The Hallam Succession

e, and I will answer

eliver him, and hono

urly change!

om his hand proud

beads of a t

respond to the Bishop's desire. He was an aged man among strangers, and, apart from inclination, it seemed to be a duty to accede to his request. So rather reluctantly Richard left Hallam, half-inclined to complain that Elizabeth was not sorry enough to part

nd fondly, but she was also very happy through the long summer days sitting alone, or with Phyllis, and sewing pure, loving thoughts into wonderful pieces of fine linen and cambric and

, she kept apart from the world, and from all her neighbors, and with heart unwaveringly fixed upon God, waited with a grand and pathetic patience the answer to her prayers. For some reason which her soul approved she remained in the litt

ak' him, when and how he will. I hev given up asking for t' dear lad's life. But O if he'd nobbut clear his good name o' the shameful deed! I know he's innocent, and

the violent take it by force.' Don't get weary. Christ h

r all other weeping mothers. Think of them, Martha, all over the world, rich and poor, Christian and heathen. How many mothers' hearts are breaking to-day.

r ivery one o

ng to pray for ourselves; it's a far grander thing to pray for

, and that she shrank even from his passing shadow, and they began to look queerly at the man. It amounted at first to nothing more than that; but as a mist creeps over the landscape, and gradually possesses it altogether, so this chill, adverse atmosphere enfolded him. He noticed that old acquaintances dropped away from him; men went three miles farther off to get a shoe put on a hors

ateful for the food, and it had become all they could do for her in the hard struggle she was having. The trees were growing bare; the flowers were few and without scent; the birds did not sing any more

eacher, but he also seemed strangely solemn, and very little inclined to talk. At the chapel gates ther

red Elizabeth, "we must reach

pect and pity, stood aside silently. She appeared to be quite unconscious of them. At Phyllis and Elizabeth she looked wit

impossible thy prayers should fail! As the Lord

went her way without a word; and Elizabeth and Phyllis, full of a solemn awe, stood gazing at the man whose rapt soul and clear, prophetic eye

first to speak.

e assurance fro

y, Phyllis, that G

with God, no one was astonished. When Hagar wandered in the desert, and saw an angel descend from heaven with succor, she was not surp

ve that this intercou

eception. It is out of the province of all human reason and philosophy. But it is impossible that it can be self-dec

ou, Ph

now

their feet, the gleaming of the blue and white asters through the misty haze gathering over the fields and park. They had expected to meet the squire at the gates, but they were nearly a

and armor that adorned the wall. He roused himself when the girls entered, and apologized for not having come to meet them; but there was an evident constraint and unhappiness in the home atmosphere. Even the "bit o' good eating," w

for the night, Elizabeth going with Phyllis to her for room a final chat. There was a little fire there, and its blaze gave a pleasant air of cozy comfort to the room, and deepe

han death-the blow, too, had fallen without the slightest warning. It was not the thing that he had feared which had happened to him, but the thing which he had never dreamed of as possible. He had been walking up and down the terrace with Fanny, smoking his pipe, and admiri

d I are thinking of going

saying? Business

nki

quiet, will ta?

father. I cannot wast

ations. If ta wants to travel, there's letters o' credit waiting for thee. If ta wants work, I've told thee there'

ss it bore golden ears, would not satisfy me. George and I are going into Sir Thomas Harrington's for a few months. Lord Elth

's money! It's t' meanest scheme I iver

y thousand pounds also; and I

s ta think to get

as that. I thought it would be better to break the entail. You give me fifty thousand pounds

tail! Sell Hallam! The young man was eith

about! Hallam has been ours for a

father, that we have grow

at it. Is there a bonnier spot in t' wi

t' world i

ill be fair H

eat park full o' oaks that hev sheltered Saxons, Danes, Norman

r larger and more splendid than this. There shall be a Lord Hallam, an

r to set up his youngest son I must give up t' bond on t' home that was my fathers when his fathers were driving swine

the squire had received a shock from which he never recovered himself. It was as if some evil thing had taken all the sweetest and dearest props of love, and struck him acros

r the most part lived simple, kindly lives, doing their duty faithfully in the station to which it had pleased God to call them. He found some comfort in their pictured presence. He stood long before his father, and tried to understand what he would have done in his position. Toward daylight he fell into a chill, uneasy sleep, and dreamed wearily and sadly of

preacher spoke to Martha. At that hour Bill Laycock entered the village ale-house and called for a pot of porter. Three men, whom he knew well, were sitting at a table, drinking and talking. To one

that Swale had told him there was "a feeling against him," and advised him to leave. But Swale had offered to buy his house and forge for half their value, and he imagined there was a selfish motive in the advice. "And it's Swale's doing, I know," he mu

eet, a sound that made him turn pale to the very lips. In a few

el! What does

eat and drink, and th

wa

puted. He was a desperate

e thou would

but I didn't. I got d

e some more. I'll go

none to

m sent to York Castle, thou'lt hev lodgings varry c

lough, and thou

his bread and casting evil glances every

does t

se are fair worn out-and L20. I'll be i' Hull early t

I know t

y word-it's about as go

d gave him L20 of his savings. Then he opened the door and looked carefully all around. It was near midnight, and all was so still that a bird m

ta iver know any body about at this time o' night,

? Is ta sure nobody saw thee? And

t three o'clock this morning, and I hid mysen in Clough's shut

shot

were safe there. When it was dark and quiet, I came to t

e nobody has

. Let be now. I hevn'

d not stay in Hallam another day. He blamed himself for staying so long. He would take any offer Swale made him in the morning. T

visit to Hallam, she would likely have heard of it. She wasn't a pleasant old woman, and she had not a very good reputation, but her husband had worked with Laycock's father

e until ten o'clock. Then he called at Swale's. He fancied the lawyer was "a bit offish," but he promised him the money that night, and with this promise Bill had to be content. Business had long been slack; hi

t to meet her. "Whativer

g t' house, and they hev takken away t' varry suit Bingley wore at B

at midnight. Suspicion had been aroused by a very simple incident. Mary Clough had noticed that a stone jar, which had stood in one of the windows of the mill ever since it had been closed, was removed. In that listless way which

Laycock's house, and, from behind the hedge, saw Bingley push aside the cellar window and crawl in. He had tried the door first, but it was just at this hour Laycock was in the ale-house. The rector was a magistrate; and she went to him with her tale, and he saw at once the importance of her information. He

. I thought I'd walk across t' moor and meet Clough, and tell him what Mary said, and as I went along I heard a shot, and saw a man running. As he came near I knew it was Bingley i' Ben Craven's working clothes. He looked i' my face, and said, 'Clough thinks Ben Craven fired t' shot. If ta helps me away, thou'lt get Mary. Can I go to thy cottage?' And

both were committed for trial to York Castle. Both also received the reward of their evil dee

ned and comforted him, and made his prison cell a very gate of heaven. And Martha, who had so little to say to any human being for weeks, spoke wondrously. Her heart was burning with love and gratitude; the happy tears streamed dow

jah to t

urchased

praise h

pass ove

ous. And though Martha and Ben's friends and neighbors were rough and illiterate, they sang the songs of Zion, and spoke the language of the redeemed, and they gathered round the happy

ng and praising God, they 'ud hev been in t' ale-house, drinking and dancing, and varry like quarreling. There's no ne

ll again, and to have charge of it

Things looked black

know what is ba

wrong if some angel would give us a call, and tell us we were a bit mistaken. There's no

faith would no

ather hev things settled. I don't like b

use of old Simon Whaley. For three generations the Whaleys had been the legal advisers of the Hallams, and Simon had touched the lives or memory of all three. He was a very old man, with a thin, cut

t thee down, old friend. I'm fain and glad to see thee. W

al trouble

wedding, I'l

t to do wi' it. Antony Hallam wants me

s t' lad gone

Antony had said to him; after which both men sat quite s

spoke o' them; and he'll go to them, rather than not hev his own way. Even if he didn't, just as soon as he was squire, he'd manage it. The Norfolk Hallams, who are n

trongest wish I hev; an

ives up to thee every possible claim on Hallam, and every possible assist

that fas

on her. Her husband must take the name o' Hallam; and thy grandchild

her husband. He is a

aughter of Si

want better? T

's an A

Englishman o' him. T'

s his

nta

hould think he'd be glad to get rid

' Holy Land

e a p

ter; and a bit o

he want in t' H

wi' a

en he's

; he's a

main part o' t' stables, and laid out best half o' t' gardens. There nivver was a better or thriftier holder o' Hallam. Ay, ay, th

o thee, Whaley, could ta d

and now, tak' my advice, and settle this thing while thou hes. It's a deep wound, but it's a clean wound yet; cut off t' limb afore it begins to fester and poison t' wh

, thou understands what

ty-nine years old; but I'll tell thee what, instead o' looking at t' troubles thou hes, just tak' a loo

does t

iver he can put his hands on. Now suppose he wanted to spend a' t' money he could get hold of, and to drag thy old name

it wo

pick up some good things on t' road to it. When ta can't

ation Oxford could hand over for it; and I reckoned on him getting into Parliament,

thy hand, and get mebbe t' weight o' t' blow on thy own finger-ends. Go thee home and talk reasonably to thy

ought to obey

ese days hev crossed out Fifth Commandment-happen that's t' reason there is so

s ancestors, though inheriting their physical peculiarities. They were mostly splendid animals, with faces radiant with courage and high spirits and high health. Antony's face was clearer and more refined, more complex, more suggestive. His form, equally tall, was slighter, not hampered with superfluous flesh, no

ciliating manner; standing, with one hand leani

ta wants on thy own

k you

ks. I hev only made

dishonor to our name. I am as proud of it as you are. I only desire to

er wrote a line as I heard tell o'. There's Parson Leveret! He was going to hand in t' millennium, and now he cares for nowt i' t' world but his tithes and a bottle o' good port. Howiver, there's no use talking. Whaley will manage t' business

just an

. It hurts me to my heart to see thee; that it does,"-and he got up suddenly,

ds with me

'd rath

g the while resolutely into the garden, though his large blue eyes were too full

e I leave Hallam give me your hand, father

nk into his chair and covered his face, saying mourn

estive upon the broad knee, he made no movement of dissent. In another minute the door cl

hut out, and Phyllis was unhappy without being able to weep with her uncle and cousins. But it is one blessing of a refined household that sorrow must be put aside for the duties and courtesies of life. The dinner table was set, and the squire washed his face, and put on his evening suit, his long white vest and lace kerchief, and, without being conscious of it, was relieved by the change. And Elizabeth had to rouse herself and take thought

rry particular to say to thee. Phyllis will bide by herself an hour, and then w

e ones. Elizabeth was not wiser than her years by nature, but she was wiser by her will. For the first few minutes it had seemed to her the most honorable and womanly thing to refuse to stand in her brother's place. But her good heart and good sense soon told her that it would be the kindest course to submit. Yet s

e squire said, and vainly trying to find som

abeth," he said, "and must take the charg

every house and farm and young plantation of wood. "It's a grand property, and Antony was a born fool to

sure

o' being the daug

every ro

tune. If ta takes Hallam thou must pay down a' of this to Antony. I'll hev to find t' other L28,000 by a mortgage. Then I shall sell all t' young timber that's wise to sell, and some o' Hallam marsh, to pay off t' mortgage

to learn all about the estate, and I promise you most faithfully t

say as a lass can iver be to Hallam what Antony s

t he may do? If a man wants to go up, the door is ope

e reaped t' field; and Antony's wheat isn't sown yet. He's gotten more pr

sighted for his own interest. He knows the ro

ways suspect that a dark road is

best. Antony appeared to un

nsult a man wi' a fever on his own case. But we're nobbut talking for talking's

and Phyllis softly playing and singing at the piano. She looked up with a smile in her eyes, and f

he Lord by f

him for

frowning

a smili

e, and as she did so he let them sink into his heart and