The History of David Grieve

efend, than he did in the treacherous openness of the heath. However, just as he was settling himself down, with a sigh of relief, between the pan and the wall, he caught sight of something th

shoulders. He raised the stick he held, and shook it in recognition of David's signal. Then resuming hi

ie, meanwhile, was lounging in the heather j

e new-comer approached: 'he'd owt to be in th' sylum. Aun

t as ull lay a finger on 'im. He doan't do her no harm, nor yo n

ew to be one of David's tenderest points-his friendship for 'owd 'Lias Dawson,' the queer dreamer, who, fifteen y

more. Instead, however, he affected not to hear her, and shouted a loud 'Good

ving chest subsided, and there was a rekindling of the strange blue eyes. He wore a high white stock and neckcloth; his plaid hung round his emaciated shoulders with a certain an

jesty King Charles has been wi me since seven o'clock this mornin. And for th' fust time I ha been gettin reet to th' bottom o' things wi him. I ha been probin him, Davy-probin him. He couldno riddle through wi lees; I

ative and judicial air. The boy stood looking down at him, a broad smile lighting up the d

soomwheer about. Yo need no

ted his head and affected to scan the

ay he's not fa

e and listened. In a few seconds a

e him mony things, but yo conno coe him proud. Noa, as I've fund him, Charles Stuart has no

a courtly deliberation. Then replacing it, he sat with his face raised, as thoug

an I'm nobbut askin for informashun's sake. Soa out wi it; I'st not use it agen yo. That-wee-bit-o'-damned-paper,-man, what sent poor Strafford to his eend-yo mind it?-aye, 'at yo do! Well, now'-and the old man's to

yes blinking under their white lashes, 'Lias wa

t, frowning and hollowi

w seconds, then he dro

wi't, no moor than mysel-that yo wor forcit to it-willy-nilly-by them devils o' Parliament foak-by Mr. Pym and his l

broke off in a loud key of indignant scorn. Then 'Lias fell silent a moment,

alm says. I'm not takin up a brief for him, t' Lord knows! He wor but meetin his deserts, to my thinkin, when his yed went loupin. But yo put a black mark agen yo

or his interlocutor speaking, and began to be afraid that the old man's performance was over before it had well begun. But on the contr

heer's naw mak o' mischief i' this world, but t' women are at t' bottom o't. Whar's that proud foo of

him with one hand, while he rais

female, that I'll confess to, but study her; look at her curls, Davy, an her paint, an her nakedness. For shame, madam! Goo hide that neck o' yourn, goo hide it, I say!

untary awe the boy and girl looked round them. For, in spite of herself, Louie had come closer, litt

girl leant eagerly forward, her mag

s on her forehead-an on her saft neck theer's pearls again-not soa white, by a thoosand mile, as her white skin-an t' lace fa's ower her proud shoothers, an down her luvely arms-an she looks at me wi her angry eyes-Eh, but she's a queen!' cri

, looking into thin air. As for Louie, during the description of the Queen's dress she had drunk in every word with

s!' she said

e, Louie!' cried

attered past every now and then, like horsemen, through a maze of words, but with no perceptible order or purpose. The phrases

persisted and grown amazingly. He played schoolmaster now to all the heroes of history. Whether it were Elizabeth wrangling with Mary Stuart, or Cromwell marshalling his Ironsides, or Buckingham falling under the assassin's dagger at 'Lias's feet, or Napoleon walking restlessly up and down the deck of the 'Bellerophon,' 'Lias rated them every one. He was lord of a shadow world, wherein he walked with kings and queens, warriors and poets, putting them one and

ver hear sich clit-clat i' your life?' or again, 'Davy, yo'll no

learnt at last to join in them with relish. Many meetings with 'Lias on the moorside, which the old seer made alive for both of them-the plundering of 'Lias's books, whence he had drawn the brown 'Josephus' in his poc

he boy with a doubtful countenance, after Cromwell had given an unctuous

killed at that place?'

cy asked nor gi'en. And those wha escaped knockin on t

anger showed itsel

er! Yo mun tell him so! If I

but rebels an Papists,' sa

David, fiercely, facing round u

s hand behind his ear that he might hear better, turned a pair of

Sandy Grieve. Ay, ay-I've yeerd tell strange

h on her back in the sun, with her hat over h

bout her,' she

relaxed-fell, as it were, into their natural expression of weak senility, which so long as he was under the stress of his favo

sat staring at the opposite side of the

, the light of a sombre, half-reluctant curio

t studying 'Lias with a frowning hostility, making faces at him now and then by way of amusement. To d

lled, Louie got up with a yawn, meaning to lounge back to the farm and investigate the nearness of dinner. But, as she turned

watter?' she asked David,

his face, and took a look at t

aw name,' he sa

g aw maks o' tales. Theer's a mermaid lives in 't-a woman, I tell tha, wi' a fish's tail-it's in a book, an he read it out, soa theer-an on East

le an nonsense,' inter

is faddle. Most on 'em are-t' kin

t wor a cheat. Theer was just a gell, an they'd stuffed her into a fish's skin and sewed 'er up; an when yo went close yo could see t' stuffin runnin out of her. An theer was a man as held 'er up by a wire roun her waist, an waggl

ated 'Lias, in

morning. But his tone was brisk and as David looked up he caught a queer flickering brightness in the

bit watter, 'Lias?' he

of vague trouble came into his face, and his wrinkl

s 'em out of a book-'bout a woman 'at walks t' Scout Easter Eve neet,-an

asively, enraged that David would never accept information

ut,' said 'Lias, uncertai

raising his stick and shaking it at David, 'Davy, yo're takin advantage-Da

the old man laid a violent hand on his arm and silenced him. His eyes, which were black and keen still in the blanched face, were rivete

yo?' he said at last in a low agitated voice. 'Nob

d. Then, suddenly, he broke out in a flood

ike a wild beeast-wi her grey hair streamin, and her hands tied-Ah!'-and the old man gave a wild cry, which startled both the c

sly; but her little hard face had paled. David laid hold of her to keep her quiet, and shook himself free of 'Lia

eed, and t' cattle might ha strayed, and t' geyats might ha opened o' theirsels! Yo'll not dare to speak agen that. They might? Ay, ay, we aw know t' devil's strong; bu

cry, and stood half risen, h

said David, eagerly

oife-her as losst her babby-an yoong lads an lasses fro Clough End, childer awmost, and t' coonstable, an Passon Maine-Ay-

full height, the old man pointe

e tied fasst! Passon Maine says she

ly sticks

on Kinder Sc

lees! I tell yo t' witch u

d been re-peopling, something else rose towards him-some hideous memory, as it seemed, of personal anguish, personal fear. The exalted seer's look vanis

h other oddly. Then David,

atter, 'Lias

ught some disjointed words, -'col

' shout

tartled, and shoo

o bad,

ce of one speaking through a dream-'ay, var

the ruined walls, where the heather and bilberry grew thick up to the stones. 'Lias sank down,

would tell Margaret, 'Lias's old wife, who kept him and tended him like the apple of her eye. And he would find out about the pool, anyway. Jenny Crum's pool? What on earth did that mean? The name had never reac

gone silly?' said Louie,

e gells,' remarked David, dryly, instinctively putting out a

ay skrike aw day if he likes-for aw I care. He'll be

She lifted a loose sod of heather, which lay just outside, flung it at him, and the

d exhausted, and fumbling, in a dazed way, for the tobacco to which he always resorted at moments of nervous fatigue. His good wife Margaret never sent him out without mended clothes, spotless linen, and a paper of tobacco in his pocket. He sat chewing it awhile in silence; Da