at this piece of information, margaret was silent long enough formartha to recover her propriety, and, with it, her habitual shortness ofanswer. she swept up the hearth, asked at what time she should preparetea, and quitted the room with the same wooden face with which shehad entered it. margaret had to pull herself up from indulging a badtrick, which she had lately fallen into, of trying to imagine how everyevent that she heard of in relation to mr. thornton would affect him:

whether he would like it or dislike it.

the next day she had the little boucher children for their lessons, andtook a long walk, and ended by a visit to mary higgins. somewhat tomargaret\"s surprise, she found nicholas already e home from hiswork; the lengthening light had deceived her as to the lateness of theevening. he too seemed, by his manners, to hāve entered a little moreon the way of humility; he was quieter, and less self-asserting.

\"so th\" oud gentleman\"s away on his trāvels, is he?\" said he. \"little \"unstelled me so. eh! but they\"re sharp \"uns, they are; i a\"most think theybeat my own wenches for sharpness, though mappen it\"s wrong to sayso, and one on \"em in her grāve. there\"s summut in th\" weather, ireckon, as sets folk a-wandering. my measter, him at th\" shop yonder, isspinning about th\" world somewhere.\"

\"is that the reason you\"re so soon at home to-night?\" asked margaretinnocently.

\"thou know\"st nought about it, that\"s all,\" said he, contemptuously. \"i\"mnot one wi\" two faces--one for my measter, and t\"other for his back. icounted a\" th\" clocks in the town striking afore i\"d leāve my work. no!

yon thornton\"s good enough for to fight wi\", but too good for to becheated. it were you as getten me the place, and i thank yo\" for it.

thornton\"s is not a bad mill, as times go. stand down, lad, and say yo\"rpretty hymn to miss margaret. that\"s right; steady on thy legs, and rightarm out as straight as a shewer. one to stop, two to stay, three mak\"

ready, and four away!\"

..t.小`说`

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