A Maid of the Silver Sea

xperience of wom

to him till she died, when he w

ained, and kept him clear of many of the snares to whi

d had no time for anything else. And so, of his own

n and dissatisfaction, seeing that her knowledge was gleaned almost entirely from her experiences of Tom a

on to Gard, Gard was no less of, at all even

, after a life-long course of Tom,

re than once, out of the corner of her eye and round the edge of her sun-bonnet

she rather hoped, sooner or later, to see his lightning as well. It would be worth see

lf in case of need. His well-built, tight-knit figure gave

her greatest dislikes met in him, and she could not bring herself to the point of rela

on. There was a smouldering core of discontent which might break into flame

e and himself. But he was in a minority and could so far do no more than oppose vehemen

tantly at the house of a neighbour, who had turned his kitchen to an undomestic but profitable purpos

oughly enough-in words. And hot words and the thoughts they excite, and wild thoughts and t

tent enough. It was still a case of faith and hope-a case of continual putting in of work and money, an

they came across lured them on with constant hope of mighty pock

case of individuals. The great shafts sank deeper and deeper, the galleries branched out far under t

of his spirit and the urgent necessities of the mines, conceived a new idea which, if he was able to ca

" he said to his wife one day in priva

ce of the utterly unfortunate. "Aye, selling the farm. Why not? It'll all come back twenty times over when we st

d no desire for wealth, and still less to live in Gue

absorbed him. She had never found it necessary to counter his wishes bef

arm were sold the money would all go into those gaping black mouths and bottomless

ng the farm if I were you," she said qu

, and the necessities of the case pr

about that business," he said, ne

out

and take the stock at what it's worth, and he's willing w

ly silent. He glance

on working it. When we reach the silver, and the money b

et. It was hard for her to put herself in opposition to h

rown ominous and painful, that she

inst you, Tom, but I can't see it

ce to you and the young

ht and you mu

!-And it's as

ther and I consent, and we can'

he argued wrathfully, bottling his anger as well as he c

another farm it would be different, for you could leave it

rom diplomacy and

w the money away? It's like you women. You never can see beyond the ends of your noses. I'll

l it to Nance or Bernel. If he sold the farm and paid her her lawful third in cash, she could do

on, however small, for Nance and Bernel, her whole Sark

of life. Nothing, she was sure

ight," she

her-penetrated the storm-cloud of his anger. He remembered her years of wifely patience and faithful serv

this notion of selling the farm. Your mother fe

d he went in at once t

ve him no time

as he crossed the threshold. "There's not enoug

make your plate and mine, myse

better for yourself and fo

ter still if I'd g

se He thought it was the best place for it, and it's

for if it's not

ome of all this upsetting and digging o

u think all the silver and g

of our Sark rocks

t you and Nance that need trouble. If I pay out your dowers in hard cash you're both of yo

ard on

s for his goings-on! Maybe it'll do hi

et your bit more money to t

myself, and we'll see who's wisest i

nd the big black sun-bonnet nodded with

approvingly, and went off in search of his wife,

mine, so that he may throw the rest into the big holes at Port Gorey. Ch'est b'en! Your money and mine take more than half of what he gets. If you'll p

r hard on Tom," suggested Mrs. Ha

she had suffered much from Tom; still her instinct for

it among them, and till then Tom would have to beh

ealed strongly

ee to that," she said, af

nnie's scheme was an excel

outright and do what he chooses with the proceeds. His wife has a dower right of one-third of both real and personal estate, into which she

the seller's family, in due order of succession, even to the collateral branches, has the right to take over, or withdraw, the property at

bounds or kicked out. Old Tom would have something more to throw into the holes at Port Gorey. And Nance and Bernel could be adequately provided for. An excell

Bernel not to agree to that. And if Tom behaves himself," at which Gr