HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Signal, 1881-10-14, Page 22
That Lass o' Lo�ia'a,
a a?OIY ON VIE LaXO•sfxll MAL rmirMa.
BY Vitiate= HonGaOrr Bt•anrrr.
CHAPTER VI.
THE HURON SIGNAL. FRIDAY. OCT. 14, Nil.
"He wur allus after We," she it,d,witb
fresh tears. "He nivver let ins be till I
promised to go. He sited hie would
make' a lady o pie, aa' lee war elle'
Elvin' ane thine. He nut fond d me at
first. that he war; an' I weir fond u bi+m
I nivver seed gm one Ioibe tntp afore.
Oh ! it's hard. h i•—oh ! !<'s Bitter hand
an' cruel, as it await! costs Le this !"
And she waded and subbed until she
wore herself out, and wearied Jean to
the very soul.
tout axn THE tactic But Juan bore with
To the young curate's great w der, 1 showed impatience by
en his first visit to her after the vent
of Lis and her child, Joan changed tier
manner towards him. She did not at-
tempt to repel him, she even bade him
tier, and never
word or deed.
Childish petulance. and plaints fell upon
her like water upon a nock—but now
and then the strong nature was rasped
beyond endurance by the weak one.
welcome in a way of her own. Deep in She had taken no small task upon herself
.loan's heart was hidden a fancy that when she gave Liz her word that she
perhaps the work of this young fellow would shield her. Only ahe,r a while,
who was "good enow fur a parson," lay in a few weeks, a new influence began to
with such as Liz, and those whu, like work upon Liz's protectress. The child
Liz, bore a heavy burden. for whom there seemed no place in the
"If yo' can do her any good," she'sid, world, or in any pitying heart—the
"come and welcome. Come every day.
I dunnot know much about such like
mysen, yo' ha' a way o' helpin' folk as
canna help theirsens i' trouble—an' Lis
is one on 'em. "
childfor whom Liz felt nothing but vague
dislike and resentment—the child laid
its light but powerful hand upon Joan.
Once or twice she noticed as she moved
about the room that the little creature's
Truly Liz was one of these. ft►e eyes would follow her in a way something
clung to Joan in • hopeless, childish way like its mother's, as if with appeal to her
as her only comfort. She could do superior strength. She fell gradually
n)thing for herself, she could only obey into the habit of giving it more attention.
.Joan's dictates, and this she did in list- It was so little and light, so easily taken
less misery. When she had work to do, from Liz's careless hold when it was rest -
she made weak efforts at doing it, and leas, so easily carried to and fro as she
when she had none she sat and held the went about her household tasks. She
child upon her knee, her eyes following
her friend with a vague appeal. The
had never known ;ouch about babies un-
til chance had thrown this one in her
discomfort of her lot, the wretchedness path; it was a' great novelty. It liked
of coming hack to shame and jeers after her strong arms, and Liz was always
a brief reason of pleasure and luxury, ready to give it up to her, feeling only a
was what crushed her. So long as her weak bewilderment at her fancy for it.
lover had cared for her, and she had felt When she was at home it was rarely out
no fear of hunger or cold, or desertion, of ber arms. It was no source of wean -
she had been happy—happy because she
could be idle, and take no thought
for
the morrow, and was almost a lady.
But now all that was over. She had
come to the bitter dregs of the cup. She
was thrown on her own resources—no-
body helped her but Join, nobody called
her pretty and praised her ways. She
sea: not to be a lady after all; she must
work for her living,and it must be a poor
.one too. There would be no fine clothes,
no nice rooms, no flattery and sugar-
plums. Everything would be even far
harder and more unpleasant than it had
been before. And then, the baby 7
What could she du with it ?—a creature
more helpless than herself, always to be
clothed and taken care -of when she
could not take care of herself, always
in the way, always crying and wailing
and troubling day-. and night. She al-
most blamed the baby for everything.
Perhaps she would not have lost her
lover if it had not been for the baby.
Perhaps he knew what a trouble it would
be, and wanted to be rid of her before it
came, and that wawa why he had gone
away. The night Joan had brought her
home she'had taken care of the child,
and told Liz to bit down and rest, and
had sat down herself with the small
creature in her anus, and after watching
her for a while, Liz had broken out into
sobs, and slipped down upon the floor. at
her feet, hiding her wretched, pretty
face upon her fnend's knee.
"I canna abide the sight o' it," she
cried. "I canna see what it war born
fur, mysen. I wish I'd deed when I
wur i' Lunnon—when he cared fur me.
He wor fond enow o' me at th' first.
He could ns abide me to be out o' his
sight. I nivver.wurso happy i' my life
as I wur then. Aye ! I did nit think
then as ah' toime ud come when he'd
cast me out i' th' road. He had no reet
to do it," her voice raising hysterically.
"He had no reet to do it, if he wur a
gentleman; but it seems gentlefolk can do
owt they please. If he did na mean to
stick ta one, why rend(' na he ha' let me
a,be." °1
" That is ns gentlefolks' way, said
Joan, bitterly, "but if I wur i yo're
place, Liz, I would na hate th' choild.
new to her perfect strength. She carried
it here and there, she cradled it upon
her knees, when she sat down by the fire
to rest; she learned in Use a hundred
gentle woman's ways through its pres-
ence. Her step became lighter, her
voice softer—a heavy tread, or a harsh
tone might waken the child For the
child's aake she doffed her uncouth
working -dress when she entered .the
house; for the child's sake she made an
effort to brighten the dullness and soften
the roughness of their surronndings.
The Reverend Paul, in his visits to
the house, observed with tremor thesub-
tie changes wrought in her. Catching at
the straw of her negative welcome; ahe
went to see Liz whenever he could find a
tangible excuse. He had a sensitive
dread of intruding even upon the poor
privacy of the "lower orders," and he
could rarely bring himself to the point
of taking them by storm ash mere matter
of ecclesiastical routine. But the often-
er he saw Joan Lowrie, the more heavily
she lay upon his mind. Every day- his
conscience smote him more sorely for his
want of success with her. And yet how
could he make way again t her indiffer-
ence? He even 'felt himself a trifle
spell -bound in her presence. .He often
found himself watching her es she moved
tp and fro—watching her as Liz and the
child did.
But "th' parson was "th' parson" to
her still. A good-natured, simple little
fellow, who might be a trifle better than
other folks, but who certainly seemed
weaker; a frail little _gentleman In spec-
tacles, who was afraid of her,• or was at
least easily confounded, who might be of
use to Liz, but who was not in her line—
better in his way than his master in his;
but still s person to be regarded with
just s touch of contempt.
The confidence established between
Grace and his friend Fergus Derrick,
leading to the discussion of all matters
connected with the parish and parishion-
ers, led naturally to the frequent dis-
cussion of Joan Lowrie, among the rest.
Over tea and toast in the small parlour
the two men often drew comfort from
each other. When Derrick strode into
the little place dhd . threw himself into
It has na done yo' as much harm as yo' his favorite chair, with knit brows and
ha' done it." weary irritation in his air, Grace was al -
After s while, when the girl was quiet- ways ready to detect his mood, and wait
er, Joan asked her a question, for him to reveal himself; or when Grace
"You river told me who yo' went locked up at his friend's entrance with a
away wi,' Liz," she said. "1 ha' a rens- heavy, gained look on his face, Derrick
on fur wantin' to know, or I would na al e'cially sympathised with his friend.
This was in his feeling for Anice.
Duty called Paul frequently to the
house, and his position with regard to
its inhabitants was necessarily f.►miliar.
Mr. liarholm did not spare his curate;
he was ready to delegate to him all
would do ne good, an' i dunnot care to 1 labour in which he was not specially in -
do harm. Yo'll keep it to yo'rsen, if i terested himself, or which he regarded
tell yo', ,Tian 1" as scarcely worthy of his mettle.
"Aye," Joan answered, "as long as it "Grace makes himself very useful in
needs he kept to mysen. i ani na one some cages." he would say; "a certain
to clatter." kind of work suits him, and he is able to
"Well," maid Lir. with a sob, "it • do himself justice in it. He is a worthy
wur Mester handsel! 1 went wi'—young enough young fellow in a certain grove,
Mester Landaell--Mester Ralph." ' hut it is always best to e,e fne hint to
"i thout as much," said .Joan. her, that grocer
face darkening. j So, when there was an ordinary ger-
Rhe had had her suspicions from the mon to he preached, or a eomm.nplaee
first when Mr Ralph I.andeell had come piece of work to he done, it was handed
to Riggan with his father, w ho was one over to thrice, with a few tolerant words
of the mining company. He was a of advice or comment, gni as c.menon•
graceful, fair faced young feline, with place work was rather the rule than the
n open hand and the air of a potentate, ezoepti.on, the Reverend Paul's life was
and his grandeur had pleased Liz. Rhe slot idle. Anioe'a manner towards her
was not used to flattery and '"fine Lon- father. curate was .n gentle and rarnwet
don ways." and her vanity merle her an r• frank and frill of trust in him. that it
ruse cietire wisp me to he wondered et chat ,,era deo
ax, but fur a' that, if yo' dunnot want to
tell me, yo' need na do it against yore
will."
Liz was silent a moment.
"I would na tell ivverybo dy,"she said.
"1 would na tell nobody but yo'. it
only flied her more firmly in his heart. "I canna help it," sobbed Lia; "an' I
Nuthlyg et his cwsucientious labour was can nu more help thinker' on it, than
lost t,os her, noti'iing of his self-sacri- th' ehoild theer can help thinkio' on its
titre end trod was passed by irdii%.reutly milk. I'm hungeriu' aw th' tubae—rue
it■ her thynghta of hire; his pain and his --' I dunnot care to live; I wakken up i'
effort w t a. her very heart. Her be- th' weight hungerin' an' cryin fur—ter
lief i• h was so strong that she newer what I ha' not got, an' nivver shall hs'
h to cavy any little bewilder-
ment
ewilderment to him, er to speak to hint openly The tears ran down her cheeks and
upoa any subiect. Small iisatiel, that
he found it delicious pain to go to the
house day after day, feeling himself so
near to her, yet knowing himself so far
from any hope of reaching the sealed
chamber of her heart.
Notwithstanding her knowledge of her
inability to alter his position, Anice still
managed to exert some slight influence
over her friend's fate.
"Do you not think, papa, that Mr.
Grace has a great deal to do ?" she sug-
gested once, when he was specially over-
burdened.
"A great deal to du ?", he said.
"Well, he has enough to do, of course,
my dear, hut then it is work of a kind
that suits him. I never leave anything
very important to Grace. You do not
mean, my dear, that you fancy he has
too much to do ?"
"Rather too -much of a dull kind,"
answered Anice. "Dull work is tiring,
and he has a great deal of it on his handa.
All that school work, you know, papa—
if you could share it with him,.I should
think it would make it easier for him."
"My dear Anice," the Rector protest-
ed, "if Grace had my responsibility to
carry on his shoulders—but I do not
leave my responsibilities to him. In my
opinion he is hardly fitted to bear them
—they are not in hie line;" but seeing a
dubious look on the delicate face op-
posite him—"but if you think the fellow
has really too leech to do, I will try to
take some of these minor matters upon
myself. I am equal to a good deal of
hard work," --evidently feeling himself
somewhat aggrieved.
But Anice made no further comment;
having dropped a seed of suggestion she
left it to fructify, experience teaching her
that this. was her best plan. It was one of
the good Rector's weaknesses to dislike
to find 'his course disapproved even by a
she whimpered like • child. The sight
a( the silk dress had brought back to
her mind her lust bit of paradise as noth-
ing he would have done --her ows
small store of finery, the gaiety and
novelty of London sounds and
sights.
Anice knelt down upon the flagged
floor, still holding the child's hand.
"Don't cry," she said again. "Look
at the baby, Liz It is a pretty baby.
Perhaps if it lives, it may be • comfort
to you some day."
"May !it wunnot;" said Liz, regarding
it resentfully. "I nivver could tak' no
comfort in it. It's nowt but a trouble.
I dunnot loike it. I canna It would
be better if it would ns live. I canna
tell wheer Joan Lowrie gets her patience
fro.' I hs' no patience with the little
marred thing mysen—allus whimperin'
and cryi►'; I dunnot know what to do
wi' it half th' toime."
Anice took it from her lap, and sitting
down upon a low wooden stool, held it
gently, looking at its small round face.
It was a pretty little creature, pretty
with Liz's own beauty, or at least, with
the baby promise of it. Anice stooped
and kissed it, her heart stirred by the
feebly -strong clasp of the tiny fingers.
During the remainder of her visit, she
.at holding the child on her knee, and
talking to it as well as to its mother.
But she made no attempt to bring Liz to
what Mr. Barholm had called "a flitting
sense of her condition." She was not
fully settled in her opinion as to what
Liz's "fitting sense" would be. So ahe
simply made an effort to please her, and
awaken her to interest, and she succeed -
el very well When she went away,
the girl was evidently sorry to see her
go.
"I dunnot often want to see folk
twice," she said, looking at her shyly,
wholly uninfluential critic, and his "but I'd loike W see yo.' Yo're not loike It was these men who were talking to -
daughter was by no means an uninfluen- th' rest. Yo' dunnot harry me wi' talk. gether loudly this evening, and as usual,
tial critic. He was never exactly cum- Joan said yo' would ns." Lowrie was the loudest in the party.
fortable when her views did not strictly "I .will come again," said Anice. They did not seem to be quarrelling.
accord with his own. To find that Daring her visit, Liz had told her Three or four sat round a table listening
Anice was regardinv a favourite whim
with questioning, was for him to begin
to falter a trifle inwardly, .however testi-
ly rebellious he might feel. He was a
man who thrived ,under encouragement,
and sank at once before failure; failure
was unpleasant, and he rarely contended
long against unpleasantness; it was not a
"fair wind and no favour" with him, he
wanted . both the fair wind and the Fergus could not help looking out for
favour, and if either failed him he felt Joan. Sometimes he saw her, and
himself rather badly used. So it seat, sometimes he did not. During the
warm weather, he saw her often at the
door, or near the gate; almost always
,with the child in her arms. There was
might be sarcastic, he was sometimes it, when it had been forgotten by matt
severe in his retorts, but he was never people. His record was lot a alma one
violent. lis any one else but Mr. Crad• Yid sea rdtngly he was sot a favourite
dock, such conduct ought have been of Sammy Craddock's.
txonaidered weak by the undo population A short time afterward sowebi.':y
of Riggart, w.►• not uufrequsntly settled passed the ,window fading the street, aiid
their trilling doutestiu diflieultia wail Lowrie started up with as oath.
the poker and taiga, chairs, or Sri irons, "Theer he ig !" he encIaicn.d. Now
or indeed with any portable piece of fur it. 1 thowt he'd go this Rad. 111
household furniture. But Mr. Cmsee whey tka'a gettpt to say 1sir thyseu,
dock's way of disposing of feminine an- my lad. !
tagouuta was tolerated. It was pretty He was dot in the strt el &Lp3ust before
well known that Mrs. Craddock had s Craddock arid his companion had time to
temper, and since he could manage her reach the open window, and he had
it was not worth while to criticise the stopped the paaser-by, who paused t„
method. confront him haugtily..
•"Tha'rt an owd yammer -head," said "Why !" cried Sammy, slapping his
Mrs. Craddock, as oracularly as if she knee," "Fin don►'d if it is na th' Lennon
had never made the observation before. engineer chap."
"Tha deserves what the has na getten." Fergus Derrick stood before his enemy
"Aye, that I do," with an air of and- with anything but s propitiatory air.
able regret. "Tha'rt rest theer fur That this brutal fellow who had caused
once i' thy loife, Th' country has ns him trouble enough already, should in-
' dune its duty ny Inc. If I'd had aw I terfere with his very progress in the
deserved I'd been th' Lord Mayor o' street, was too much for hie high spirit to
Lennon by this tonne, an' tha'd a been bear.
th' Lady Mayoress, settin' up' thy par- "I conn out here," said Lowrie, "t
lour w' a geoid crown atop o' thy owd see if tha lad owt to say to rue."
head, cortin' out thy clothes fur th' "Then, replied Fergus, "you may go
weshwonan i' stead o' dollyin' out thy in again, for I have nothing."
bits o' duds fur thysen. Tha'rt rest, Lowrie drew a step nearer to him.
snow." "Art tha sure o' that I' he demanded.
"Gu thy ways to th' Public," rotor- "The wort so ready wi' the gab about
ted the old dame, driven to desperation. th' Davys this ntornin' I thowt happen
"I'm tired o' hearkenin' to thee. Get ths'd luike to say summit more if a mon
thee gone to th' Public, or west ha' th' ud gi' yo' a chance. But happen agen
world standin' still; an' moind tha do'st yo're one o' th' soart as sticks to gab en'
ns set th' horse -ponds affre as tha goes goes no further."
by'em." Derrick's eyes blazed, he flung out his
"I'11 be keerful, owd lass," chuckled open hand in a contemptuous gesture.
Sammy, taking his stick. "I'11 be keer- "Out of the way," he said, in a sup-
ful for th' sake o' th' town." pressed voice, "and let me pas."
He made his way towards the village But Lowrie only came nearer.
ale -house in the best of humours. Ar- "Nay, but I wunnot," he said, until
riving at the Crown, he found a discuss- I've said 'iny say. Tha were goin' to
ion in progress. Discussions were al- mak' me obey th' rules or let th' mestere
ways being carried on there, in fact, but hear on it, wert tha ? Tha wert goin to
this time it was not Craddock's particu- keep thy eye on me, an' report when th
lar friends who were busy. There were toime come, wert tha 1 Well, th' toime
grades even among the visitors at the has na come yet, and now I'm goin' to
Crown, and there were several grades gi' thee a thraahin'. "
below Sammy's. The lowest was com- He sprang upon him with a ferocity
posed of the most disreputable of the which would have flung to the earth any
colliers—teen who with Lowrie at their man who had not possessed the thews
head were generally in some mischief. and sinews of a lion. Derrick managed
to preserve his equilibrium. After the
first blow, he could not control himself.
Naturally, he had longed to thrash 'this
fellow soundly often enough, and now
that he had been attacked by him, he
much of Joan. She seemed to like to to Lowrie with black looks, and toward felt forbearance to be no virtue. Brute
talk of her, and certainly Anice had them Sammy glanced as he came in. force could best conquer brute nature.
been quite ready to listen. "What's up in them fellys I" he asked He felt that he would rather die a thou -
"She is na easy to mak' out," said of a friend. sand deaths than be conquered himself.
Liz, "an' p'r'eps that's th' reason why "Summat's wrong at .th' pit," was the He put forth all his strength in an effort
folks puts theiraens to so much trouble answer. "I canna mak' out what that awakened the crowd—which had
to mak' her out.' mysen. Summit about one n th' meg-
When he passed the cottage on the ten as they're out wi'. What'll thatak',
Knoll Road in going home at night, owd lad 1"
"A pint o' sixpenny." And then
with another sidelong glance at the de -
through this discreetly exerted influence
-of Anice's, that Grace, t.. his surprise,
found some irksome teaks taken from
no awkward shrink -mg in her manner at
his shoulders at this thine. He did not
know, that it was Anice he had to thank such times, no vestige of the clumsy con -
for the temporary relief. sciousnces usually exhibited by girls of
her class. She met his glance with a
CHAPTER VII. grave quietude, scarcely touched with
slits ATTEE comae. interest, he thought; he never observed
Anice went to see Liz. Perhaps if the that she smiled, though he was uncom-
truth were told, she went to see Joan fortably conscious now ,and then that
mere than to visit Joan's . protegee, she stood and calmly watched him out of
though her interest extended from the Fight.
one to the other. But she did nut see
Joan, she only heard of her. Liz met
her visitor without manifestations of en-
thusiasm. She was grateful, but grati-
tude was not often a powerful emotion
wroth her. But Anice began to attract
her somewhat before she had been in
the house ten minutes. Liz found, first,
that she was not one of the enemy, and
did not come to read a homily to her
concerning her sins and transgressions;
having her mind set at ease thus far, she
found time to be interested in her. Her
visitor's beauty, her prettiness of toilet,
s certain delicate grace of presence,
were all virtues in Liz's eyes. She was
so fond of pretty things herself, she had
been wont to feel such pleasure and pride
in her own beauty, that such outward
charms were the strongest of charms to
her. She forgot to be abashed and mis-
erable, when, after talking a few minu-
tes, Anice carie to her and bent over the
child as it lay on her knee. She even
had the course* to regard the material
of her dress with some degree of in-
terest.
"Y o'n getten that theer i' Lennon,"
she ventured, wistfully touching the
pretty silk with her finger. "Theer's
noan sich i' Riggin."
"Yes answered Anice, letting the
baby's hand cling to her fingers. "I
bought it in London."
Liz touched it again, and thio time
the wistfulness in her touch crept up to
her eyes, mingled with a little fretful-
nees.
"Ivvervthing s fine as comes fro Lon.
non," she raid It. the grandest
place i' th' world 1 dunnot wonder as
th' queen lives theer i wur happy aw
th' toime f wur their 1 nivver weir so
CHAPTER VIII.
THE WAGER OF RATTLE t ,
"Owd Sammy Craddock" rose from
his chair, and going to the mantelpiece,
took down a tobacco jar of red and yel-
low dell, and preceded to fill his pipe
with solemn ceremony. It was a large,
deep clay pipe, and held a great deal of
tobacco—particularly when filled from the
store of an acquaintance. "It's a good tha'll Le luiLe to ha a punse on it, fur
enow pipe to borrow wi," Sammy was he's a sarappin' youngster, an' nonan so
wont to remark. In the second place, 1, easy fears."
Mr. Craddock drew forth a goodly por- Da'et to mean to say as I tonna do
tion of the weed, and pressed it down it ?" demanded Lowrie fiercely.
with ease and precision into the top of "Na ns mon," was the
the foreign gentleman's turban which y y, pacific and
constituted the bowl. Then he lighted rather hasty reply. "Nowt o' th' start.
I on'y meant as it was na ivvery mon as
it with a piece of paper, remarking to
could.'
his wife between long indrawn puffs, .Aye, to be sure !" said Sammy testily
"I'm goin'—to th' Public." to his friend. "That's th' game, is it ?
The good woman did not receive the Theer's a (eight en hand. That's reet
intelligence as amicably as it had been
given.
"Aye," she said, "I'll warrant the
art. When tha art ns fillin' thy belly
the art generally either goin' t, th' Pub-
lic or comin' whoem. Aw Riggan ud go
to ruin if the wert ns at th' Public fro -
morn till neet looking after other folks°,
business. It's well for th' toun as that's
gotten nowt else to do."
speedily surrounded them, Owd Sammy
eniong the number—to wild admiration.
"Get thee unto it, lad," cried the old
sinner in an ecstasy of approbation,
"Get thee unto it ! Tha'rt shapin' reet
balers— 1 lee Why,, Fin dom'd," slapping his
"They're an ill set, thit hit, an'• up to knee as usual—"1'm doin d_ if he is ria
aummat ill too, I'll warrant. ,He's not goin' to mill Dan Lowrie !"•
th' reet soart, that Lowrie." To the amazement of the bystanders,
Lowrie was a burly fellow with a sur- it became evident in a very short time,
ly, sometimes ferocious, expression. that Lowrie had met his match. Find -
Drink made a madman of him, and ing ii necessary to defend himself, Der-
arnong his companions he ruled supreme rick was going to do something mote.
through sheer physical superiority• The The result was that . the breadths=
man who quarrelled with him might be struggle for the mastery ended in •a
sure of broken bones, if not -of some- Crash, and Lowrie Ly upon the pave -
thing worse. He leaned over the table ment, Fergus Derrick standing above
now, scowling as he spoke. him pale, fierce and panting. •
"I'11 ha' no lads nreddlin' an' settin' "Look to him," he said to the 'moil
th' mestere igen me," Craddock heard about him, in a white heat, "and roman -
him say. "Them on yo' as 'loikes to ber that the fellow provoked me to it.
tak' cheek nun tak' it, I'm too owd a If he tries it again, I will try again,too.''
bird fur that mart o' feed. It sticks i' And he turned on his heel and walked
my crop. Look thee out o.' that theer away.
window, Jock, and watch who passes. ! He had been far more tolerant, even
I'll punae that lad into the middle id' ; in his wrath, than moat men would have
next week, as sure as he goes by." ! been, but he had disposed of his enemy
"Well," commented one. of his com- effectually. The fellow lay stunned up-
panions, "aw I've gotten to my is, as on the kerbstone, and the blood
streamed from the wound when his com-
•panions crowded near, and raised him.
Owd Sammy Craddock offered no as-
sistance; he leaned upon his stick, and
looked on with grim satisfaction.
"The's gotten what tha deserved, owd
lad," he said in an undertone. "An'
tha'st getten no more. I'st owe th' Lun-
non chap one fro' this on. He's done a
bit e• work as Fd ha' takken i' hand my -
sen long ago, if I'd ha' been thirty years
younger, an' a bit leaa stiff i' th' hinges."
my lads, lay in thy beer, an' mak' dent'd Fergus had not escaped without hurt
himself, and the first angry excitement
over, he began to feel so sharp an achein
his wrist, that he made up his mind to
He had been a fighting moan himself 1 rest for a few minutes at Grace's lodgings
in his young days, and had prided him- before going home. It would be wise to
know the extent of his injury.
Accordingly, he trade hit, appearance
in the parlour, somewhat startling his
compertively gentlemanly encounters friend, who was at supper.
with personal frieds had always been fair
and square, and in many canes had laid My dear Fergus" exclaimed Paul.
the foundation for future toleration, even ' 'How excited you Kruk
ra
amiability. He had never hesitated ti ! Derrick flung himself into • chair,
"oak' a punse ' at an offending individual i feeling rather dubious about his strength.
Sammy puffed away at his pipe, with-
out any appearance of disturbance.
"Aye," he consented dryly, "it is,
that. It red be a had thing to ha' Us
pits stop workin' aw because I had ria
fool o• thysens, an' the It get a chance to
sleep on th' soft side o' a paving -stone i'
th' lock -ups."
self particularly upon "allowing his
muscle," in Riggan parlance, but he had
never been such s man as Lowrie. His
attended to em's, an' gi'en th' mestere a but he had always been equally ready t.. all at once.
bit n' encouragement. Tha sores mine's shake hands when Ji was over, and in ( 'Do i r he said, with a faint smile.
whatth• gentlefolk ea a responsible some cases, when having teinp.oranly 'Don't be alarmed, Grace, 1 have no
pcisitkirt i' society Th biggest trouble closed a companion's epee in the heat of j doubt 1 look as i feel. 1 have been
I ha,' is settlin' i my m .ind what th' an argument, he had been knowneto !having • brush with that scoundrel Low
world 'ill do when i turn up my toes to lead him to the counter of "th' Public," vie, and i believe something has hap -
the aware., an' how the government '11 and hestow nectar upon him in the form pened to my wad "
happy i' my lde. 1— 1 canna hardly mak' up their mends who shall ha' th' of "sixpenny " But of L.wne, even the He made an effort to raise his left
hear to think en it it gt ea me snob a honour o' payin' for the movement.' fighting community, which was the cone hand and failed, soocamhin g t, a pain
' wwaryin' an' longin'; 1 wish i mull go in Mr. Craddock s opinion his akill in triunity predominating in Riggin, eould so intense that it foreed an exclamation
hark, i do"-- ending with •soh.the solution of political and 'meldprod* not speak so well. 111 was "ill•fsrrsnt," from him.
"Don't think shunt it any more than hems was only equalled by his aptitude and revengeful, ready to fight. but '1 thought it was a sprain." he said.
you ran help. said Arrive gently "It in managing the weaker set. He never 1 net ready to forgive. He had tteen when he recovered himself. hut is a lob
is eery hart T lire.- inn t run TAY lee his temper with a w.,man Rr
kn. wn to Mar a "rtide.e and remember for a anrweaon 1t is i.roks..