mr. thornton came frankly forwards:

\"i\"m sorry, miss hale, you hāve visited us at this unfortunate moment,when, i fear, you may be involved in whatever risk we hāve to bear.

mother! hadn\"t you better go into the back rooms? i\"m not sure whetherthey may not hāve made their way from pinner\"s lane into the stable-yard; but if not, you will be safer there than here. go jane!\" continuedhe, addressing the upper-servant. and she went, followed by the others.

\"i stop here!\" said his mother. \"where you are, there i stay.\" and indeed,retreat into the back rooms was of no āvail; the crowd had surroundedthe outbuildings at the rear, and were sending forth their: awfulthreatening roar behind. the servants retreated into the garrets, withmany a cry and shriek. mr. thornton smiled scornfully as he heardthem. he glanced at margaret, standing all by herself at the windownearest the factory. her eyes glittered, her colour was deepened oncheek and lip. as if she felt his look, she turned to him and asked aquestion that had been for some time in her mind:

\"where are the poor imported work-people? in the factory there?\"

\"yes! i left them cowered up in a small room, at the head of a backflight of stairs; bidding them run all risks, and escape down there, ifthey heard any attack made on the mill-doors. but it is not them--it isme they want.\"

\"when can the soldiers be here?\" asked his mother, in a low but notunsteady voice.

he took out his watch with the same measured posure with whichhe did everything. he made some little calculation:

\"supposing williams got straight off when i told him, and hadn\"t tododge about amongst them--it must be twenty minutes yet.\"

\"twenty minutes!\" said his mother, for the first time showing her terrorin the tones of her voice.

\"shut down the windows instantly, mother,\" exclaimed he: \"the gateswon\"t bear such another shock. shut down that window, miss hale.\"

margaret shut down her window, and then went to assist mrs.

thornton\"s trembling fingers.

.tt--

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