'Eh! I reckon I know who'd ha' been sorry for to see our measter

sitting so like a piece o' grey calico! Th' ou'd parson would ha'

fretted his woman's heart out, if he'd seen the woeful looks I

have seen on our measter's face,' thought Higgins, one day, as he

was approaching Mr. Thornton in Marlborough Street.

'Measter,' said he, stopping his employer in his quick resolved

walk, and causing that gentleman to look up with a sudden annoyed

start, as if his thoughts had been far away.

'Have yo' heerd aught of Miss Marget lately?' 'Miss--who?' replied Mr. Thornton.

'Miss Marget--Miss Hale--th' oud parson's daughter--yo known who

I mean well enough, if yo'll only think a bit--' (there was

nothing disrespectful in the tone in which this was said).

'Oh yes!' and suddenly, the wintry frost-bound look of care had

left Mr. Thornton's face, as if some soft summer gale had blown

all anxiety away from his mind; and though his mouth was as much

compressed as before, his eyes smiled out benignly on his

questioner.

'She's my landlord now, you know, Higgins. I hear of her through

her agent here, every now and then. She's well and among

friends--thank you, Higgins.' That 'thank you' that lingered

after the other words, and yet came with so much warmth of

feeling, let in a new light to the acute Higgins. It might be but

a will-o'-th'-wisp, but he thought he would follow it and

ascertain whither it would lead him.

'And she's not getten married, measter?' 'Not yet.' The face was cloudy once more. 'There is some talk of

it, as I understand, with a connection of the family.' 'Then she'll not be for coming to Milton again, I reckon.' 'No!' 'Stop a minute, measter.' Then going up confidentially close, he

said, 'Is th' young gentleman cleared?' He enforced the depth of

his intelligence by a wink of the eye, which only made things

more mysterious to Mr. Thornton.

'Th' young gentleman, I mean--Master Frederick, they ca'ad

him--her brother as was over here, yo' known.' 'Over here.' 'Ay, to be sure, at th' missus's death. Yo' need na be feared of

my telling; for Mary and me, we knowed it all along, only we held

our peace, for we got it through Mary working in th' house.' 'And he was over. It was her brother!' 'Sure enough, and I reckoned yo' knowed it or I'd never ha' let

on. Yo' knowed she had a brother?' 'Yes, I know all about him. And he was over at Mrs. Hale's

death?' 'Nay! I'm not going for to tell more. I've maybe getten them into

mischief already, for they kept it very close. I nobbut wanted to

know if they'd getten him cleared?' 'Not that I know of. I know nothing. I only hear of Miss Hale,

now, as my landlord, and through her lawyer.' He broke off from Higgins, to follow the business on which he had

been bent when the latter first accosted him; leaving Higgins

baffled in his endeavour.




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