddenly. "I must go +away at once. Has he gone yet?" + +"Go away, ma'am! Why, what should you go away for, and where are +you going?" + +"It does not matter; it makes no difference," Mrs. Mulready said +feverishly, "so that I get away. Put some of my things together, +Abijah. What are you staring there for? Don't you hear what I say? +I must go away directly he has started for the mill." + +And with trembling fingers she began to open her drawers and pull +out her clothes. + +"But you can't go away like that, mistress. You can't, indeed," +Abijah said, aghast. + +"I must go, Abijah. There is nothing else for me to do. Do you +think I could see him after treating him as I have done? I should +fall dead at his feet for shame." + +"But where are you going, ma'am?" Abijah said, thinking it better +not to attempt to argue with her in her present state. + +"I don't know, I don't know. Yes, I do. Do you know whether that +cottage you were telling me about where you lived while you were +away from here, is to let? That will do nicely, for there I should +be away from every one. Get me a box from the lumber room, and +tell Harriet to go out and get me a post chaise from the Red Lion +as soon as my son has gone to the mill." + +"Very well," Abijah said. "I will do as you want me, 'm, if you +will sit down quiet and not excite yourself. You know you have not +been out of your room for a year, and if you go a-tiring yourself +like this you will never be able to stand the journey. You sit +down in the chair and I will do the packing for you. You can tell +me what things you will take with you. I will get the box down." + +So saying, Abijah left the room, and, running hastily downstairs, +told Ned and the doctor the manner in which Mrs. Mulready had +received the news. Ned, would have run up at once to his mother, +but Dr. Green would not hear of it. + +"It would not do, Ned. In your mother's present state the shock +of seeing you might have the worst effect. Run up, Abijah, and get +the box down to her. I will go out and come back and knock at the +door in two or three minutes, and will go up and see her, and, +if necessary. I will give her a strong soothing draught. You had +better tell her that from what you hear you believe Mr. Sankey is +not going to the mill today. That will make her delay her preparations +for moving until tomorrow, and will give us time to see what is +best to be done." + +"I have brought the box, mistress," Abijah said as she entered +Mrs. Mulready's room; "but I don't think as you will want to pack +today, for I hear as Mr. Ned ain't a-going to the mill. You see +all the town will be coming to see him to shake hands with him and +tell him how glad they is that he is cleared." + +"And only I can't!" Mrs. Mulready wailed. "To think of it, only I, +his mother, can't see him! And I must stop in the house for another +day! Oh! it is too hard! But I deserve it, and everything else." + +"There is Dr. Green's knock," Abijah said. + +"I can't see him, Abijah. I can't see him." + +"I think you had better see him, ma'am. You always do see him, you +know, and it will look so strange if you don't. There, I will pop +these things into the drawers again and hide the box." + +Abijah bustled about actively, and before Mrs. Mulready had time to +take any decided step Dr. Green knocked at the door and came in. + +"How are you today, Mrs. Mulready?" he asked cheerfully. "This is +a joyful day indeed for us all. The whole place is wild with the +news, and I expect we shall be having a deputation presently to +congratulate Ned." + +"I am not feeling very well," Mrs. Mulready said faintly. "The +shock has been too much for me." + +"Very natural, very natural, indeed," Dr. Green said cheerily. "We +could hardly hope it would be otherwise; but after this good news +I expect we shall soon make a woman of you again. Your son will +be the most popular man in the place. People will not know how to +make enough of him. Porson and I, who have been cheering him all +along, will have to snub him now or his head will be turned. Now +let me feel your pulse. Dear! dear! this will not do at all; it's +going like a mill engine. This will never do. If you do not calm +yourself we shall be having you in bed again for a long bout. I will +send you a bottle of soothing medicine. You must take it every two +hours, and keep yourself perfectly quiet. There, I will not talk +to you now about this good news, for I see that you are not fit to +stand it. You must lie down on the sofa at once, and not get off +again today. I will look in this evening and see how you are." + +Frightened at the threat that if she were not quiet she might be +confined to her bed for weeks; Mrs. Mulready obeyed orders, took +her medicine when it arrived, and lay quiet on the sofa. For a long +time the sedative failed to have any effect. Every five minutes +throughout the day there were knocks at the door. Every one who +knew Ned, and many who did not, called to congratulate him. Some, +like Mr. Thompson, made a half apology for having so long doubted +him. A few, like Mr. Simmonds, were able heartily to assure him +that they had never in their hearts believed it. + +Ned was too full of gratitude and happiness to cherish the slightest +animosity, and he received warmly and thankfully the congratulations +which were showered upon him. + +"He looks another man," was the universal comment of his visitors; +and, indeed, it was so. The cloud which had so long overshadowed +him had passed away, and the look of cold reserve had vanished with +it, and he was prepared again to receive the world as a friend. + +He was most moved when, early in the day, Mr. Porson and the whole +of the boys arrived. As soon as he had left Mrs. Mulready, Dr. +Green had hurried down to the schoolhouse with the news, and Mr. +Porson, as soon as he heard it, had announced it from his desk, +adding that after such news as that he could not expect them to +continue their lessons, and that the rest of the day must therefore +be regarded as a holiday. He yielded a ready assent when the boys +entreated that they might go in a body to congratulate Ned. + +Ned was speechless for some time as his old friend wrung his hand, +and his former schoolfellows clustered round him with a very Babel +of congratulations and good wishes. Only the knowledge that his +mother was ill above prevented them from breaking into uproarious +cheering. + +In the afternoon, hearing that his mother was still awake, Ned, +accompanied by Mr. Porson, went out for a stroll, telling Harriet +that she was to remain at the open door while he was away, so as +to prevent any one from knocking. It was something of a trial to +Ned to walk through the street which he had passed along so many +times in the last year oblivious of all within it. Every man and +woman he met insisted on shaking hands with him. Tradesmen left +their shops and ran out to greet him, and there was no mistaking the +general enthusiasm which was felt on the occasion, and the desire +of every one to atone as far as possible for the unmerited suffering +which had been inflicted on him. + +When he returned at six o'clock he found Harriet still on the watch, +and she said in low tones that Abijah had just come downstairs with +the news that her mistress had fallen asleep. + +"I should not think any one more will come, Harriet, but I will +get you to stop here for a little longer. Then we must fasten up +the knocker and take off the bell. The doctor says that it is all +important that my mother should get a long and undisturbed sleep." + +Dr. Green came in again in the evening, and had a long chat with +Ned. It was nearly midnight before Mrs. Mulready awoke. On opening +her eyes she saw Ned sitting at a short distance from the sofa. She +gave a sudden start, and then a look of terror came into her face. + +Ned rose to his feet and held out his arms with the one word +"Mother!" + +Mrs. Mulready slid from the sofa and threw herself on her knees +with her hands clasped. + +"Oh! my boy, my boy!" she cried, "can you forgive me?" + +Then, as he raised her in his arms, she fainted. + +It was a happy party, indeed, that assembled round the breakfast +table next morning. Mrs. Mulready was at the head of the table making +tea, looking pale and weak, but with a look of quiet happiness and +contentment on her face such as her children had never seen there +before, but which was henceforth to be its habitual expression. + +Ned did not carry out his original intention of entering the army. +Mr. Simmonds warmly offered to make the application for a commission +for him, but Ned declined. He had made up his mind, he said, to +stick to the mill; there was plenty of work to be done there, and +he foresaw that with a continued improvement of machinery there +was a great future for the manufacturing interests of England. + +The Luddite movement gradually died out. The high rewards offered +for the discovery of the murderers of Mr. Horsfall and of the +assailants of Cartwright's mill had their effect. Three croppers, +Mellor, Thorpe and Smith, were denounced and brought to trial. All +three had been concerned in the murder, together with Walker, who +turned king's evidence for the reward--Mellor and Thorpe having +fired the fatal shots. The same men had been the leaders in the +attack on Cartwright's mill. + +They were tried at the assizes at York on the 2d of January, 1813, +with sixty-four of their comrades, before Baron Thomas and Judge +Le Blanc, and were found guilty, although they were defended by +Henry (afterward Lord) Brougham. Mellor, Thorpe, and Smith were +executed three days afterward. Fourteen of the others were hung, +as were five Luddites who were tried before another tribunal. + +After this wholesale act of severity the Luddite disturbances soon +came to an end. The non-success which had attended their efforts, +and the execution of all their leaders, thoroughly cowed the rioters, +and their ranks were speedily thinned by the number of hands who +found employment in the rapidly increasing mills in the district. +Anyhow from that time the Luddite conspiracy ceased to be formidable. + +The Sankeys' mill at Marsden flourished greatly under Ned's management. +Every year saw additions to the buildings and machinery until it +became one of the largest concerns in Yorkshire. He was not assisted, +as he had at one time hoped he should be, by his brother in the +management; but he was well contented when Charlie, on leaving +school, declared his wish to go to Cambridge, and then to enter the +church, a life for which he was far better suited by temperament +than for the active life of a man of business. + +The trial through which Ned Sankey had passed had a lasting +effect upon his character. Whatever afterward occurred to vex him +in business he was never known to utter a hasty word, or to form +a hasty judgment. He was ever busy in devising schemes for the +benefit of his workpeople, and to be in Sankey's mill was considered +as the greatest piece of good fortune which could befall a hand. + +Four years after the confession of John Stukeley Ned married the +daughter of his friend George Cartwright, and settled down in a +handsome house which he had built for himself a short distance out +of Marsden. Lucy was soon afterward settled in a house of her own, +having married a young landowner with ample estates. Mrs. Mulready, +in spite of the urgent persuasions of her son and his young +wife, refused to take up her residence with them, but established +herself in a pretty little house close at hand, spending, however, +a considerable portion of each day with him at his home. + +The trials through which she had gone had done even more for her +than for Ned. All her querulous listlessness had disappeared. She +was bright, cheerful, and even tempered. Ned used to tell her that +she grew younger looking every day. Her pride and happiness in her +son were unbounded, and these culminated when, ten years after his +accession to the management of the mill, Ned acceded to the request +of a large number of manufacturers in the district, to stand for +Parliament as the representative of the mill owning interest, and +was triumphantly returned at the head of the poll. + +Of the other characters of this story little need be said. Dr. Green +and Mr. and Mrs. Porson remained Ned's closest friends to the end +of their lives. + +Mary Powlett did not compel Bill Swinton to wait until the situation +of foreman of the mill became vacant, but married him two years +after the death of John Stukeley. Bill became in time not only +foreman but the confidential manager of the mill, and he and his +wife were all their lives on the footing of dear friends with Mr. +and Mrs. Sankey. + +Luke Marner remained foreman of his room until too old for further +work, when he retired on a comfortable pension, and was succeeded +in his post by his son George. Ned and Amy Sankey had a large +family, who used to listen with awe and admiration to the tale of +the terrible trial which had once befallen their father, and of +the way in which he had indeed been "tried in the fire." + +THE END + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Through the Fray, by G. A. Henty + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THROUGH THE FRAY *** + +This file should be named tfray10.txt or tfray10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, tfray11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, tfray10a.txt + +Produced by Martin Robb + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we usually do not +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +We are now trying to release all our eBooks one year in advance +of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. +Please be encouraged to tell us about any error or corrections, +even years after the official publication date. + +Please note neither this listing nor its contents are final til +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg eBooks is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. + +Most people start at our Web sites at: +http://gutenberg.net or +http://promo.net/pg + +These Web sites include award-winning information about Project +Gutenberg, including how to donate, how to help produce our new +eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter (free!). + + +Those of you who want to download any eBook before announcement +can get to them as follows, and just download by date. This is +also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the +indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an +announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter. + +http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext03 or +ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext03 + +Or /etext02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90 + +Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want, +as it appears in our Newsletters. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours +to get any eBook selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. Our +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If the value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour in 2002 as we release over 100 new text +files per month: 1240 more eBooks in 2001 for a total of 4000+ +We are already on our way to trying for 2000 more eBooks in 2002 +If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total +will reach over half a trillion eBooks given away by year's end. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away 1 Trillion eBooks! +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users. + +Here is the briefest record of our progress (* means estimated): + +eBooks Year Month + + 1 1971 July + 10 1991 January + 100 1994 January + 1000 1997 August + 1500 1998 October + 2000 1999 December + 2500 2000 December + 3000 2001 November + 4000 2001 October/November + 6000 2002 December* + 9000 2003 November* +10000 2004 January* + + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created +to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +As of February, 2002, contributions are being solicited from people +and organizations in: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, +Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, +Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, +Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New +Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, +Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South +Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West +Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. + +We have filed in all 50 states now, but these are the only ones +that have responded. + +As the requirements for other states are met, additions to this list +will be made and fund raising will begin in the additional states. +Please feel free to ask to check the status of your state. + +In answer to various questions we have received on this: + +We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork to legally +request donations in all 50 states. If your state is not listed and +you would like to know if we have added it since the list you have, +just ask. + +While we cannot solicit donations from people in states where we are +not yet registered, we know of no prohibition against accepting +donations from donors in these states who approach us with an offer to +donate. + +International donations are accepted, but we don't know ANYTHING about +how to make them tax-deductible, or even if they CAN be made +deductible, and don't have the staff to handle it even if there are +ways. + +Donations by check or money order may be sent to: + +Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +PMB 113 +1739 University Ave. +Oxford, MS 38655-4109 + +Contact us if you want to arrange for a wire transfer or payment +method other than by check or money order. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been approved by +the US Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN +[Employee Identification Number] 64-622154. Donations are +tax-deductible to the maximum extent permitted by law. As fund-raising +requirements for other states are met, additions to this list will be +made and fund-raising will begin in the additional states. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +You can get up to date donation information online at: + +http://www.gutenberg.net/donation.html + + +*** + +If you can't reach Project Gutenberg, +you can always email directly to: + +Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com> + +Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message. + +We would prefer to send you information by email. + + +**The Legal Small Print** + + +(Three Pages) + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this eBook, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you may distribute copies of this eBook if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS EBOOK +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +eBook, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this eBook by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this eBook on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM EBOOKS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBooks, +is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart +through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project"). +Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this eBook +under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market +any commercial products without permission. + +To create these eBooks, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's eBooks and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other eBook medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may +receive this eBook from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook) disclaims +all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this eBook within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS EBOOK IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE EBOOK OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation, +and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated +with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm +texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including +legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the +following that you do or cause: [1] distribution of this eBook, +[2] alteration, modification, or addition to the eBook, +or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this eBook electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + eBook or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this eBook in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word + processing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The eBook, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The eBook may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the eBook (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + eBook in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the eBook refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the + gross profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation" + the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were + legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent + periodic) tax return. Please contact us beforehand to + let us know your plans and to work out the details. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of +public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed +in machine readable form. + +The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time, +public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses. +Money should be paid to the: +"Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or +software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at: +hart@pobox.com + +[Portions of this eBook's header and trailer may be reprinted only +when distributed free of all fees. Copyright (C) 2001, 2002 by +Michael S. Hart. Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be +used in any sales of Project Gutenberg eBooks or other materials be +they hardware or software or any other related product without +express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS*Ver.02/11/02*END* + |