The Ordeal of Richard Feverel

Daphne's Bower. To this spot Richard had retired, and there Austin found him with his head buried in his hands, a picture of desperation, whos

r friend?" A

n explanation presently followed, that a summons had come for him in the m

rity in taking the baronet's view of filial duty was as little feigned as his offer to Richard to throw filial duty to the winds. He rejoiced that the Fates had agreed to remove him from the very hot neighbourhood of Lobourne, while he grieved, like an honest lad, to see his comrade left to face calam

g the boy's shapely head. "I'm glad of it. We nev

thcoming. Vanity, however, replied

od points now he

taunch," the

be found. Now, have you tried your own

done eve

fai

, and then the de

ewell's

is kind way, "he doesn't want to get into a

e might have had the rope, too-a rope thick enough for a couple of men his size and weight. Ripton and I and Ned Markham

uch," sa

tion of poor Tom. He would have hidden it had he known

continued. "I have heard of one or two

" exclaime

bad," Austi

r contempt. "How I would have

ad also in the confessions of a celebrated philosopher, that in his youth he committed some act of pilfering, and a

ted Richard. "And he

read it y

rote it down,

ur father's library. Wou

e admitted that he neve

must do. The coward chooses to think 'God does not see.' I shall escape.' He who is not a coward, and has succumbed, knows that God has seen all,

n's gravely cheerful face. A keen intentness

" Austin resumed. "A coward hardly objects to drag in his accomplice. And, where the person involved belongs to a

t on those two saving instruments. If he avowed Tom's manly behaviour, Richard Feverel was in a totally new position. Whereas, by keeping T

ve wrecked him, by arousing ancient or latent opposition. The born preacher we feel instinctively to be our foe. He may do some good to the wretches that have been struck down and lie gasping on the battlefield: he rouses antagonism in the strong. R

down to Far

, sullenly divining

to say to him wh

wned. "Ask a favour of that

intend to stand by and let the poor fellow suffe

l have to ask him to help off Tom Bakew

hink nothing of the conse

groaned

no pride

haps

it is to ask a favour

stuck to it the faster the more imperative

"I shall hardly be able

ished him enough,

me with a whip. He'll be telling everybody that he horsewhipped me, and that I went down

ou poached on his grounds. He turn

or his loss. And I

won't ask a f

not ask a fa

ily. "You prefer to receive a

hard raised his brow. Dimly a new light broke in upon him. "Fa

it a country lad to sacrifice himself for yo

y the taunt, and set his sight ha

yet a man; a dear brave human heart notwithstanding; capable of devotion and unselfishness. The boy's better spirit was touched, and it kindled his imagination to realize the abject figure of poor clodpole Tom, and surround it with a halo of mournful light. His soul was alive. Feelings he had never known streamed in upon him as from an ethereal casement, an unwonted tenderness, an embracing humour, a consciousness of some ineffable glory, an irradiation of the features of humanity. All this was in the bosom of the boy, and through it all the vision of an actual hob-nail Tom, coarse, unkempt, open f

rd's countenance. The lines of his mouth were slightly drawn; his eyes hard set into the distance. He remai

her they issued out of Daphne's Bo