Under the Storm

urning, every

own, the mona

DSM

ing by the Royalists, and while Steadfast was studying his barley field, already silvered over by its long beards, and wondering how soon it would be

me on and see, the Parliament

ldiers as they marched along, five abreast, the road was not wide enough to hold more. They had been allowed to keep their weapons, so the officers had their swords, and the men carried their musquets. Most of them looked dull and di

hthah. Several times a youthful, slender figure raised his hopes, and disappointed him, and he began to wonde

lads recognised as the same who had preached at Elmwood. His men were in better order than some of the others, and as Steadfast eagerly watched the

owned and shook his head, and marched on. Stead was disappointed, but at any rate he could carry back the assurance to Patience that Jeph was alive and well, though

the town was in its usual state, and that it was safe to go in to market as in former times. Stead accordingly carried in a basket of eggs, which was all he could yet sell. He was ferrie

htfoot, who kept a baker's shop at the sign of

aid the mad fellows had burnt the farm and made an end of all of you, bu

Stead, "that they burnt our

r for fear of the Parliament soldiers, who were misbehaved to Church ministers though civil enough to women; while these new comers were just the other way, hat in hand to a clergyman, but apt to be saucy to the lasses. But she hoped the Doctor would cheer up again, now that the Cathedral was set in order, so far as might be, and prayers were said there as in old times. In fact the bells were ringing for morning prayer, and Stead was so glad to hear them that he thought he might venture in and join in the brief daily service. There were many others

f the sorrow he had felt and the troubles that pressed upon him. He fancied all would come right now, and that s

ore the hovel door, Patience standing there crying, with the baby in her arms, and Rusha holding her apron, and an elderly

, and Rusha hid herself behind him, while Patience said "O

my Lady's interests, seeing that we heard your poor father was dead, God have mercy on his soul (tou

ther's," muttered Ste

he tenure of the delivery of the prime beast on the land on the demis

ence knew as little as did Rusha o

ust the same-no rent paid, but if there's a death-landlord or tenant-

re here, and this one is a mere child, and the house is burnt down, and here they be, crouching in a hovel, and how is

if you had another tenant?" asked Bla

off with the King, and all the money and plate with him and most of the

the other stripling with his head full of drums and marches, guns and preachments, and what not, and who never had a good day's work in him without his father's eye over him. This little fellow has done half his share and his own to boot long ago. Now they are content to dwell down here, out of the way

say Goodman Blane, but I'm bound to look a

y Lady's hay and harvest," said Stead, "and

teward, "my Lady's interest

atience. "O sir, not the cows, or baby

, as was took last spring, was the best dairywoman in the parish, and this little maid takes after h

it, from the Parliament lot that took off all our horses, except old grey Dobbin and the colt, and this beast may come in handy to draw the wood. So I'll take her, and you may t

est for Whitefoot as well as for themselves, since they would find it a hard matter to get food even for the more necessary animals in the winter, and the poor beast would soon be skin and bone; while fo

ay, Brown observing, "One can scarce turn 'em out, poor things, but such a mere lubber as that

. "Stead's a good-hearted lad, though cl