accordingly margaret went. mrs. boucher was very ill; really ill--notmerely ailing. the kind and sensible neighbour, who had e in theother day, seemed to hāve taken charge of everything. some of thechildren were gone to the neighbours. mary higgins had e for thethree youngest at dinner-time; and since then nicholas had gone for thedoctor. he had not e as yet; mrs. boucher was dying; and there wasnothing to do but to wait. margaret thought that she should like to knowhis opinion, and that she could not do better than go and see thehigginses in the meantime. she might then possibly hear whethernicholas had been able to make his application to mr. thornton.

she found nicholas busily engaged in making a penny spin on thedresser, for the amusement of three little children, who were clinging tohim in a fearless manner. he, as well as they, was smiling at a goodlong spin; and margaret thought, that the happy look of interest in hisoccupation was a good sign. when the penny stopped spinning, \"lilejohnnie\" began to cry.

\"e to me,\" said margaret, taking him off the dresser, and holdinghim in her arms; she held her watch to his ear, while she asked nicholasif he had seen mr. thornton.

the look on his face changed instantly.

\"ay!\" said he. \"i\"ve seen and heerd too much on him.\"

\"he refused you, then?\" said margaret, sorrowfully.

\"to be sure. i knew he\"d do it all long. it\"s no good expecting marcy atthe hands o\" them measters. yo\"re a stranger and a foreigner, and aren\"tlikely to know their ways; but i knowed it.\"

\"i am sorry i asked you. was he angry? he did not speak to you ashamper did, did he?\"

\"he weren\"t o\"er-civil!\" said nicholas, spinning the penny again, as muchfor his own amusement as for that of the children. \"never yo\" fret, i\"monly where i was. i\"ll go on tramp to-morrow. i gāve him as good as igot. i telled him, i\"d not that good opinion on him that i\"d ha\" e asecond time of mysel\"; but yo\"d advised me for to e, and i werebeholden to yo\".\"

\"you told him i sent you?\"

\"i dunno\" if i ca\"d yo\" by your name. i dunnot think i did. i said, awoman who knew no better had advised me for to e and see if there

was a soft place in his heart.\"

\"and he--?\" asked margaret.

\"said i were to tell yo\" to mind yo\"r own business.--that\"s the longestspin yet, my lads.--and them\"s civil words to what he used to me. butne\"er mind. we\"re but where we was; and i\"ll break stones on th\" roadafore i let these little uns clem.\"

margaret put the struggling johnnie out of her arms, back into hisformer place on the dresser.

//［t＾.天）堂）

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