Rhoda Fleming -- Volume 4

mer, who, in his stiff brown overcoat, that reached to his ankles, and broad country-hat, kept his posture of dumb expectation like a stalled ox, and nodded

board proclaiming that Queen Anne's Farm, and all belonging thereunto, was for sale. His prospect in the vague wilderness of the future, was to seek for acceptance as a common labourer on some kind gentleman's property. The phrase "kind

estrained his voice in Master Gammon's defence, thinking of the comparison he could make between him and Robert: for Master Gammon had never run away from the farm and kept absent, leaving it to take care of itself. Gammon, slow as he might be, was faithful, and it was not

athway; and Robert now had a clear charge against M

home quite as well and as f

it with a poker and not break it, I couldn't, nor get a single one through the slit;-the sight I was, with a poker in my hand! I do declare I felt azactly like a housebreaker;-and no soul to notice

er pointed at a project

father, for my s

the farmer que

ay's dinner, which is-oh, such a panic for a young wife! for it ain't her hunger, dear William-her husband, she thinks of. And her cookery at a stand-still! Thinks she, 'he will charge it on the kitchen;' so unreasonable's m

oda's shawl, and rattled it wi

ut asked me. And had you said, "Gi' me your money-box," it was yours, only for your asking. You do

aster Gammon for his tardiness, she related that he also had a money-box, and was in search of it, the farmer threw up his head with the vigour of a young man, and thundered

without th

lk on a summer evening; and, at the end of it, Master Gammon walked into Wrexby, and paid a visit to Mr. Hammond, the carpenter, who produced two strong saving-boxes excellently manufactured by his own hand, without a lid to them, or lock and key: so that there would be no getting at the contents until the boxes were full, or a pressi

from doctorin' him, and cookin' for him, I persuaded him to help my poor D

remities of the need for haste, would fail to accelerate his steps, so they allowed him to come on at his own equal pace, steady as Time, with the peculiar lopping bend of knees which jerked th

, "He mustn't be let to p

ook him up; "nor

Gammon. "Yes, father!" she hardened her accent. "It i

ha' ye got there?"

ess. He was a difficult old man when he served the far

ng, he said to

gumme

had been made adhesive, for the sak

used ye to be so

esponded with a grin, desig

, or did deceive you when you looked for the pickings of fresh-killed pig. But if you only knew how-to cookit spoils the temper of a woman! I'd a aunt was cook in a gentleman's fam'ly, and daily he dirtied his thirteen plates- never more nor never less; and one day

d by two members of his household, who had sworn to him, both, that they

r custody, with directions for Dahlia to take the boxes to a carpenter's shop-not attempting the power of pokers upon them-and count and make a mental note of

ffered Robert to lift her into the cart. They drove across the green, past the mill and its flashin

, and she blushed and had a boding shiver

stable hack. His countenance ex

and of Mrs. Sumfit and Master Gammon, kept him brooding in sombr

mpany o' four, you expects to

it," Robert obse

in'ards," quoth the

e front seat, without turning his head: "y

silence. On its being repeated, with, "D' y

arp, or maybe, you'll be out

Gammon, "ah never fr

e notice," sa

n't," said M

ye not

you d

d' ye

't take ne'e

be kicked o

ammon. "I growed at the farm, and you

fingers in the

t you, Master Gammon?" said Robert

inspect a particular tombstone, upon which the ages of his ancest

art kills,"

sfortune," murm

ness in the world

h, I reckon," Maste

hours. Others might run, and stew, if they liked: Master Gammon had chosen his pace, and was not of a mind to change it for anybody or anything. It was his boast that he ha

d him whether all his people were going up to London; but the reply was evidently a mile distant, and had not started; so putting a sovereign in Master Gammon's hand, together with

compartments; a fact not only foreign to his tastes and his habits, but somewhat disgraceful, as he thought. His trust was, that the ignoble of this earth alone had beheld him:

ed his reflective spirit that he loved: otherwise, was it in reason that he should

se of smell, he wanted the windows down; and again they assented. "By Jove! I must love the girl," ejaculated Algernon inwardly, as cramp, cold, a

"but, if you don't pay for it, you must take your luc

s carriages there are fit for anybody to travel in. This is what comes

Algernon, "are be

lowered out of the window in an exceedingly foreign manner. A plainly dressed woman requested that

e man; "it's a lady wants

e addressed an imaginary assembly of anti-democrats, as from a senatorial chair set in the after days. Cramp, cold, ill-ordered smell

of passengers moved away. It may be supposed that Algernon had angry sensations at sight of Robert; and to a certain extent this was the case; but he was a mercurial youth, and one who had satisfactorily pr

ace, noted the house, and sped to the Temple. There, he found a telegra

the communication brief, and if on

-stop what?- Stop the train? Stop my watch? Stop the universe? Oh! this is rank humbug." He flung the paper down, and fell to c

r this night. "I can't stop that," he said: and hearing a clock strike, "nor that" a kn

and to stretch out to the fellow, so welcome was he: Sedgett stated that ever

keepin' company with, and have to be her companion, whether you will, or whether you won't? She's sick enough now. We travelled all night. I got her on board; got her to go to her bed; and, says I, I'll arrange about the luggage. I packs myself down into a boat, and saw the ship steam away a good'n. Hanged if I didn't catch myself singin'. And haven't touched a drop o' drink, nor will, till tomorrow's over. Don't you think "Daehli"'s a very pretty name, si

talk always produced discom

at politics are

nodded again, but with brows perturbed at the thought of th

don't want any of your h

tomorrow, or I'll ha

like the young woman, b

hand it

s done," said Alger

o this: I'll do it, and trust you so far, but if I'm played on, I throw

rnon said of

e a footman in Sir William's livery, bearing a le

p it. I'm back,

e down about two,

No key; so, keep

fe is changed. I

ram? Answer, by

moment my father

ct

ou

.B

ile he dressed in evening unifor

wro

ll feel comfortable.-If the Governor is sweet, speak a word for the Old Brown; and bring two dozen in a cab, if you can. There's no encouragement to keep at home in this place. Put that to him. I, in your place, could do it.

urs

.B

d come, he would, in all probability, barely drink more than half-a-dozen bottles of that prime vintage. He an

and leave it to be supposed that he had advanced the remainder to Sedgett. How to do it? Sedgett happened to say: "If you won't hand the money now, I must have it when I've mar

retty prospect of a colonial but and horse, with Rhoda cooking for him, far from cares. He did his best to resolve that he would stop the business, if he coul