Littlebourne Lock

themselves in the train for Littlebourne. Mrs. Rowle

get home," she remarked; "it will be

d Juliet; "I don't

d and sleepy. Juliet, have y

N

you liked the

" was Juliet's

on, my dear, I t

said once that he would take us on a bank holiday, but then we got poor, and so he never kept his word. We always have been poo

ive you rice puddings

ld relapsing into her usual mann

at Juliet in her patched frock and untidy hat. And the neat country-woman felt that to walk with this London child through the village of

ily had drifted away from the Rowles family. A letter now and then passed between them, but Rowles had held such a prejudice against Mitchell's employment that really no intercourse had taken place between the two familie

the western suburbs. After a while she stood up at the window. Fields and trees were beginni

hing which Mrs. Rowles could not h

d to the child. "

rchyard!" s

do you

hyard' pretty

o you mean,

rettier than the churchyards in London,

rds of London, disused for the dead, and turned into gardens-grim enough-for the living. And so to the child's mind green grass and

or the cows and sheep to eat, and corn to make us bre

llower and the shadows longer. She almost doubted her aunt's words. And yet this would be a very big churchyard; and certainly there were cows and sheep in sigh

ticket-collector looked hard at Juliet, and the cabman outs

which to avoid most of her neighbours' eyes. She would go round the field wa

, Juliet?" she

ourse

hall soon b

aid the child; "I'm

about quiet and happy, and through corn-fields where

't all churchyard, 'cause they don't hav

e the count

ain't seen any shops,

are going through a farmyard, where you will s

y they heard a succession of alternate fierce growls and s

e from an inner yard of the farm, through which there was a public right of way. Something in the s

s. Rowles, "it is so

D THE DOG BY

rrid cruel dog

o the inner yard, and the niece rushed throug

he huge mastiff who belonged to the kennel. He lay on the ground, his head on his paws, and his eyes fixed on the child; and

d think what was best t

lled him away from the corner. He was so astonished at finding himself thus handled that all his fierceness, half of which was preten

ther's arms, and was sobbing

en? How came you to get caught by that

rried her to a bench at the other side of the

as not afraid of him, and he was afraid of her. Not that he had had any intention of really hurting Emily; but it had seemed

here, Emily?" said

ou. And we did not know which way you would come, s

u get over by t

nt up to look in at him, and he bounced out and shut me into the

I suppose, and not a creature within call. I've o

I know. It was

ot happened to

rom the hay-field. I should have pretty near di

wles remembe

re her, as if she did not wish to see Mrs. Rowles and Emily. Her face was pale now, her mouth set

," her aunt called out. "Le

did n

lasped in her mother's arms, could

nks and no kisses,"

ave been so br

er," said Juliet; "that's all. Are

d to her mothe

ou must be very kind to her, poo

a sort of awe at

d put her hand on Juliet's shoulder, saying, "Emily wants to

"It ain't no use to have a spirit when you are stupid

ended. Now we must be getting home,

ver the hay that it might be well dried by the early sun next morning. Juliet asked no questions, though she was surprised at every step by strange country customs; and it did not cross the m

limbed, Juliet so awkwardly that she s

gs!" she exclaimed;

s," said her aunt;

" persisted Juliet, rubbing the

cousin, but that she felt too mu

ver, all glowing with the reflected gold and red of the

owles, "do you know

riv

is the

n't; not m

do contradict me, it is

. And it is all inky-like; and it has wharves and smoky chimneys and steamb

ung here, and it is old at London. Some day you will get

the London child

oss to the lock-house b

Juliet, you are n

bridge with firm foot and stead

ot meeting his mother on the road from the station, had

ried Mr. Rowles. "

itchell. I thought you'd like to have her here a bit, seeing as they are no

at pockets, and his black straw hat pushed back on his head. His eyes were fixed on his niece's

e said, at length.

not know wh

our box-yo

ot any," s

's your Sun

said Juliet; "it'

stled more

you found that fellow Mitc

, I did;

of lying in bed by day and sitting up at

is his bus

a bad busi

e morning papers. Be

should say, sleeping by d

persisted in thinking that all Mitchell's misfortunes arose from the fact that he worked by night and slept by day. "It is going against nat

s are up by night," sa

e stars, they are little uns, an

ce since their marriage, when they had appeared to be comfortable. And he had always supposed that money was to be had in London almost for the asking. In fact, he was one of the old-fashioned sort, and never troubled himself about London ways; and he did not thi

t into the house, brought out from her cupboard some odds and ends for sup

Mr. Rowles. He quite expected to fin

right words clea

s suddenly turned to Juliet, saying, "Your father

uliet, "when we

lways have a

mother has got

turne

e! Lock-man!" sounded

n; then the lifting up of the sluices broke the stillness, and the creaking of t

and to punt, and to fish. And he went down this afternoon, and now he's gone up, and he is dead-beat already; and how he'll get home he can't tell for t

ed off to bed she silently followed Emily up to the attic, where Mrs.

f a cow, or the splash of a fish leaping in the river, disturbed her from her thoughts and startled her. And once, when all was very dark and very silent, she heard the regular pulse of oars, a