The Squire of Sandal-Side

we mo

wly, with dea

no lo

destiny. Nothing is

ot mad

y schools, and imbibed such a variety of opinions, that he had a mental suit for all occasions. "He knows about every thing," said Sandal to th

girdled valley, and answered slowly, "He has a great many ideas,

ieves in every thing, and he might as well believe in nothing. Confucius and Christ are about the sam

ike a fine mos

like that quilt of a thousand pieces which grandmother patched. There they are, the whole thousand

n such a way, Charlotte. You can't

he rose-leaf she was copying; but Charlotte noticed that her hand trembled, and that she was counting at random. In a moment the veil fell from her eyes: she understood that Sophia was in

sorry if that were

hy

could admire him. I don't want to be in debt to hi

understand that, Cha

dull if he does

went fishing yesterda

come also? We beg

my face flushed. That was your condition when you returned home; but

eeks. I want to talk sensibly to some one. I am tired of being on the heights or in the depths all the time; and as for poetry, I wish I might never hear words that rhyme again. I

here are you going? I see

ad a fall yesterday, and that's a bad thing a

going w

Holler Scree have just come for him. Th

liu

wanted either at Up-Hill, or on the way to it. Ducie thinks little of him, and g

can they? Steve is their model, and

ld thin

do you

mind. G

cordials and dainties to take with her. As she passed through the hall the squire called h

done. Tell Barf Latrigg it is the sheep, and he will understand: he was always one to put the dumb creatures

rust to me

d to him the other day. But I gave you good reasons, Charlotte; and I have such confidence in you, that I said to mo

sides with you. But I told you there had

I thought you made out to understand him very well. Maybe I was mistaken. Every woman

bout your being so queer to him.

t be shamed. However, if he was not making love to you at the sheari

l under

thoug

and me. If I am not to encourage Stephen Lat

! Such a quest

y. I am quite ready to give up my will to your will, and my pleasure to your

arlotte. Julius has not said a

thought you made out to understand him very well. Maybe I was mistaken. Every man is

owing them back at me. That isn't right. I do

with you to Holler Scree, father. As far as I am concerned, I will neve

r home, home had never been the same. There was a stranger at the table and in all its sweet, familiar places, and she was sure that to her he always would be a stranger. Something was said or done that put them farther apart every day. She could not unde

he sunshine. Hitherto the thought of Stephen had been blended with something that was to happen. Now she knew she must always be remembering the days that for them would come no more. She found herself reviewing even her former visits to Up-Hill. In them also change had begun. And it is over the young, sorrow triumphs most cruelly. They are so easily wou

prehension. She said to Charlotte, "When men as old as father fall, they s

have

t this morning, but for this fresh trou

nothing of it. He mo

ves that way,

grandf

looked so queerly, and answered, 'I didn't pull it, Ducie: I found it on the wall.' He was quite curious, and sent me to ask this one and the other one if they had been in the garden. No one had been there; and, at the long end, he said, 'Make no more talk about it, Ducie. There's the

, Ducie. Tell him that Charlot

sal in cheerful serenity. "Come here, Charlotte," he said; "stoop down,

s there any thing

nd true to Steve,-remember,-true to Steve.

or the squire," said Ducie.

to be back t

to come at once, Charlotte. Father is waiting for him

distinctly lower social footing than the Sandals. Rich they might be; but they were not written among the list of county families, nor had they even married into their ranks. He could not understand why Barf Latrigg's death should

en, in a lower voice, "and he may see my father before the strike of da

rgle of running water, or the bark of some solitary sheep-dog, watching the folds on the high fells. Sophia and Julius were walking in the garden, both feeling the sensitive suggestiveness of the hour, talking softly together on topics people

these hills," she said; "and they interpreted

esterday: your mark was in it." And

but a sleep a

ises with us, o

lsewhere i

eth fro

tire forg

n utter n

clouds of glo

who is o

hia, lifting her dark e

inland f

e sight of th

ought us

the witching beauty of lonely hills and scented garden-ways, touched within their souls some primal sympathy that drew them close to that unseen bou

wn, the squire returned from Up-Hill. "Ba

is well,

ord. Barf had lost his sight when I got there; but he knew my voice, and he asked me to lay my face against his face. 'I've done well to Sandal,-well to Sanda

that

n the afternoon: he was nearly outside life when I got there. We thought he would speak no more; but about three o'clock this morning he called quite clearly, 'Ducie, the abbot's cross.' Then Ducie unl

er Church-of-England man was not i

yckliffe and Latimer, every one of them, babe and hoary-head, died with it in their hands. There are things that go deeper down than creeds, Alice; and the cross with th

, the superstitions and ceremonials that attended it were subjects of interest to him. So he was much touched when he entered the deep, cool porch, and saw the little table at the threshold, covered with a white linen cloth, and holding a plate of evergreens and a handful of salt. An

bed was white as a drift of snow. On the dark oak walls, there were branches of laurel and snowberry. The floor was fragrant under the feet, with bits of rosemary, and bruised ears of lavende

med wrong to trouble the peaceful silence with mere words of courtesy; but Charlotte gave her hand to Stephen, and with it that candid, loving gaze, which has, from the

first it was accompanied by fitful, varying gusts of solemn melody; but as it drew nearer, the affecting tones of the funeral hymn became more and more distinct and sustained. There were at least three hundred voices thri

his old friend read. It was nearly dark when he returned, and he was very glad to find his wife alone. "I have

se Steve

right in Up-Hill as long as she lived. All else was for Steve except-and this bothers me-a box of papers left in Ducie's charge. They are to be given to me at her discretio

t you n

leave me money. But I am bothered about that b

our father had some big sums to raise. You were at college at the time; and though there was some underhand talk, maybe you never heard it, for no one round Sand

st year I was at Oxford. He would have reasons he did not tell me of. One should never

what he might never know. Steve might have it in his power to trouble Harry when he was at rest with his fore-elders. The subject haunted and worried him; and as worries are never complete worries till they have an individuality, Steve very soon became the personal embodiment of mortifying uncertainty, and

als. But the present squire had stepped outside the shadows of the past, and Stephen was fully abreast of his own times. He understood very well, that, whatever these pape

ation nor assistance. "Mother," he asked,

the

an you

eal of sorrow befo

want to

he next. When I unlock that box, Steve, there is like to be trouble

re know any th

t h

s, will yo

. I-hope

ey were in

ut them there. You will hav

d him through the window, and whispered to herself, "It is a bit hard, but

ree-top one morning, and met Steve. "Good-morning, Mr. Latrigg," he said; "you are a statesman now, and we must give you your due respect." He did not say it unkindly; but S

o the estate which had just come into his hands. Ordinarily this concession would have been a piece of subtle flatte

ethley. He wants to rent the Skelwith 'wal

ho

has money. There are abou

ountain for thirty years. I count not after him, and he counts not after me;" and Sandal spoke co

I can adva

engines; the little herd lads and lassies to mind your spinning-frames. Well, well, Mr. Latrigg, such doings are not for me to join in! I shall be s

re. You were always tolerant and wide awake. I n

all them, alone. To-day I am not in the hum

ustice, and then still more annoyed at Steve for causing him to be unjust. Besides which, the young man's eagerness for change, his enthusiasms and ambitions, offended him in a particular way that morning; for he had had an unpleasant letter from his son Harry, who was not eager and enthusia

as it not the failure of Cain's attempted propitiation that kindled the flame of hate and murder in his heart? Steve Latrigg went back to Up-Hill, nursing a feeling of indignation against the man who

he whole place is too small for his greatness." That was what he said, and he knew he was unjust; but the moral atmosphere between Steve and himself had become permeated with distrust and dislike. Unhappy miasmas floated hither and thither in it, and po

; nothing ran smoothly; and he was almost glad when Julius announced the near termination of his visit. He had begun to feel as if Julius were inimical to him; not consciously so, but in that occult way which makes certain foods and drinks, certain winds and weat

hand, and Charlotte and the squire for company, were like an idyl. The rainy days in the large, low drawing-room, singing with Sophia, or dreaming and speculating with her on all sorts of mysteries, were, in their way, equally charmful. He liked to walk slowly up and down, and to talk to her softly o

Sandal with an intensity to which his love for Sophia was as water is to wine. But Charlotte's indifference mortified him, and their natures were almost antagonistic to each other. Under such circumstances

read of women who used it as a lure. If it were Charlotte's special weapon he was quite willing to be brought to submission by it.

unity came, she was equally fertile in spoiling it. But Julius had patience; and patience is the art and secret of hoping. A woman cannot always be

se-servants she could spare. "A few more hands will bring home the harvest to-nig

f freedom, with the picnicky dinner, and the general air of things being left to themselves about the house. After

ys shone through the boughs. The hills were clothed in purple. An exquisite, impalpable haze idealized all nature. Right and left the reapers swept their sharp s

storal life, without any of its hard labor or its vulgar cares. Mrs. Sandal had given them a basket with berries and cake and cream in it. They were all young enough to get pleasantly hungry in the ope

ealthy wagon; but he stopped and stooped, and Charlotte, standing on tip-toes, handed him a glass of cream. "God love thy bonny face," he said, with a beaming smile, as he handed her back the emp

king a little, and resting a little; and towards the close of the afternoon, listening to the singing of an old man who had brought his fiddle to the field in order to be ready to play at the s

d man to t'

ty was I when

d lusty, I was

ty was I, man

led is I, sa

is I, since

ailed,

faile

ailed,

kenned

could not resist it. With a royal grace he laid a guinea in the old ma

ung and lusty as you be. But life is at the fag end with me now. God save us all!" Then, with a meaning look at the

lilies the

ilies both f

lies, red, wh

ught what lo

ad had their little feast. Then Sophia, who had a natural love of neatness and order, began to collect the plates and napkins, and arrange them in the baske

the tree, leaning against the great mossy trunk. Her brown hair had fallen loose, her cheeks were flushed, her lips crimson, her whole form a glowing picture of youth in

you. I love you w

yes flashed. She threw downward h

ne all a woman could do to prevent, them. I have never given

Charlotte. Is there any wrong in lovin

pe. I do not love you.

other lover, Charlotte

ve a

O

cause it is best. I trust y

er before had Charlotte looked so lovely and so desira

e to forget that this co

e very

d. Sophia, I am tir

arlotte. Charlotte was calmly mingling the poppies and wheat in her hands. Her face revealed nothing. Julius was a little melancholy. "The fairies have left us," he

ought what lo