The Dead Alive

window. Silas might confess to having taken his brother’s stick, and might mention whose head he had threatened with it. It was not only useless, but undesirable, that Ambrose should kn

e farm. She had her working apron on, and she was industriously brightening the knives for the breakfast-table on an old-fashioned board. A sleek black cat

said; “I want t

nxious. She pushed the cat irritably off her shoulder; she welcome

droom window this morning. When I begged him to explain himself, he only answered, ‘Ask Mr. Lefrank; I mu

d happened under my window as plainly as I have told it here. She put down

she said. “When a man asks anything of a woman, the

The moonlight meeting had left some unwelcome remembrance

t the question with all needful deli

,” she began, with a stron

ed again to the deepest red. She took up the knife once

ised not to tell anybody. That’s the truth. Forget all about it, sir, as soon as y

tiously large Prayer–Book; and she looked at Naomi as only a jealous wo

and noticed me standing under the window. “Prayers, Mr. Lefrank,” she

directly, Miss Meado

intrude on your sec

I joined Naomi, entering the room by the garden door. She met me eagerly. “I am not quite e

es

Ambrose of what hap

mentioned, had occurred to my min

replied. “You and I can easily p

ook m

rose will be there, and I shall find

f an injured woman taking the throne of mercy by storm, and insisting on her rights. Breakfast followed; and still the brothers were absent. Miss Meadowcroft looked at her father, and said, “From bad to worse, si

out discovering the missing men. We found them at last near the outskirts

or apology, into the wood. As he got on his feet, I noticed that his br

a secret from us?” asked Naomi, approaching her love

him. I noticed, with a certain surprise that his favori

very graciously —“business between Silas and

ioning, heedless of the reception which t

at prayers and breakfa

ose gruffly replied, “and we

has never happened before si

d learn. It ha

e. But warnings which speak by implication only are thrown away on w

ything of John Ja

w many more questions am I to answer?” he broke out violently. “Are you the parson putting me through my

rother into the wood. Naomi’s bright eyes

used; her voice, look and manner suddenly changed. “This has never happened before, sir. Has anything

the best of

rook, upsets a man’s temper sometimes. I speak as a man, and I know it.

m of their absence from morning prayers with needless severity, as I thought. They resented the reproof with needless indignation on their side, and left the room. A sour smil

nner. When I saw her again

and he has begged my pardon. We have ma

what, Mi

enies it; but I can’t help thinkin

p my attention to the story. What else I was thinking of I cannot say. Why I was out of spirits I am u

n of John Jago. He was expected back to supper; and we waited for him a quar

m. Naomi eyed her, a little maliciously I must own, as the two women parted for the night. I withdrew to my

t a curl of her stiff gray hair was disarranged; nothing about the im

o not return

owly shook her head

Mr. Lefrank. Mr. Jago must have been

Jago darkened the doors of Morwick Farm. Mr. Meadowcroft and his daughter consulted together, and determined to send i

nd all the places of business resort in Narrabee; he had made endless inquiries in every direction, with

o were seated together in a dark corner of the room. The co