The Village by the River

blacksmith, folding his brawny arms under his leather apron, and leaning his s

their way home from work, gave an

ed his pipe more to the corne

es and tails reachin' a'most to the ground, and a shinin' black hearse with a score of plumes on the top, and half a dozen men with silk hatbands walking alongside it, right away from the station to the churchyard yonder." And Al

otchman, and worked on the line, and he shifted his bag of tools from his shoulder

The long village of Rudham skirted its banks irregularly for a mile or more. The blacksm

en he stopped to water his horses at the inn, told Mrs. Lake as they was the doctor and the lawyer; but, relations or no, they did

Tom Burney, a dark-eyed, gipsy-looking young man, who was one of the under

son, in a tone of sarcastic argument. "Maybe you'l

is dark skin, and gave

less," he said; "but it comes first-h

laying second fiddle, and the heads of his listeners ha

enjoying his advantage; "and Mr. Smith-that's the butler-came and walke

erty's left to him, I suppose

ly towards the speaker, and went

rty, goes to a young fellow not more than thirty, of the

, contemptuously. "Who's seen him, I should

ng of triumph in his voice. "He we

iscomfiture complete; but, as the forge was the place where the village gossips

," said Macdonald, casting a

e here, to-day, then?"

t say," Burney ans

omin' to live her

and a good thing too. We don't want no resident squire ridin' round and pryin' into everything. The old one kept hisself to hisself, and, as long as the rents was paid regular, he didn't trouble much about us; and there wa

as asked a lit

ervices; and Mr. Lessing laughed quite loud, and said, one nice old woman to cook and do for him was

?" said Macdonald, instinctively, turni

We're born ekal into the world, and they'd keep us ekal, as far as might be. But it'd take a deal of workin' out, more than you'd think, lookin' at it first; but I'm no

ound his audience, except with old

have to hand it out to be divided equal too. It would not be fai

u may depend on it, whoever's got the place will stick to it. I must be getting on to the station. Our people are coming back from abroad this

a young fellow, who had not spoken before. "If you married next week we all know w

uch faster than usual as he stood on the station platform awaiting the arrival of the train, and, when it ran in with much splutter and fuss, not even by a turn of her head did Miss Rose show herself aware of Tom's presence. Instead, she was looking af

said, acknowledging him with a nod. "It must have got

ued the box, and came back smiling t

can help me on to the box-seat of the carriage,

an, and a formidable

ivin' the cart back for Berry, as he had a message in

ld not like it; besides, we shall meet sure enough some day soon. I

e to her seat by the coachman, who appeared far more absorbed in the management of his horses than in the young w

e scamp!" said Tom, under his breath

t, and the hand that caressed the horse was almost as brown as his clothes. His head was closely cropped and his face clean-sha

ould have been upset in the road," he said. "It's not a wise thing to l

for being called to account by a perfect stranger, but, altho

t; he stands quiet enough as a rule," h

had set down in the road, and prepared to walk

two's lodging? It does not much matter whe

ap and rubbed his

wonderful good

ke be?" inquired the

iet of a Saturday night. She don't allow no swearin' on her premi

gon would suit me; but surely there is some cottager with a spare bed and

s not quite sure that, notwithstanding his gentle

ng to shelve his responsibility of recommendation. "It's close here, and

nto the cart and seating himself on the cushion that had been intended

was not wholly unattractive this evening, with the setting sun turning to gold the varying bends of the river which ran through the valley, and the cottages and

to a big house more than a mile away that peeped out from among the t

r, not greatly interested, a

ey say as he who's to have it won't

oke into rather a

you'll wait to know that it's true before you pass it on, at any rate. This will be the forge you spoke of, and th

he proffered tip with

u kept the horse s

l give me a lift for nothing. All right and thank you," said the

rsued his way. "Shouldn't be surprised if he was the engineer who's to see to the laying down of the

t. "It's not a thing we are often asked for in Rudham. I'd make no object

nience Mrs. Allison; is there

she's a baby who's teethin

uit me!" said the new

you! There's not a better woman in Rudham, and I know 'em pretty well in these parts. Her husband's only just gone up stre

And if Mrs. Macdonald could give me shelter, even for

arts?" inquired Allison. "There'

the stranger. "If you'll kindly direct me t

tle orchard behind it; and you can say as I sent you," said Allis

made his way up the box-bordered path, with beds on either side of it gay with flowers; and before

wanting, sir?" she

. Allison at the forge seemed to thin

if you'll step inside I'll ask him," replie

e, I shall stay," he said, looki

"very decent man, who spoke as civil as a gentleman; and it was awkward to find yourself in a s

the unwilling listener. "Mrs. MacD. rule

red to say that she and her husband were willing to let him have the front b

awed by the sight of the portmanteau. "I cooked f

her visitor, laughing. "I'll carry up my things if you'll show me the way, for I shall go no further

; or we've some fine new-laid e

egg is about a month old, I fancy. Thank you," (with a glance round the dim

fied that she could provide nothing more for his comfort, she went upstairs to tidy his

ars over his head," she said, as she closed the portm

th with a sharp exclamation of surprise. The next instant she hurried softly but quickly down the stairs, to

to us? Who is it that has come quite humble

ct an answer she pinched

asking me?" said John, w

sing is on his portmanter," she said looking round, for fear sh