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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/8732-0.txt b/8732-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..37a145f --- /dev/null +++ b/8732-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10795 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Through the Fray, by G. A. Henty + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Through the Fray + A Tale of the Luddite Riots + +Author: G. A. Henty + +Release Date: August, 2005 [EBook #8732] +Posting Date: July 23, 2009 +Last Updated: March 11, 2018 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS 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 be 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 had 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 be +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. 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A. Henty + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Through the Fray, by G. A. Henty + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Through the Fray + A Tale of the Luddite Riots + +Author: G. A. Henty + +Release Date: July 23, 2009 [EBook #8732] +Last Updated: March 11, 2018 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THROUGH THE FRAY *** + + + + +Produced by Martin Robb, and David Widger + + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h1> + THROUGH THE FRAY + </h1> + <h2> + A TALE OF THE LUDDITE RIOTS + </h2> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h2> + By G. A. Henty + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <blockquote> + <p class="toc"> + <big><b>CONTENTS</b></big> + </p> + <p> + <br /> <a href="#link2H_PREF"> PREFACE </a> <br /><br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0001"> CHAPTER I. </a> A FISHING EXPEDITION + <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0002"> CHAPTER II. </a> THE + FIGHT ON THE MOOR <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0003"> CHAPTER III. </a> A + CROPPER VILLAGE <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0004"> CHAPTER IV. </a> THE + WORMS TURN <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0005"> CHAPTER V. </a> THE + NEW MASTER <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0006"> CHAPTER VI. </a> THE + THIEF DETECTED <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0007"> CHAPTER VII. </a> A + TERRIBLE SHOCK <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0008"> CHAPTER VIII. </a> NED + IS SORELY TRIED <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0009"> CHAPTER IX. </a> A + PAINFUL TIME <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0010"> CHAPTER X. </a> TROUBLES + AT HOME <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0011"> CHAPTER XI. </a> THE + NEW MACHINERY <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0012"> CHAPTER XII. </a> MURDERED! + <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0013"> CHAPTER XIII. </a> COMMITTED + FOR TRIAL <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0014"> CHAPTER XIV. </a> COMMITTED + FOR TRIAL <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0015"> CHAPTER XV. </a> NOT + GUILTY <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0016"> CHAPTER XVI. </a> LUKE + MARNER'S SACRIFICE <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0017"> CHAPTER XVII. + </a> A LONELY LIFE <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0018"> + CHAPTER XVIII. </a> NED IS ATTACKED <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0019"> CHAPTER XIX. </a> THE ATTACK ON + CARTWRIGHT'S MILL <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0020"> CHAPTER XX. </a> CLEARED + AT LAST <br /><br /> + </p> + </blockquote> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_PREF" id="link2H_PREF"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h2> + PREFACE + </h2> + <p> + My Dear Lads: + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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! + </p> + <p> + Yours sincerely, + </p> + <p> + G. A. Henty + </p> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2HCH0001" id="link2HCH0001"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h2> + CHAPTER I: A FISHING EXPEDITION + </h2> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Don't be long, Sankey; come back as soon as you can, you know we agreed + to go fishing this afternoon.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “I am going out fishing, Abijah.” + </p> + <p> + “Not by yourself, I hope?” + </p> + <p> + “No; another fellow is going with me. We are going up into the hills.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “They wouldn't hurt me if I did.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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!” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + When they were within fifty yards of it a figure suddenly rose. It was + that of a boy some fifteen years of age. + </p> + <p> + “Goa back,” he shouted; “dang yer, what be'est a cooming here vor?” + </p> + <p> + The two boys stopped astonished. + </p> + <p> + “We are going to Marsden,” Ned replied; “but what's that to you?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + By this time they were at the foot of the pile of rocks, and the lad was + standing some ten feet above them. + </p> + <p> + “Oi tell ee,” he repeated doggedly, “yoi've got vor to go back.” + </p> + <p> + 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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “If ee doan't go back at oncet oi'll knock the heads off thee shoulders.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “That's nowt to oi,” the boy said. “Oi bain't a-going to let ee pass + here.” + </p> + <p> + “What are we to do, Ned?” Tompkins groaned. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “But he is ever so much bigger than we are,” Tompkins said doubtfully. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “We are going on,” he said to the boy, “and if you interfere with us it + will be the worse for you.” + </p> + <p> + The boy descended leisurely from his position on the rocks. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + But Ned and Tompkins were desperate now, and dropping their rods made a + rush together against him. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0002" id="link2HCH0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER II: THE FIGHT ON THE MOOR + </h2> + <p> + The lad threw himself into a position of defense as the two boys rushed at + him. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Thou hast beaten me,” he said. “Oi think moi leg be broke.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Although the boys did this as gently as they could, a groan showed how + great was the agony. + </p> + <p> + “Where is it?” Ned asked. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “Oh! dear, what is to be done? Here, Tompkins, either you or I must go on + to the town for help.” + </p> + <p> + “It's getting dark already,” Tompkins said; “the sun has set some time. + How on earth is one to find the way?” + </p> + <p> + “Well, if you like I will go,” Ned said, “and you stop here with him.” + </p> + <p> + The lad, who had been lying with closed eyes and a face of ghastly pallor, + now looked up. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Who be'est, boy? dang ee, what brings ye here?” + </p> + <p> + 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.” + </p> + <p> + “Broaken Bill's leg, did'st say, ye young varmint?” one of the men + exclaimed. “Oi've a good moinde to wring yer neck.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Did'st see nowt afore ye had the voight?” one of the other men inquired. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I haven't seen anything,” Ned said; “but of course if you wish it I will + say nothing about it.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I will say nothing about it,” Ned replied, “but please come on at once, + for I am afraid the boy is in terrible pain.” + </p> + <p> + Four of the men accompanied Ned back to the rock. + </p> + <p> + “Hullo, Bill! what's happened ee?” his brother asked. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + The man hesitated, but the lad said, “Let um coom, John, he bee a roight + good un.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, if thou would'st like it, Bill, he shall coom.” + </p> + <p> + “If thou coom oop to Varley and ask vor Bill Swinton, anyone will show ee + the place.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “But they will all notice my nose directly I get in,” Tompkins said. “What + am I to say?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “But what's the harm of saying that you and he fell, and he broke his + leg?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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!” + </p> + <p> + They now came to the point where the road separated and each hurried on at + his best speed. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Oh! there's nothing the matter,” Ned replied cheerfully; “but I had a + fight with a boy on the moor.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Ned made no reply but took his seat at the table, and fell to work upon + the hunches of thick brown bread and butter. + </p> + <p> + “I will tell you about it afterward, father,” he said; “it really wasn't + my fault.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Is there anything I had better do for my face?” he asked his father + presently. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I don't know what you mean in the least, Ned; a promise, whatever it is + about, is a promise.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Very well, Ned,” his father said quietly; “this seems to be a serious + business. Go on, my boy.” + </p> + <p> + Ned related the whole circumstances, his father saying no word until he + had finished. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I promised to go up to see the boy, father. I suppose that there is no + harm?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Accordingly, the next morning, the first thing after breakfast, Captain + Sankey went out and called upon the doctor. Ned awaited his return + anxiously. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Ned was crying now. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “I am so sorry!” he said; “I have grieved so all the time you have been + ill.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + The boy looked pleased. + </p> + <p> + “Oi shall like that,” Bill said; “but oi shan't know what they be about.” + </p> + <p> + “But I will come up every Saturday if you will let me, and tell you the + stories all about them.” + </p> + <p> + “Willee now? That will be main koinde o' ye.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “There was nothing,” he often said to himself, “as oi wouldn't do for that + young un.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0003" id="link2HCH0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER III: A CROPPER VILLAGE + </h2> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Oive heern,” he said slowly, taking his pipe from his mouth, “as how + Nance Wilson's little gal is wuss.” + </p> + <p> + “Ay, indeed!” + </p> + <p> + “So oi've heern;” + </p> + <p> + “Be she now?” and various other exclamations arose from the smokers. + </p> + <p> + Gideon was pleased with the effect he had produced, and a few minutes + later continued the subject. + </p> + <p> + “It be the empty coopbud more nor illness, I expect.” + </p> + <p> + There was another chorus of assent, and a still heartier one when he wound + up the subject: “These be hard toimes surely.” + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Oi doubt he woant do she much good; it be food, and not doctor's stuff as + the child needs,” another remarked. + </p> + <p> + “That be so, surely,” went up in a general chorus, and then a newcomer who + had just entered the room said: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “He ha' been that,” Gideon said, after the chorus of approval had died + away. + </p> + <p> + “Oi seed t' young un today a-sitting in front o' th' cottage, a-talking + and laughing wi' Bill.” + </p> + <p> + “They be good uns, feyther and son, though they tells oi as neither on + them bain't Yaarkshire.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “O what a smoke, feyther! I can't see you, but I suppose you're somewhere + here. You're wanted at home.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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.” + </p> + <p> + The woman smiled faintly. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Polly heard him in silence, and then positively refused to go. + </p> + <p> + “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!” + </p> + <p> + Luke knew well how great would be the void which her absence would make, + but he still struggled to carry out his plans. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + And so it was settled, and Polly went off every Sunday morning, and Luke + went down of an evening to fetch her back. + </p> + <p> + “Well, what is't, lass?” he asked as he joined her outside the “Brown + Cow.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, lad, the sweetness of her singing attracted my attention, and I + thought what a bright, pretty face it was!” + </p> + <p> + “That's Mary Powlett and her uncle. You have heard me speak of her as the + girl who was so kind in nursing Bill.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “No, father, what is it?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Ned laughed at the story. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0004" id="link2HCH0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER IV: THE WORMS TURN + </h2> + <p> + “I say, it's a shame, a beastly shame!” Ned Sankey exclaimed passionately + as the boys came out from school one day. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + This bold proposition was received with blank astonishment. + </p> + <p> + “But he would thrash us all fearfully,” Tompkins said. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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 be + 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.” + </p> + <p> + Ned broke into a good tempered laugh. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “The first class will come up and say their tasks.” + </p> + <p> + Not a boy moved in his seat. + </p> + <p> + “The first class will come up and say their tasks,” the master repeated, + bringing his cane down with angry emphasis on the desk. + </p> + <p> + Still no one moved. + </p> + <p> + “What does this mean?” he shouted, rising from his seat. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “No, no,” rose in a general chorus through the schoolroom, “we will do no + more tasks.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Hathorn stood petrified with astonishment and white with anger. + </p> + <p> + “So you are at the bottom of this, Sankey. I will make an example of you.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “If you touch me,” he shouted, “I will fling this at your head.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “You have broken my shoulder, you young scoundrel!” he exclaimed. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “One of you go and fetch a constable,” Mr. Hathorn said to the boys. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Throwing an inkstand!” Captain Sankey exclaimed. “Is it possible?” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “None whatever,” Mr. Hathorn said. + </p> + <p> + “You use the cane pretty freely, I believe, sir.” + </p> + <p> + “I use it when it is necessary,” Mr. Hathorn replied. + </p> + <p> + “Ah, and how often do you consider it necessary?” + </p> + <p> + “That must depend upon circumstances.” + </p> + <p> + “You have about thirty boys, I think?” + </p> + <p> + “About thirty.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “Not so many as that,” the schoolmaster said, flushing. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “And how do you know they murdered your cat?” + </p> + <p> + “I am sure they did,” the schoolmaster said shortly. + </p> + <p> + “Oh! you are sure they did! And why are you so sure? Had they any grudge + against your cat?” + </p> + <p> + “They pretended they had a grudge.” + </p> + <p> + “What for, Mr. Hathorn?” + </p> + <p> + “They used to accuse her of upsetting the ink bottles when they did it + themselves.” + </p> + <p> + “You did not believe their statements, I suppose?” + </p> + <p> + “Not at all.” + </p> + <p> + “You caned them just the same as if they had done it themselves. At least + I am told so.” + </p> + <p> + “Of course I caned them, especially as I knew that they were telling a + lie.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + The schoolmaster was silent. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “I am quite sure.” Mr. Hathorn said doggedly. “Boys have always a spite + against cats.” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + The magistrates consulted together for some time, then the squire, who was + the senior, said: + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “Beware of your temper, Ned, for unless you overcome it, be assured that + sooner or later it may lead to terrible consequences.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + And so it was settled that Ned should return to Porson's, for so the + establishment was henceforth to be known. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0005" id="link2HCH0005"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER V: THE NEW MASTER + </h2> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Ned, who had been much touched at the master's address, at once fired up: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + There was a laugh among the boys. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Ned turned very white, but he checked himself with an effort. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “More speeches!” Mather grumbled. “I hate all this jaw.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + When afternoon school began Mr. Porson again rose. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + There was a suppressed cheer among the boys and Ripon, as the senior, + said: + </p> + <p> + “I am sure, sir, we are all very much obliged to you for your kindness, + and we will do our best to deserve it.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + On reaching the field Mr. Porson saw the ground measured and the wickets + erected, and then said: + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “No, no, boys,” he said; “you must win the match, if you can, without much + aid from me.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + They all gathered round their master and thanked him warmly. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Don't talk so loud,” Mather said hurriedly, “and I will get you the money + as seen as I can.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + A week later Mr. Porson said, at the end of school: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + There was a general silence. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Still there was silence. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + He paused a moment, and then said in a stern voice: “Let every boy open + his desk.” + </p> + <p> + The desks were opened, and Mr. Porson walked round and glanced at each. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + There was a buzz of conversation while the master was absent. On his + return he said: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + He paused, and still all were silent. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Porson's face lit up with pleasure. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0006" id="link2HCH0006"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VI: THE THIEF DETECTED + </h2> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “He seems regularly done up with his journey,” Ripon said as the boys came + out of school. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + When afternoon school began Mr. Porson placed on the desk before him a + packet done up in brown paper. + </p> + <p> + “Boys,” he said, “I have got my book again.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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.” + </p> + <p> + So saying he placed a pair of horn spectacles on his nose and walked round + the line. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + The discovery of the book reopened the interest in the matter, and nothing + else was talked of that evening in the playground. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “What a long winded chap you are, Sankey! What is it all about?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, what did she say?” Ripon said rather impatiently. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Ripon did not answer for some time; then he said: + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Then he knows you are going to speak to Mr. Porson on Saturday if he + doesn't pay up another five shillings?” + </p> + <p> + “He knows it,” the old woman said, nodding. “When I says a thing I mean + it. So he had best pay up.” + </p> + <p> + 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.” + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “Boys, when you came back from the field did you all go straight to the + washing room to wash your hands before dinner?” + </p> + <p> + There was a chorus of surprised assent. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Was Mather in the washing room with the others?” Sankey asked eagerly. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I think, Ripon, we ought to speak to Porson.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “We want to see you privately, sir,” Ripon said. + </p> + <p> + “Very well, boys, I will open the door for you. + </p> + <p> + “Now, what is it?” he asked as the boys followed him into the study. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “That is the boy,” Mr. Porson said. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + So saying he walked quickly on and entered the shop. + </p> + <p> + Mather was leaning across the counter while the man was examining the + pencil case by the light of the candle. + </p> + <p> + “Five shillings,” the man said, “and no more. I was nearly getting into + trouble over that last job of yours.” + </p> + <p> + “But it's worth a great deal more than that,” Mather said. “You might give + me ten.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, take it back then,” the man said, pushing it across the counter. + </p> + <p> + “Thank you, I will take it myself,” Mr. Porson said quietly, as he + advanced and stretched out his hand. + </p> + <p> + Mather turned round with a sudden cry, and then stood the picture of + silent terror. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “Have mercy, sir, oh, spare me!” Mather exclaimed, falling on his knees. + “Don't give me in charge.” + </p> + <p> + “I am not going to do so,” the master said. “Get up and come with me.” + </p> + <p> + Not a word was spoken on the way back to the school. + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0007" id="link2HCH0007"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VII: A TERRIBLE SHOCK + </h2> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + When he paused Ned gave a little gasp and exclaimed, “My father!” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “He is not dead, sir?” Ned gasped, while his brother began to cry + piteously. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + There were but few words exchanged during that dismal walk, and these were + addressed by Mr. Porson to Ned. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I will try, sir,” Ned said as steadily as he could; “but you don't know + how I loved him!” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + Abijah was in the hall. She was tearless, but her face was white and set. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Ned gave a little nod, and, taking his brother's hand, opened the door of + the parlor. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Sankey,” the doctor said in a steady voice, “here are your boys, Ned and + Charlie.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I will, father,” the boy said steadily. “I will take care of mother, I + promise you.” + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “Come, my boy, your father is out of pain now.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Abijah,” he said, in a voice which he struggled in vain to steady, “what + is there for me to do? How is my mother?” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + 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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Good morning, Polly!” Ned said, and walked on. He dreaded speech with any + one. Polly saw his intention and hesitated; then she said: + </p> + <p> + “Good morning, Master Ned! One moment, please, sir.” + </p> + <p> + Ned paused irresolutely. + </p> + <p> + “Please don't say anything,” he began. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + Ned understood at once. + </p> + <p> + “What!” he said; “was it her? I did not know; I had not heard.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “How did it happen?” Ned said, feeling that here at least his wound would + be touched with no rough hand. + </p> + <p> + “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—” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I understand, sir,” the girl said gently. “God bless you!” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I don't suppose, feyther, as any of us will be able to do anything for + him; but we may do, who knows?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Sankey will know you all feel for him, Ripon, he will need no telling of + that.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “Sankey, I want to have a few words with you in the study.” + </p> + <p> + 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!” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “My boy,” he said, “what is it that is wrong with you? I fear that you + have trouble at home.” + </p> + <p> + Ned stood silent, but the tears welled up into his eyes. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + Ned was silent. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Ned stood silent for a minute or two; then he said: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0008" id="link2HCH0008"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VIII: NED IS SORELY TRIED + </h2> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.'” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + That evening when they were at tea Mrs. Sankey mentioned the agreeable + visitor who had called in the afternoon. + </p> + <p> + “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!” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “I beg your pardon, mother,” he said quietly. “I am very sorry I spoke as + I did. I ought not to have done so.” + </p> + <p> + “Very well,” Mrs. Sankey said coldly; “then don't do it again, Ned.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “Well, Ned, I suppose I ought to congratulate you, although I don't know + whether you will see it in that light.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! I don't mean that,” the boy said.. “I mean about Mulready.” + </p> + <p> + “What do you mean?” Ned said, stopping short and turning very white. + </p> + <p> + “Why,” the lad said laughing, “all the town says he is going to marry your + mother.” + </p> + <p> + Ned stood as if stupefied. Then he sprang upon his companion and seized + him by the throat. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + With a great effort Smithers extricated himself from Ned's grasp. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “Know it?” Ned gasped. “I have not heard of his being in the house for + months, but I will soon find out the truth.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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!” + </p> + <p> + “Why, what do you mean, Edward?” Mrs. Sankey said, almost frightened at + the boy's vehemence. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + The stars were shining brightly when he rose to his feet, his clothes were + soaked with dew, and he trembled with cold and weakness. + </p> + <p> + “What am I to do?” he said to himself; “what am I to do?” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Bill, are you in?” + </p> + <p> + There was an exclamation of surprise. + </p> + <p> + “Why, surely, it's Maister Ned!” and Bill came to the door. + </p> + <p> + “Come out, Bill, I want to speak to you.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “What be't, Maister Ned? what be t' matter with thee? Has owt gone wrong?” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + Presently, when they had left the houses far behind them, Ned stopped. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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!” + </p> + <p> + “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!” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “What bee'st going to do vor to stop it?” he asked at last. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + Even in his bitter grief Ned could hardly help smiling at the thought of + such a deputation waiting upon his mother. + </p> + <p> + “No, it wouldn't do, Bill.” + </p> + <p> + Bill was silent again for some time. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Ned grasped his friend's hand. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “But it couldn't been as bad as if wur Foxey,” Bill urged, “he be the very + worsest lot about Marsden.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “But there would be no disgrace if oi was to do it, Maister Ned.” + </p> + <p> + “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!” + </p> + <p> + “Then what art thou going to do, Maister Ned—run away and 'list for + a soldier, or go to sea?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “She will that,” Bill agreed; “leastways unless oi be mistaken. And what + be'st going to do now, lad? Be'st agoing whoam?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + Ned watched her preparations listlessly. + </p> + <p> + “You are very good, Polly,” he said, “and I shall be very glad of the cup + of tea, but I cannot eat anything.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0009" id="link2HCH0009"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER IX: A PAINFUL TIME + </h2> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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! + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “What o'clock is it, Bill?” + </p> + <p> + “Half past six—the chaps went off to t' mill an hour gone; oi've + kept some tea hot for ee.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “But you shouldn't have gone away, Master Ned, in that style, leaving us + to wait and worry ourselves out of our senses.” + </p> + <p> + “Do you know what she told me, Abijah? Wasn't it enough to make any fellow + mad?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I have got nothing to say to her,” Ned growled. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Ned winced perceptibly. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + So saying Ned left the room, and collecting his books made his way off to + school, leaving his mother highly satisfied with the interview. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “I have not prepared my lesson today, sir, and I have not done the + exercises.” + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “You had better go to your desk, Sankey; I see you are not well. I will + speak to you after school is over.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Well, my boy,” he asked kindly, “what is it?” + </p> + <p> + “My mother is going to marry Mr. Mulready,” Ned said shortly. The words + seemed to come with difficulty from his lips. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I shouldn't care so much if it wasn't him,” Ned said in a dull voice. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I don't know, sir,” Ned said gloomily; “everything seems upset now. I + don't seem to know what I had best do.” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, let us hope the best, Ned,” Mr. Porson said kindly; “things may + turn out better than you fear.” + </p> + <p> + Then seeing that further talking would be useless now, he shook Ned's hand + and let him go. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “One would think, Ned, that you thought it likely I was going to be unkind + to your mother.” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “Well, mother,” he said in his usual tone, turning to Mrs. Sankey, “and + how are you this morning?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0010" id="link2HCH0010"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER X: TROUBLES AT HOME + </h2> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Is anything the matter, William?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! nothing,” he said with an unnatural laugh, “only a little attempt to + frighten me.” + </p> + <p> + “An attempt which has succeeded,” Ned said to himself, “whatever it is.” + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + At the bottom of this was signed the words “Captain Lud.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! William,” Mrs. Mulready cried, “you will never do it! You will never + risk your life at the hands of these terrible people!” + </p> + <p> + All the thin veneer of politeness was cracked by this blow, and Mr. + Mulready said sullenly: + </p> + <p> + “Nice thing indeed; after I have married to get this money, and then not + to be able to use it!” + </p> + <p> + His wife gave a little cry. + </p> + <p> + “It's a shame to say so,” Charlie burst out sturdily. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Mulready's screams had by this time brought the servants into the + room, and they stood astonished at the spectacle. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “And now,” he continued to Ned as the door closed behind the servants, + “out of this house you go this day.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, Ned, Ned,” Mrs. Mulready broke in, “how can you talk so!” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, Ned, how can you go on so?” Mrs. Mulready wailed. “You are a wicked + boy to talk so.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + So he flung himself down in his chair and continued his breakfast. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Well, Sankey, what is it?” he asked kindly as the boy entered. + </p> + <p> + “I don't think it's any use my going on any longer, Mr. Porson.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I have made up my mind not to go into the army,” Ned said quietly. + </p> + <p> + Mr. Porson was silent a minute. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “No,” Ned said with an angry look in his face; “and he'd better not.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “No,” Ned said somewhat reluctantly; “he is not that, sir; he is always + snapping and snarling and finding fault.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “He hit Charlie, sir,” Ned exclaimed. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sir,” Ned said. “Father told me to be kind to mother, whatever + happened.” + </p> + <p> + “Quite so, my boy; but the question is, Are you being kind?” + </p> + <p> + Ned looked surprised. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + Ned was silent. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Does your mother take his part or yours in these quarrels, Ned?” + </p> + <p> + “She takes his part, sir,” said Ned indignantly. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “You don't know the fellow as I do,” he said sullenly at last. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I believe he is quite capable of killing her,” Ned said passionately, “if + he wanted her out of the way.” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0011" id="link2HCH0011"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XI: THE NEW MACHINERY + </h2> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + In a few seconds Bill joined him, and they soon left the village behind. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Not Polly Powlett, I am sure, Bill.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.' + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + Ned met Bill on the following Sunday. + </p> + <p> + “I suppose, Bill,” he said, “there is a rare stir about Foxey using his + new machinery?” + </p> + <p> + “Ay, that there be, and no wonder,” Bill said angrily, “there be twenty + hands turned adrift. Oi bee one of them myself.” + </p> + <p> + “You, Bill! I had no idea you had been discharged.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I suppose,” Ned said, “that now they have got the soldiers down in + Marsden it will be all right about the mill.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Mulready was crying now. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I am sure it is not my fault,” Mrs. Mulready said in a slightly injured + tone. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0012" id="link2HCH0012"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XII: MURDERED! + </h2> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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!” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! it's no use saying anything,” Charlie said in an imploring voice, “it + only makes things worse.” + </p> + <p> + “Worse!” Ned exclaimed indignantly; “how could they be worse? Well may + they call him Foxey, for foxey he is, a double faced snarling brute.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Oh! William!” Mrs. Mulready said as she looked at her son, “how could you + hurt him so!” + </p> + <p> + “Hurt him, the young reptile!” Mr. Mulready said savagely. “I meant to + hurt him. I will hurt him more next time.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Mulready paid no attention to his words, but went up to Ned. + </p> + <p> + “Ned, my boy,” she said tenderly, “what is it? Don't look like that, Ned; + speak to me.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Take care!” he said hoarsely, “it will be my turn next time, and when it + comes I will kill you, you brute.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Mulready turned and went with a laugh which he intended to be + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Charlie was absent an hour, and returned saying that he could not find his + brother. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “What is it, Mary?” + </p> + <p> + “Please, mum, there's a constable below, and he wants to speak to you + immediate.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “What is it?” she asked; “has anything happened to my son?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “What is it?” she asked again; “is it my husband?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “But what is it?” Mrs. Mulready gasped. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “My husband!” Mrs. Mulready gasped. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, Ned, Ned,” she wailed, “how could you!” and then she fell senseless + to the ground. + </p> + <p> + The constable raised her and placed her in a chair. + </p> + <p> + “Are you sure the master's dead?” the servant asked, wiping her eyes. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + There was no grief expressed in Varley at Mr. Mulready's death, indeed the + news was received with jubilant exultation. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “Thou duss'n't believe it, Luke?” Bill Swinton said as he entered the + latter's cottage. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Don't speak like that, feyther,” Polly said; “murder is murder, you + know.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + Late that evening there came a knock at the door of Luke's cottage. On + opening it he found Bill standing there. + </p> + <p> + “Back again, Bill!—then thou hasn't found him?” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + They had moved a little away from the cottage now, but Luke lowered his + voice: + </p> + <p> + “Oi be agoing down to t' town in the morning to give moiself oop vor the + murder of Foxey.” + </p> + <p> + Bill gave an exclamation of astonishment: + </p> + <p> + “But thou didn'st do it, Luke?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Bill gazed in astonishment through the darkness at his companion. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Bill gave a gasp of astonishment. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Bill was silent now. + </p> + <p> + “Oi wish oi had a-thowt of it,” he said at last; “oi would ha' doon it + moiself.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Bill was silent for a time and then said: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Oi be thy man, Luke,” Bill said earnestly. “Whatever as thou sayest oi + will sweer to; but I would reyther change places.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0013" id="link2HCH0013"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIII: COMMITTED FOR TRIAL + </h2> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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!” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + He replied that he could only say that he had been wandering on the moor. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Well, my poor boy,” he began, “this is a terrible business.” + </p> + <p> + “Who do you mean it is a terrible business for, Mr. Porson, me or him?” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + Ned's mood had somewhat changed. He received the doctor with a boisterous + laugh. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I don't think your trying will be of much use, doctor; but what's the + odds as long as you are happy!” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Tell him I am well and comfortable and jolly,” Ned said recklessly. + </p> + <p> + “I will tell him you are comfortable, Ned, and I should like to tell him + that you had eaten your breakfast.” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I want no draughts,” Ned said. “Why should I? I am as right as + ninepence.” + </p> + <p> + “Very well. We will see,” the doctor said. “Now I must be going my + rounds.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I don't think he killed him,” the doctor said quietly. “I am almost sure + he didn't.” + </p> + <p> + “You don't say so!” the chief constable said, surprised. “I had not the + least doubt about it.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0014" id="link2HCH0014"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIV: COMMITTED FOR TRIAL + </h2> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “I drew them, Ned. I looked in in the afternoon, and found you fast + asleep, so I darkened the room.” + </p> + <p> + “Why, what time is it now?” Ned asked. + </p> + <p> + “Half past twelve, Ned.” + </p> + <p> + “Half past twelve! Why, how can that be?” + </p> + <p> + “Why, my boy, you have had twenty-two hours' sleep.” + </p> + <p> + Ned gave an exclamation of astonishment. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I feel rather heavy and stupid now,” Ned said, “but I am all the better + for my sleep. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Let me see,” Ned said thoughtfully. “Was I dreaming, or have I seen Mr. + Porson since I came here?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “It all seems a dream to me,” Ned said in a hopeless tone, “a confused, + muddled sort of dream.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Here is your breakfast, Ned, and if you don't enjoy it Jane will be + terribly disappointed.” + </p> + <p> + “I shall enjoy it, doctor. I feel very weak; but I do think I am hungry.” + </p> + <p> + “You ought to be, Ned, seeing that you have eaten nothing for two days.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + The tears came into Ned's eyes. + </p> + <p> + “Oh! how good you are, doctor!” + </p> + <p> + “Nonsense, good!” the doctor said; “come, eat away, that will be the best + thanks to Jane and me.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “There, doctor!” he said, as he pushed back his chair; “if you are as + satisfied as I am you must be contented indeed.” + </p> + <p> + “I am, Ned; that meal has done us both a world of good. Ah! here is + Porson, just arrived at the right moment.” + </p> + <p> + “How are you, Ned?” the master asked heartily. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Ned sat for a long time without speaking. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + Dr. Green hesitated a moment. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + Ned guessed by the doctor's answer that his mother was against him. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + That evening when Mr. Porson was in his study the servant came in and said + that a young man wished to speak to him. + </p> + <p> + “Who is it, Mary?” + </p> + <p> + “He says his name is Bill Swinton, sir.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! I know,” the master said; “show him in.” + </p> + <p> + Bill was ushered in. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Surely,” Bill said heartily; “and dost really think as he didn't do it?” + </p> + <p> + “I may say I am quite sure he did not, Bill. Didn't you think so too?” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + After he had given his evidence Mr. Wakefield asked: + </p> + <p> + “Did you hear any one outside the mill when Mr. Mulready was there?” + </p> + <p> + “No, sir; I heard nothing.” + </p> + <p> + “Any one might have entered the yard, I suppose, and found the rope?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes; the gates were open, as we were at work.” + </p> + <p> + “Would the rope be visible to any one who entered the yard?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “You have no reason whatever for supposing that it was Mr. Edward Sankey + who cut this rope more than anyone else?” + </p> + <p> + “No, sir.” + </p> + <p> + 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.” + </p> + <p> + “Don't mind, Charlie,” Ned said quietly. “Tell the whole story exactly as + it happened. You can't do me any harm, old boy.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Your brother meant nothing specially unpleasant in calling your + stepfather Foxey?” Mr. Wakefield asked. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I believe that your stepfather had received threatening letters, had he + not?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sir, several; he was afraid to put his new machines to work because + of them.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Wakefield intimated that he should reserve his evidence for the trial + itself, and Ned was then formally committed. + </p> + <p> + 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.” + </p> + <p> + Still, although there was greater sympathy than before with Ned, there + were few, indeed, who doubted his guilt. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “It was natural that you should get in a passion,” Charlie said stoutly. + “I think any one would have got in a passion.” + </p> + <p> + “I don't think you would, Charlie,” Ned said, smiling. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “Ah! well, I hope I shall be back before long, Lucy.” + </p> + <p> + “I hope so,” Lucy said; “but you know you will soon be going away again to + be a soldier.” + </p> + <p> + “I shall not go away again now, Lucy,” Ned said quietly. “When I come back + it will be for good.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! that will be nice,” Lucy said joyously, “just as it used to be, with + no one to be cross and scold about everything.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + Ned's next visitors were Dr. Green and Mr. Porson. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0015" id="link2HCH0015"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XV: NOT GUILTY + </h2> + <p> + As soon as Mr. Porson and the doctor had left him Mr. Wakefield appeared. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Ned took the paper, on which was written in a scrawling hand: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + There was no signature to the paper. + </p> + <p> + Ned looked up with delight in his face. + </p> + <p> + “But won't the letter clear me, Mr. Wakefield? It shows that it was not + me, but some one else who did it.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “And you have no clue as who did it, Mr. Wakefield?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “And that I was known to bear him ill will,” Ned said sadly. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “But what do people think at Marsden, Mr. Wakefield? Do people generally + think I am guilty?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + Then the counsel proceeded to narrate the circumstances of the evening up + to the point when Mr. Mulready left the house. + </p> + <p> + “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.' + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “You did not find your stepfather a very pleasant man to deal with, did + you?” + </p> + <p> + “Not at all pleasant,” Charlie replied heartily. + </p> + <p> + “Always snapping and snarling and finding fault, wasn't he?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sir, always.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “You don't think that he went out with any deliberate idea of killing your + stepfather?” + </p> + <p> + “No, sir; I am sure he only went out to walk about till he got over his + passion, just as he had done before.” + </p> + <p> + “It was his way, was it, when anything put him out very much, to go and + walk about till he got cool again?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sir.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! Ned, how can you say so?” Charlie exclaimed. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + They had scarcely reached the hotel where Mr. Porson, the doctor, and + Charlie were stopping, when Mr. Simmonds arrived. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “That may be never,” Ned said decidedly, “so we need say no more about + it.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0016" id="link2HCH0016"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVI: LUKE MARNER'S SACRIFICE + </h2> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “How is my mother?” he asked at last abruptly. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + Ned himself had listened in silence. He sighed heavily when the doctor had + finished. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Have you thought anything of your future plans, Ned?” Mr. Porson asked + after they had driven in silence for some distance. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Thank you,” Ned said quietly. “I understand, doctor.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + And his friends saw that it was useless to urge him further. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Thank God, Maister Ned,” Bill said at last, “we ha' got thee again!” + </p> + <p> + “Thank God too!” Ned said; “though I think I would rather that it had gone + the other way.” + </p> + <p> + They walked along for some time without speaking again, and then Ned said + suddenly: + </p> + <p> + “Now, Bill, who is the real murderer?” + </p> + <p> + Bill stopped his walk in astonishment. + </p> + <p> + “The real murderer!” he repeated; “how ever should oi know, Maister Ned?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Bill was silent for some time, It had never occurred to him that this + letter would be brought home to him. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “No,” Bill said slowly, “oi should never ha' thought of it myself; Luke + told oi what to wroit, and I wroited it.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, it was Luke! was it?” Ned said sharply. “Then the man who did it must + have told him.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Well,” Ned said, turning sharp round and starting on his way back to the + village, “I must see Luke himself.” + </p> + <p> + 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!” + </p> + <p> + Nothing further was said until they reached Luke's cottage. Ned knocked + and entered at once, followed sheepishly by Bill. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + Luke started and then looked savagely over at Bill, who stood twirling his + cap in his hand. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “And you think he will really go?” Ned asked eagerly. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I will provide the money,” Ned said eagerly. “Abijah would lend me some + of her savings, and I can pay her back some day.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, that be it, in course,” Luke replied. “Yes; just as you says, he + ought vor to give his loife to make amends.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Master Ned,” she said, “I have come to say goodby.” + </p> + <p> + “Good-by, Polly! Why, where are you going?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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.” + </p> + <p> + 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, + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Ned roused himself at her words. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + Polly opened her eyes in surprise at a question which seemed to her so + irrelevant to the matter in hand; + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Then he didn't go out at all that night, Polly?” + </p> + <p> + “No, sir, not at all that night; and now, sir, I will say goodby.” + </p> + <p> + “No, Polly, you won't, for I shall go back with you, and I don't think + that you will go to America.” + </p> + <p> + “I don't understand,” the girl faltered. + </p> + <p> + “No, Polly, I don't suppose you do; and I have not understood till now. + You will see when you get back.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Bill's only a boy; he will get over it,” Polly said in a careless tone, + but with a bright flush upon her cheek. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Luke, who was sorely shaken by Mary's pitiful sobs, could resist no + longer, but opened his arms, and the girl ran into them. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0017" id="link2HCH0017"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVII: A LONELY LIFE + </h2> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + That evening Luke Marner called at the house to see Ned. + </p> + <p> + “Be it true, Maister Ned, as the voreman says, the new machines is to be + put to work?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I don't hold much to my life,” Ned laughed bitterly, “so the Luddites + won't be able to frighten me there.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Then they will burn it, thou wilt see if they doan't,” Luke said + earnestly. + </p> + <p> + “I hope not, Luke. I shall do my best to prevent it anyhow.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “We must chance it, Luke; but be sure, whatever I do I shan't let the mill + be destroyed if I can help it.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “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!” + </p> + <p> + There was no withstanding the frank cordiality of the Yorkshireman's + manner. Ned's reserve melted at once before it. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “The wind is very high tonight,” Ned said one evening as the cottage shook + with a gust which swept down from the moor. + </p> + <p> + “Ay, that it be,” Luke agreed; “but it is nowt to a storm oi saw when oi + war a young chap on t' coast!” + </p> + <p> + “I did not know you had ever been away from Varley,” Ned said, “tell me + about it, Luke.” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “'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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.' + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + As the window was heard to open a sudden roar broke from the men, who had + hitherto conducted their operations in silence. + </p> + <p> + “There he be, there's the young fox; burn the mill over his head. Now to + work, lads, burst in the door.” + </p> + <p> + And at once a man armed with a mighty sledgehammer began to batter at the + door. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + In another moment the door yielded and fell with a crash, and the crowd + with exultant cheers poured in. + </p> + <p> + They paused surprised and irresolute at seeing Ned standing quiet and + seemingly indifferent by the pile of barrels in the center of the room. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + And Ned held the pistol over the open barrel. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Hullo!” Ned shouted, rousing himself from his slumbers; “who is there? + What are you kicking up all this row about?” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “Not a bit of it,” Ned said as he moved the supports of the door. “I think + they got the worst of it.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, Maister Ned,” Abijah put in, “and they say as you blew up about a + thousand of them.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, Abijah,” Ned said with a laugh, “and the pieces haven't come down + yet.” + </p> + <p> + “No! but really, Ned, what is it all about?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh!” Charlie said in a disappointed voice, for this seemed rather tame + after the thrilling reports he had heard. + </p> + <p> + “Then you didn't blow up any of 'em, Maister Ned,” Abijah said doubtfully. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “They are very wicked, bad men,” Lucy said gravely. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “But it would be wrong all the same,” Lucy said doubtfully. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Lucy did not exactly understand, but she shook her head gravely in general + dissent to Ned's view. + </p> + <p> + “Why did you not tell us when you came home to breakfast yesterday?” + Charlie asked. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + Ned gave an exclamation of disgust as he threw down the note. + </p> + <p> + “Is there any answer, sir?” the servant asked. “The boy said he was to + wait.” + </p> + <p> + “Tell him to say to Mr. Thompson that I will be there at eight o'clock; + but that—no, that will do. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “Is it the case that the Luddites made an attack upon your mill the night + before last?” + </p> + <p> + “It is true, sir.” + </p> + <p> + “Will you please state the exact circumstances.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “And did you really mean to carry out your threat, Mr. Sankey?” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly,” Ned said. + </p> + <p> + “But you would, of course, have been killed yourself.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Did you recognize any of the men concerned?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “And you would not recognize any of them again were you to see them?” + </p> + <p> + “I should not,” Ned replied. “None of them stood out prominently among the + others.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Ned made no reply, but rising, bowed slightly to the three gentlemen and + walked quietly from the room. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “And I believe he is so still,” Mr. Thompson said. “To me there is + something almost devilish about that lad's manner.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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!” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0018" id="link2HCH0018"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVIII: NED IS ATTACKED + </h2> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + His new friend, Cartwright, was, of course, one of the first to + congratulate him on the escape the mill had had of destruction. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Ned hastily muttered an excuse. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + One day Mr. Cartwright entered Ned's office at the mill. + </p> + <p> + “Have you heard the news, Sankey?” + </p> + <p> + “No, I have heard no news in particular.” + </p> + <p> + “Horsfall has been shot.” + </p> + <p> + “You don't say so!” Ned exclaimed. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “That is a bad business, indeed,” Ned said. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + After Mr. Cartwright had gone Ned told Luke what had happened. + </p> + <p> + “I hope, Luke, that none of the Varley people have had a hand in this + business?” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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: + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Thou'rt joist in toime, Luke,” Bill panted out. “Oi war well nigh done.” + </p> + <p> + “Be t' maister shot?” + </p> + <p> + “No, nowt but a clip wi' a stick.” + </p> + <p> + As the words passed between them the assailants again rushed forward with + curses and execrations upon those who stood between them and their victim. + </p> + <p> + “Moind, Luke, they ha' got knoives!” Bill exclaimed. “Oi ha' got more nor + one slash already.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Ye'd best be off,” Luke said; “there ull be a score more here in a + minute.” + </p> + <p> + 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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Are they killed, feyther?” Polly cried as she ran up breathless to them. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Best let them stay here, feyther, till we can stop the bleeding. Moving + would set the wounds off worse.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “That's roight,” Luke said encouragingly; “he be a-cooming round.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Ned looked round vaguely, then a look of intelligence came into his face. + </p> + <p> + “Where is Bill?” he asked. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “He's not dead?” he asked with a gasp, as he saw the white face enveloped + in bandages. + </p> + <p> + “No, surelie,” Luke replied cheerfully; “he be a long way from dead yet, + oi hoape, though he be badly cut about.” + </p> + <p> + “Have you sent for the doctor?” Ned asked. + </p> + <p> + “No!” + </p> + <p> + “Then send for Dr. Green at once, and tell him from me to come up here + instantly.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Well, Ned,” he asked as he came in, “have you been in the wars again?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + The doctor at once set to to examine the bandages. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “I don't think I shall faint, sir,” Polly said quietly; “if I do, feyther + will take my place.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Then you think he will get round, doctor?” Ned asked in a low tone. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Hullo! this will never do,” he broke off as Ned suddenly reeled and would + have fallen to the ground had not Luke caught him. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + An hour later both were sleeping quietly. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Mulready turned very pale, and then in a constrained voice said: “Mr. + Porson has always been very kind to my sons.” + </p> + <p> + Then she sighed deeply and changed the subject of conversation. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0019" id="link2HCH0019"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIX: THE ATTACK ON CARTWRIGHT'S MILL + </h2> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Who is there?” he shouted through the door; “and what do you want?” + </p> + <p> + “Open the door, please. It is I, Polly Powlett,” a voice replied. “I want + to speak to you particularly, sir. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “It is I, Ned Sankey—open at once. The Luddites are upon you!” + </p> + <p> + The bolts were hastily undrawn, and Ned rushed in and assisted to fasten + the door behind him. + </p> + <p> + “They will be here in a minute,” he panted out. “They are just behind.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + Mr. Cartwright had now joined Ned, leaving his workmen to continue to pull + the bell rope. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Presently a voice was heard shouting without: “Are you all right, + Cartwright?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” the manufacturer replied. “Who are you?” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + 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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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!” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “No, thank you, sir,” Mary said with quiet dignity; “there isn't any way + that I could take anything for doing what I did.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.'” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “What is the matter with Bill?” Ned asked Luke Marner that afternoon. “I + see he is away.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Do you know what is the matter with him?” + </p> + <p> + “I dunno for certain, Maister Ned, but I has my suspicions.” + </p> + <p> + “So have I, Luke. I believe he got a gunshot wound in that affair at the + mill.” + </p> + <p> + Luke nodded significantly. + </p> + <p> + “Dr. Green ought to see him,” Ned said. “A gunshot wound is not a thing to + be trifled with.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0020" id="link2HCH0020"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XX: CLEARED AT LAST. + </h2> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Thou ought'st not to talk so much, John,” Bill was saying. “Thou know'st + the doctor said thou must not excite thyself.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + The sick man moved uneasily. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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?” + </p> + <p> + Bill did not answer. + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “But he didn't do it,” Stukeley said sharply. + </p> + <p> + “No, he didn't do it,” Bill replied. + </p> + <p> + There was a silence again for a long time; then Stukeley opened his eyes + suddenly. + </p> + <p> + “Bill, I should like to see Polly again. Dost think as she will come and + say goodby?” + </p> + <p> + “Oi am sure as she will,” Bill said steadily. “Shall oi go and fetch her?” + </p> + <p> + “It's a wild night to ask a gal to come out on such an errand,” Stukeley + said doubtfully. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + In little more than that time Bill returned with Mary Powlett. + </p> + <p> + “I am awfully sorry to hear you are so bad, John,” the girl said frankly. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Never mind that now, John; that's all past and gone.” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I will always remember that,” Polly said gently. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “What! on such a night as this, feyther?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Not on such a night as this, doctor! sureley you are not a-going out on + such a night as this!” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + A quarter of an hour later Dr. Green, with Mr. Thompson by his side, drove + off through the tempest toward Varley. + </p> + <p> + The next morning, as Ned was at breakfast, the doctor was announced. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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!” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Ned drew a long breath and the color left his cheeks. + </p> + <p> + “You don't mean, doctor, you can't mean”—and he paused. + </p> + <p> + “That you are cleared, my boy. Yes; that is my news. Thank God, Ned, your + innocence is proved.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Tell me all about it, doctor. How has it happened? What has brought it + about?” + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “And you think it is true, doctor, you really think it is true? It is not + like Luke's attempt to save me?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “What will my mother say?” Ned exclaimed, turning pale again. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + The bell, however, did not ring before the doctor's return. After a short + consultation between him and Ned, Abijah was called in. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + “Why, what's the matter?”. she broke off sharply as she noticed Abijah's + face. “Why, you have been crying!” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “What news, Abijah?” Mrs. Mulready asked quickly. “What are you making a + mystery about, and what is that paper in your hand?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “All over! what do you mean, Abijah?” Mrs. Mulready exclaimed, rising + suddenly from her invalid chair. + </p> + <p> + “What do you mean by saying that it is all over?” and she seized the old + nurse's arm with an eager grasp. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “Innocent!” Mrs. Mulready gasped in a voice scarcely above a whisper. “Did + you tell me, Abijah, that my boy, my boy Ned, is innocent?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “Innocent! Proved innocent!” she murmured. “What must he think of me—me, + his mother!” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “I must go away,” she said at last, rising suddenly. “I must go away at + once. Has he gone yet?” + </p> + <p> + “Go away, ma'am! Why, what should you go away for, and where are you + going?” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + And with trembling fingers she began to open her drawers and pull out her + clothes. + </p> + <p> + “But you can't go away like that, mistress. You can't, indeed,” Abijah + said, aghast. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “But where are you going, ma'am?” Abijah said, thinking it better not to + attempt to argue with her in her present state. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “There is Dr. Green's knock,” Abijah said. + </p> + <p> + “I can't see him, Abijah. I can't see him.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + Abijah bustled about actively, and before Mrs. Mulready had time to take + any decided step Dr. Green knocked at the door and came in. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + “I am not feeling very well,” Mrs. Mulready said faintly. “The shock has + been too much for me.” + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + “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.” + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + Ned rose to his feet and held out his arms with the one word “Mother!” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Mulready slid from the sofa and threw herself on her knees with her + hands clasped. + </p> + <p> + “Oh! my boy, my boy!” she cried, “can you forgive me?” + </p> + <p> + Then, as he raised her in his arms, she fainted. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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.” + </p> + <p> + THE END <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Through the Fray, by G. A. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Through the Fray + A Tale of the Luddite Riots + +Author: G. A. Henty + +Release Date: August, 2005 [EBook #8732] +Posting Date: July 23, 2009 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS 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 be 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 had 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 be +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. 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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. 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