Kenelm Chillingly, Book 4.

the cur, as his servant, entering, said a person from t

tare, Kenelm recognized Tom Bowles. Difficult indeed would have been that recognition to an unobservant beholder: no trace was left of the sullen bully or the village farrier; the expression of the face was mild and

erty," said Tom, rather nervously, t

his saturnine humour; but then yielding at once to the warmer impulse of his nature, he grasped his old antagonist's hand

few days; for you did say that when you came back I should see or

nd me out? you did not then, I think, even know my name. That, however, it

come to you. Otherwise, as you did not send for

re than a hundred miles off to pay one an afternoon call. You are still with your uncle, I presume? and I

oing well in the way of business, and my uncle

dered up such refreshments as could be found in the larder o

and said you wished to know about it; and so, after turning it over in my mind for a few days,

ness of yours could Miss Travers

ie, pressed wine on him, and did not renew the subject till he thought his guest's tongue was likely to be more freely set loose; then he said, laying a friendly hand on Tom's shoulders, "I have been

me, she told me how poor Jessie had been annoyed by Captain Stavers, who seems to think his purchase included the young women on the property along with the standing timber; and I was half

one with those blinks

eigh myself on the sly, and lodged concealed with one of the cottagers who owed me a kindness; and one day, as I wa

't say

sir, my heart sank. I felt sure she was going to meet the Captain. However, I crept along the hedgerow, hiding myself, and got into the wood almost as soon as Jessie got there, by another way. Under the cover of the brushwood I stole on till I saw the Captain come out from the copse on the other side of the path, and plant himself just before Jessie.

shed the

up, for he is a dapper little chap, and became very blustering and abusive. But I kept my temper, and said civilly, 'Little gentleman, hard words break no bones; but if ever you molest Mrs. Somers again, I will carry you into her orchard, souse you into the duck-pond there, a

ich the young lady had ordered, she refused, and went back home. I felt hurt, and returned to my uncle's the same evening; and it was not for months that I heard the Captain had been spiteful e

e of his spite, and so it was my duty to make it up to poor Will and his wife. I did not know how to set about mending ma

e, I guess. What di

a stationary and a fancywork business, with a circulating library, was to be sold on moderate terms at Moleswich, the other side of London. So I took the train and went to the place, and thought the shop would just suit these young folks, and not be too much work for either; then I

words, and he turned aside quickl

as great

t know what yo

mers-would have felt pained and humbled that I should even think of such a thing. Miss Travers managed it all. They take the money as

rom Miss

d Miss Travers felt for me and did not press. They perhaps think it is Squire Travers (though he is not a man who woul

d fellow, Tom. But you are gra

ou. Those walks with you, and I may say that other gentleman's talk, and then that long kind letter I had from

y read a good deal

and when of an evening I get hold of a book, especially

other girl you could care

put his heart into joint again as easily as if it were only a broken leg. I don't say that I may not live to love and to marry another woman: it

as a lo

be kind to that little girl with the

omes to them very often of an evening, and brings her work with her. A quick, intelligent little thing,

n a comfort

, y

loves

s; an affectionate

oon, Tom, and may love

that suggestion, and hastened to revert to

on Will Somers and his wife; will you? M

ly, I wi

ndly let me know; and-and-I wonder whether Jessie's child is like h

ll particulars. But

tled me sadly when I did again see her sweet face at Gravelei

what you have done

me that. I should feel mean

positive promise. Meanwhile, if you are staying in

bless me! how late it is now! I must wish you good-by. I have some

f the little girl wi

heart seeing you again and finding that you re

r equal,-nay, half as nobl

credulously, a

d beast, a homicide doomed to the gibbet,-so, on the other hand, what a refined, delicate, chivalrous nature of gentleman it has developed out of the stormy elements of its first