It Is Never Too Late to Mend

inson was too hungry to say a word, an

n seemed to be inspecting the hogs. It struck him as rather cool; but apparently the pig is an animal

pig I mean the

rs' remarks, partly hoping to find customers in them, strolle

ersation with them; but their attention was almost immediately diverted from that group by the ent

not help n

ht as a May morning; it is quite refreshing to s

nd did not seem at his

merely pushed back his chair and gave a comfortable

re was William's face c

to attract George's attention without speaking, but fin

you speak a

's curiosity was wakened, and she f

id William, with a voice h

oked at h

I have felt it coming all day, but out with it; what c

hung h

distress upon the

pirit writhed in his countenance, and with a groan, he turned his back abruptly upon

ommand, contrived not to

ways seemed cool, compared with her lover; s

shame and despair, sh

her?-they told me he was here. He is rich, he shall help you." She darted from

o home, my girl,"

and she turned toward him like a pitying angel with ha

ling and was red a

friends one may make sur

"George, I told you

round on him

ong way lower than I am, before I shall be as low as you

hat will separate us forever. Father," cried the peace-making angel, "how can you push

er. With the instinctive feeling of class they all endeavored to conceal their agitation from the gentleman's servant. H

eorge, after a long and caref

r to find out the writer of a letter

e write to you?" cried Merton, in a tone of gr

a gentleman's letter in the face of one who had bitterly reproac

, and with a glance of defianc

will do what I said for you" ("he promised me five hundred sheep and a run"). "I must have an honest man, and where can I find as honest a man as George Fielding?" ("Thank you, Mr.

are doing no good at 'The Grove'-everybody says so ("ever

t; but home is home; and be assured that I wait with some anxiety to know whether my eyes are to look on nothing but water for the next

d words, coming after his affronts and

letter from him

E!" cried she, warmly, drawing to George's side, and darting

Meet me at 'The Crown,' in Newborough, to-night

d George to the servant,

not realize the word, but the servant now came ne

"what do you mean by yes? It

is yes," s

went away wi

remained

ark at misfortune's heels, it is only the village curs, when all is done. This is my path. I'll pack up my thin

a stupef

e a cry like a

what have

been staggered, but

irl, and I hope you will

threw up the window and

now at sight of him he looked round, and catching the eye of

matter?" cr

o Australia," repl

! I wouldn't go there if my passage was paid, and a new suit of clothes given me, and the governor's gig to take

, who had crept round the angle of the farm-house, came one o

faces in turn, and when he saw the metropolitan's face a loo

nterjected

ou'll have a new suit of clothes, mostly one color, and voyage paid, and a large house ashore waiting for you; and the governor's gig will come

by this violence from persons to whom I am an utter stranger?" and he might have set for the picture of injured innocence

is injured man's pocket the stolen not

off into another key equ

inst me, but mark my words, my innocence will em

s not sorry of an excuse to be by George's side, and remind him by

ale of the fine gentleman from "Lunnun." Meantime the constable went to put hi

his worthy discomposed by so sudden a cha

a delicious climate; you will make yourself as happy as a prince, that is to say, miserable, upon fifteen shillings and two colds a week; my sobriety and industry will realize a fortune under a smiling sun. Let

George and Susan came together from the house; Georg

e. "Have I taken t

e any other," said Ro

hame I have; I lo

of spoons double the weight those rogues the silversmiths make them now; they are in a box under your bed in your room," added he, looking down. "Count them, they are all right; and Miss Merton, y

y fist down your throat; but there, you are not worth a thought at such a time, and you are a man

rned his back

ittle boy and girl, who had been peering about mighty curious, took courage

by the boy, "we are come to see the thief; they say you have caught one. Oh, dear!"

s of the wicked. Robinson was observed

added, "Perhaps you are aware that I am a man, and I might say a brother, for you were a thief, you know!" Then changing his tone entirely, "I say, J

come along," and the ex-thief pushed the thief has

mortification. He had for the last two months been de

cluding there is someth

do?" inquire

d green satin tie with red ends? We admit all this looks like a gentleman. B

sometimes been very angry, and always st

off to the county jail amid the grins and stares of a score of gaping rustics, who would make a fine story of i

ld un as much, din

ye did, Richard

bless ye, he don't v

leaving a nest of insults;" and he darted into the house, as much to escape t

es followed George into the house, and each had a strong emotion they were bent on

looking upon the spot where

re on a table was a grand old folio Bible; the names, births, and deaths of a cen

places, and there was the forbidden fruit-tree, whose branches diverged, at set distances like the radii of a circle, fro

of more modern date, one ag

how of farming impl

d, etc., and the cloth *'d and *'d and *'d and *'d, and a coat shaped and sewed and buttoned upon a goose, whose p

he sill was a row of flower-pots from which a sweet fr

hours past had crouched-all eye

that men seldom act or speak so as to influence the fortunes of others without some motive of their own; and that these motives are seldom the motives

that marvelous page of nature written on blac

s, that the heads of human tribes

ad found intelligible and much

fore him, and not a region in it he had not traveled and surveyed before to-day: what to others passed for accident to him was design; he penetrated more than one disguise of manner; and above all h

otten, but

ne to ask himself, "Where is that

smoothly to the door of the little

nded on a little couch, a bandana handkerc

gentle but audible, equable breathing, relieved h

ection of Meadows, and crouched again behind the

n need of being alone; each longed to indulge some feeling he did not care the other

uard, and read the men as by a lightning

word, deed by deed, letter by letter, and now a

e and ashamed of himself for the feeling. That Meadows rejoiced

rom his lair; hi

umph flashed from under his dark brows. But at his age calm is the natural state of the mind and spi

under that modulated exterior raged as dee

lf; "no good will come of courting her." But by degrees the flax bonds of prudence snapped one

for nothing, for a dream. Besides, it is not as if she loved him the way I love her. She is like many a young maid. The first comer gets her promise before she kno

nner to George was cool and off-hand, and that she did

now felt it his duty t

whereas "poor young Fielding," said he compassionately, "is more likely t

me bitterness upon the poor destiny that

her loves her. Ah! but I see that, though; lovers' eyes are sharp. Doesn't see me, who mean to take her from both these Fieldings-and what harm? It isn't as if their love was like mine. Heaven forbi

s quite justified in his resolve to win

is secret wishes; and it is not too much to say, that this was the hand which was gently b

can do a deal of mischief

from Meadows had caused

d caused Merton to aff

ost impossible to contain his exultation-for George once in Australia he felt he could soon vanquish Susan's faint pr

mounted it occurred to him to ask one of th

e barn just now,

rules. "And why does the old heathen stay?" Meadows asked himself; he clinched his teeth

the boy a shilling and said, "You be sure and run to the public-house and let me

was