Ruth

to the S

mportant, hurried manner of summoning them was not unlike that of a hen clucking her chickens together; and to judge from the close investigation they h

a half-dissatisfied tone, turning Ruth about; for it was o

" answered R

very secondary consideration. Conduct is everything. Still, Miss Hilton, I think you should write

nswered Ruth, in a low voice. "He was angry when

of dismissal, and Ruth fell into

hem," said a merry, good-natured girl, whose plain

abby. I am ashamed of it myself, and I can see Mrs Mason is twice as much ashamed. I wish I need not go

n looked at now, and Mrs Mason will soon be

e was pretty?" whispered one girl to anot

answered she, simply, "for m

, and quite forgot all about shabby gowns and grumbling guardians. The shire-hall was even more striking than she had expected. The sides of the staircase were

ball-room, where the musicians were already tuning their instruments, and where one or two char-women (strange contrast! with their dir

showed dim at the further end, as through a mist. Full-length figures of county worthies hung around, in all varieties of costume, from the days of Holbein to the present time. The lofty roof was indistinct, for the lamps were

ed playing and talked, and their voices sounded goblin-like in their dark recess, where candles were carried

dering flock, than she had been when it was dim and mysterious. They had presently enough to do in rendering offices of assistance to the ladies who thronged in, and

ear, and showing as lovely women, with every ornament of graceful dress-the elite of the county danced on, little caring whose eyes gazed and were dazzled. Outside all was cold, and colourless, and uniform, one coating of snow over all. But inside it was warm, and glowing, and vivid; flowers scented the air, a

lives in which such music, and such profusion of flowers, of jewels, elegance of every description, and beauty of all shapes and hues, were everyday

inking, or dreaming. She was startled back to actual life by a voice close to her. One of the dancing young ladies had met with a misfortune. Her dress, of some gossamer material, had been looped up by nosegays of

sked the gentleman. "I

enter that room by myself." So far she spoke sweetly and prettily. But now she addressed

hese had struck Ruth in the hasty glance she had taken, before she knelt

ll it never be done? What a frightful time you are ta

of the gentleman who was standing by; it was so expressive of amusement at the airs and graces of his pretty partner, that Ruth was infected by the feeling, and had to bend her face down to conceal the smile that mantled there. But not before he had seen it, and not before his attention had bee

ny one could have spent so much time over a little tear. No wonder Mrs

l cheek which was partially presented to him. He took a candle from the table, and held it so that Ruth had more light.

tly, as she finished her work. "I was afraid it might

galop," said the young lady, shaking out her dress as a bird sha

gn of thanks to the assistant. He took up a

his in your name to this young lady

ourse,"

modest motion of her head. They had gone, and she was

h Miss Duncombe? Did she

torn, and I mended it,"

r? They say he's going to be ma

th, and relaps

the side-door where the milliner's apprentices stood; and once he recognised the tall, slight figure, and the rich auburn hair of the

the shutters of the shops and dwelling-houses were not opened. All sounds had an echo unheard by day. One or two houseless beggars sa

r to deny themselves a wish, much less a want? Literally and figuratively, their lives seemed to wander through flowery pleasure-paths. Here was cold, biting mid-winter for her, and such as her-for those poor beggars almost a season of death; but to Miss Duncombe and her companions, a happy, merry time, when flowers still bloomed, and fires crackled, and comfor

had been w

y on account of its exquisite beauty that she tended it so carefully. She told Jenny every particular

ow nicely he did it, just when I was a lit

lied Jenny. "Such a beautiful f

So pure!" said Ruth, almost clasping her treasure

he Priory, for whom we made the grey s

said Ruth. But there was

orning light that fell upon her face as she smiled in her slumber. Jenny would not

g of last night

fter flower to her in that baseless morning dream, which was all too quickly ended. The night before, she had

a more evil drea

late hours of the preceding nights, and perhaps the excitement of the evening before, had indi

d fault with everything, and everybody. She seemed to have risen with the determination of putting the world and all that it contained (her world, at least) to rights before night; and abuses

sembling a grocer's, or tea-dealer's ideas of equal right. A little over-indulgence last night was to be balanced b

have pleased her superior. The work-room seemed filled with sharp calls. "Miss Hilton! where have you pu

ered to clear the workroom for her. I will find

f shuffling off her duties upon any one who ca

alsity of the accusation, that she rebuked herself for being moved by it, and,

put on! I am surprised. May I ask to whom this work was entr

I made a mistake, and had

iculty, to be sure, in discovering, when work has been

share on this day of all days, when she wa

d orders, and directions, and prohibitions without end; but at last she was gone, and in the relief of her a

for five years, if you don't spirit yourself up not to care a straw for what she says

sight into the grievan

fresh air will do her good; and you know you dislike the cold east winds,

saw the flat country beyond all covered with snow, making the black dome of the cloud-laden sky appear yet blacker; as if the winter's night had never fairly gone away, but had hovered on the edge of the world all through the short bleak day. Down by the bridge (where there was a little shelving bank, used as a landing-place for any pleasure-boats that could float on that shallow stream) some children were playing, and defying the cold; one of them had got a large washing-tub, and with the use of a broken oar kept steering and pushing himself hither and thither in the little creek, much to the admiratio

dar'n't go over yon black line in t

stood at the top of the declivity watching the adventurer, but as unconscious of any danger as the group of children below. At their playfellow's success, they broke through the cal

tub boat was whirled round, and he lost his balance, and fell out; and both he and his boat were c

ame the splash of a horse galloping through the water in which she was standing. Past her like lightning-down in the stream, swimming along with the current-a stooping rider-an outstretched, grasping arm-a little life redeemed, and a child saved to those who loved it! Ruth stood dizzy and sick with emotion while all this took place; and when the rider turned his swimming horse

w; for she instinctively felt that the position in which he hung was not the

e the child to her, before springing off his hor

lad, "his hand twitches! he lives! oh, sir, he lives! Whose boy is he?" (to the p

ownson's," said th

house directly," said s

it's just

's without delay. You must not hold him any longer," he continued, speaking to Ruth, and remembering her f

d. She carried her heavy burden very tenderly towards a mean little cottage indicated by the

he's the last of 'em all,

lingham, "the boy is al

d he would have been if it had not been for Ruth, and one or two of the more sensible neighbours, who, und

standing had sprung up from the circumstance of their having been the only two (besides mere children) who had witnessed the accident, and al

allop when I caught sight of the lad; and, now he has fairly sobbed and opened his eyes, I see no use in my staying in this stifling atmosphere. May I trouble you with one thing? Will you be so good as to see that the little fellow has all that he wants? If you'll allow me, I

than enough. May I take that out, and I will give you back what is left

er. You must not stay here; you'll be poisoned with this abominable air. Come towards the door, I beg. Well, if you

is wishes for the little boy's welfare; and until now this had been the first object in his own mind. But at this moment the strong perception of Ruth's exceeding beauty came again upon him. He almost lost the sense of what he was saying, he was so startled into admiration. The night

him to arrange matters so that h

ich we cannot calculate upon now. If I remember rightly, there are three sovereigns and some loose change; I shal

to which she might have to administer, and yet rather afraid of

my meeting you again i

; but I must run in errand-times, a

ike to know how you think the boy is going on, if it is

alking's s

, I suppose? Mrs Mason does not ke

I go to chur

o tell me what church you go to, and I w

ing you word how the boy is, and what doctor they g

k you. Remember,

sibility of doing the best she could for the child. He was going away, when a fresh thought struck him,

e have no one to introduce us;

ce, for, now that the conversation no longer r

tottering up to ask some question. The interruption jarred upon him, and made him once more k

ittle neater and cleaner? It is more fit for pigs than human beings. The air i

ounted, and, bowing t

woman's wra

n to come into a poor woman's house to abuse it?-

e that rode into the water to save your grandson. He would have been drowned but for Mr Bell

ad offended her. "Some one else would have saved him, if this fine young spark had never been near. He's an orphan, and God watches over o

th, gently. "He came with little Tom; he only

and a lad to see after like Tom, who is always in mud when he isn't in water; and his food and mine to sc

nd began to consult the old woman as to the wants of her grandson

of the length of time she had spent at Nelly Brownson's, and to remember, with some affright, the strict watch kept by Mrs Mason over her apprentices' out-goings and in-comings on working days. She hurried off to the shops

he water to save the child, was magnified by Ruth into the most heroic deed of daring; his interest about the boy was tender, thoughtful benevolence in her eyes, and his careless liberality of money was fine generosity; for she forgot that generosity implies some degree of self-den

y. During her absence, Jenny's difficulty of breathing had suddenly become worse, and the girls had, on their own responsibility, put her to bed,

place, with a heavy saddened heart at the indisposition of the gentle forewoman. She would gladly have nursed Jenny herself, and often longed to do it, but she could not be spared. Hands, unskilful in fine and delicate work, would be well enough qualified to tend the sick, until the mother arrived from home. Meanwhile, extra diligence was required in the workroom; and Ruth

very crisis of the boy's fall into the river, the more fresh and vivid interest of some tidings of Jenny was brought into the room, a

ness, it was understood, although its severity was mitigated, was likely to be long and tedious. While all the feelings and thoughts relating to Jenny were predominant, Sunday arrived. Mrs Mason went the accustomed visit to her father's, making some little show of apology to Mrs Wood for leaving

orgotten the arrangement, and yet she wished to relieve herself of her responsibility. She knew his

ard, so as to catch a sight of her rose-red face. "How is our litt

ot help it. But I have got one or two things through another person. I have put them down on this slip of paper; and here i

ise better. She little guessed that Mr Bellingham was far more busy trying to devise some excuse for meeting her again, during the silence that suc

, after a mi

y I have done s

all you could. It was thoughtless

he boy, whose life he risked his own to save. If I told all, he would see that I could no

ves in Heneage Place, does not she? My mother's ancestors lived there; and once, when the house was being repaired, she took me in to show me the old place. There was an old hunting-piece painted on a panel over

r power to execute, and anxious to make up for her previous seeming neglect.

; you see, it would compromise me, and I am not quite determined to purchase the picture; if you would ascertain whether th

will see about it

hat quiet place. Ruth watched her down the street from an upper window, and, sighing deep an