'They say so,' replied Bessy. 'They do say trade has been good

for long, and the masters has made no end o' money; how much

father doesn't know, but, in course, th' Union does; and, as is

natural, they wanten their share o' th' profits, now that food is

getting dear; and th' Union says they'll not be doing their duty

if they don't make the masters give 'em their share. But masters

has getten th' upper hand somehow; and I'm feared they'll keep it

now and evermore. It's like th' great battle o' Armageddon, the

way they keep on, grinning and fighting at each other, till even

while they fight, they are picked off into the pit.' Just then,

Nicholas Higgins came in. He caught his daughter's last words.

'Ay! and I'll fight on too; and I'll get it this time. It'll not

take long for to make 'em give in, for they've getten a pretty

lot of orders, all under contract; and they'll soon find out

they'd better give us our five per cent than lose the profit

they'll gain; let alone the fine for not fulfilling the contract.

Aha, my masters! I know who'll win.' Margaret fancied from his manner that he must have been drinking,

not so much from what he said, as from the excited way in which

he spoke; and she was rather confirmed in this idea by the

evident anxiety Bessy showed to hasten her departure. Bessy said

to her,-'The twenty-first--that's Thursday week. I may come and see yo'

dressed for Thornton's, I reckon. What time is yo'r dinner?' Before Margaret could answer, Higgins broke out, 'Thornton's! Ar' t' going to dine at Thornton's? Ask him to give

yo' a bumper to the success of his orders. By th' twenty-first, I

reckon, he'll be pottered in his brains how to get 'em done in

time. Tell him, there's seven hundred'll come marching into

Marlborough Mills, the morning after he gives the five per cent,

and will help him through his contract in no time. You'll have

'em all there. My master, Hamper. He's one o' th' oud-fashioned

sort. Ne'er meets a man bout an oath or a curse; I should think

he were going to die if he spoke me civil; but arter all, his

bark's waur than his bite, and yo' may tell him one o' his

turn-outs said so, if yo' like. Eh! but yo'll have a lot of prize

mill-owners at Thornton's! I should like to get speech o' them,

when they're a bit inclined to sit still after dinner, and could

na run for the life on 'em. I'd tell 'em my mind. I'd speak up

again th' hard way they're driving on us!' 'Good-bye!' said Margaret, hastily. 'Good-bye, Bessy! I shall

look to see you on the twenty-first, if you're well enough.' The medicines and treatment which Dr. Donaldson had ordered for

Mrs. Hale, did her so much good at first that not only she

herself, but Margaret, began to hope that he might have been

mistaken, and that she could recover permanently. As for Mr.

Hale, although he had never had an idea of the serious nature of

their apprehensions, he triumphed over their fears with an

evident relief, which proved how much his glimpse into the nature

of them had affected him. Only Dixon croaked for ever into

Margaret's ear. However, Margaret defied the raven, and would

hope.




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