higgins\"s obstinacy wāvered, recovered strength, and stood firm. hewould not speak. mr. thornton would not ask again. higgins\"s eye fellon the children.

\"yo\"ve called me impudent, and a liar, and a mischief-maker, and yo\"

might ha\" said wi\" some truth, as i were now and then given to drink.

an\" i ha\" called you a tyrant, an\" an oud bull-dog, and a hard, cruelmaster; that\"s where it stands. but for th\" childer. measter, do yo\" thinkwe can e\"er get on together?\"

\"well!\" said mr. thornton, half-laughing, \"it was not my proposal thatwe should go together. but there\"s one fort, on your own showing.

we neither of us can think much worse of the other than we do now.\"

\"that\"s true,\" said higgins, reflectively. \"i\"ve been thinking, ever sin\" isaw you, what a marcy it were yo\" did na take me on, for that i ne\"er sawa man whom i could less abide. but that\"s maybe been a hastyjudgment; and work\"s work to such as me. so, measter, i\"ll e; and

what\"s more, i thank yo\"; and that\"s a deal fro\" me,\" said he, more frankly,suddenly turning round and facing mr. thornton fully for the first time.

\"and this is a deal from me,\" said mr. thornton, giving higgins\"s hand agood grip. \"now mind you e sharp to your time,\" continued he,resuming the master. \"i\"ll hāve no laggards at my mill. what fines wehāve, we keep pretty sharply. and the first time i catch you makingmischief, off you go. so now you know where you are.\"

\"yo\" spoke of my wisdom this morning. i reckon i may bring it wi\" me;or would yo\" rayther hāve me \"bout my brains?\"

\"\"bout your brains if you use them for meddling with my business; withyour brains if you can keep them to your own.\"

\"i shall need a deal o\" brains to settle where my business ends and yo\"rsbegins.\"

\"your business has not begun yet, and mine stands still for me. so goodafternoon.\"

just before mr. thornton came up to mrs. boucher\"s door, margaretcame out of it. she did not see him; and he followed her for severalyards, admiring her light and easy walk, and her tall and graceful figure.

..．t．xt．．．．

0 0