Grace, hearing nothing more after the first hint of suspicion, was so far relieved that he thought it best to spare Joan the pain of being stung by it.
But there came a piece of news to Joan that troubled her.
"Theer"s a young sprig o" one o" th" managers stayin" at th" "Queen"s Arms,"" remarked a pit woman one morning. "He"s a foine young chap, too--dresses up loike a tailor"s dummy, an" looks as if he"d stepped reet square out o" a bandbox. He"s a son o" owd Landsell"s."
Joan stopped a moment at her work.
"Are yo" sure o" that?" she asked, anxiously.
"Sure he"s Mester Landsell"s son? Aye, to be "sure it"s him. My mester towd me hissen."
This was Liz"s trouble, then.
At noon Joan went home full of self-reproach because sometimes her patience had failed her. Liz looked up with traces of tears in her eyes, when Joan came in. Joan did not hesitate. She only thought of giving her comfort. She went and sat down in a chair near by--she drew the curly head down upon her lap, and laid her hand on it caressingly.
"Lizzie, la.s.s," she said; "yo" need na ha" been afeard to tell me."
There was a quick little pant from Liz, and then stillness.
"I heard about it to-day," Joan went on, "an" I did na wonder as yo" wur full o" trouble. It brings it back, Liz, I dare say."
The pant became a sob--the sob broke into a low cry.
"Oh, Joan! Joan! dunnot blame me--dunnot. It wur na my fault as he coom, an"--an" I canna bear it."
Even then Joan had no suspicion. To her mind it was quite natural that such a cry of pain should be wrung from the weak heart. Her hand lost its steadiness as she touched the soft, tangled hair more tenderly than before.
"He wur th" ghost as yo" seed i" th" lane," she said. "Wur na he?"
"Aye," wept Liz, "he wur, an" I dare na tell yo". It seemit loike it tuk away my breath, an" aw my heart owt o" me. Nivver yo" blame me, Joan--nivver yo" be hard on me--ivverything else is hard enow. I thowt I wur safe wi" yo"--I did fur sure."
"An" yo" _are_ safe," Joan answered. "Dost tha" think I would turn agen thee? Nay, la.s.s; tha"rt as safe as th" choild is, when I hold it i" my breast. I ha" a pain o" my own, Liz, as "ll nivver heal, an" I"d loike to know as I"d held out my hond to them as theer is healin" fur. I"d thank G.o.d fur th" chance--poor la.s.s--poor la.s.s--poor la.s.s!" And she bent down and kissed her again and again.
CHAPTER XXIII - "Cannybles"
The night school gained ground steadily. The number of scholars was constantly on the increase, so much so, indeed, that Grace had his hands inconveniently full.
"They have dull natures, these people," said the Reverend Harold; "and in the rare cases where they are not dull, they are stubborn.
Absolutely, I find it quite trying to face them at times, and it is not my fortune to find it difficult to reach people, as a rule. They seem to have made up their minds beforehand to resent what I am going to say.
It is most unpleasant. Grace has been working among them so long that, I suppose, they are used to his methods; he has learned to place himself on a level with them, so to speak. I notice they listen to, and seem to understand him. The fact is, I have an idea that that sort of thing is Grace"s forte. He is not a brilliant fellow, and will never make any particular mark, but he has an odd perseverance which carries him along with a certain cla.s.s. Riggan suits him, I think. He has dropped into the right groove."
Jud Bates and "th" best tarrier i" Riggan" were among the most faithful attendants. The lad"s fancy for Anice had extended to Grace. Grace"s friendly toleration of Nib had done much for him. Nib always appeared with his master, and his manner was as composed and decorous as if rats were subjects foreign to his meditations. His part it was to lie at Jud"s feet, his nose between his paws, his eyes twinkling sagaciously behind his s.h.a.ggy eyebrows, while occasionally, as a token of approval, he wagged his tail. Once or twice, during a fitful slumber, he had been known to give vent to his feelings in a sharp bark, but he never failed to awaken immediately, with every appearance of the deepest abas.e.m.e.nt and confusion at the unconscious transgression.
During a visit to the Rectory one day, Jud"s eyes fell upon a book which lay on Anice"s table. It was full of pictures--ill.u.s.trations depicting the adventures and vicissitudes of a fortunate unfortunate, whose desert island has been the paradise of thousands; whose goat-skin habiliments have been more worthy of envy than kingly purple; whose hairy cap has been more significant of monarchy than any crown. For the man who wore these savage garments has reigned supreme in realms of romance, known only in their first beauty to boyhood"s ecstatic belief.
Jud put out his hand, and drawing the gold and crimson snare toward him, opened it. When Anice came into the room she found him poring over it.
His ragged cap lay with Nib, at his feet, his face was in a glow, his hair was pushed straight up on his head, both elbows were resting on the table. He was spelling his way laboriously, but excitedly, through the story of the foot-print on the sand. Anice waited a moment, and then spoke:
"Jud," she said, "when you can read I will give you "Robinson Crusoe.""
In less than six months she was called upon to redeem her promise.
This occurred a few weeks after Craddock had been established at the lodge at the Haviland gates. The day Anice gave Jud his well-earned reward, she had a package to send to Mrs. Craddock, and when the boy came for the book, she employed him as a messenger to the park.
"If you will take these things to Mrs. Craddock, Jud, I shall be much obliged," she said; "and please tell her that I will drive out to see her to-morrow."
Jud accepted the mission readily. With Nib at his heels and "Robinson Crusoe" under his arm, three miles were a trivial matter. He trudged off, whistling with keen delight. As he went along he could fortify himself with an occasional glance at the hero and his man Friday. What would he not have sacrificed at the prospect of being cast with Nib upon a desert island?
"Owd Sammy" sat near the chimney-corner smoking his pipe, and making severe mental comments upon the conduct of Parliament, then in session, of whose erratic proceedings he was reading an account in a small but highly seasoned newspaper. Sammy shook his head ominously over the peppery reports, but feeling it as well to reserve his opinions for a select audience at The Crown, allowed Mrs. Craddock to perform her household tasks unmolested.
Hearing Jud at the door, he turned his head.
"It"s yo", is it?" he said. "Tha con coom in. What"s browten?"
"Summat fur th" missis fro" th" Rectory," Jud answered, producing his parcel; "Miss Anice sent me wi" it."
"Tak" it to th" owd la.s.s, then," said Sammy. "Tak" it to her. Tha"lt find her in th" back kitchen."
Having done as he was bidden, Jud came back again to the front room.
Mrs. Craddock had hospitably provided him with a huge sandwich of bread and cheese, and Nib followed him with expectant eyes.
"Sit thee down, lad," said Sammy, condescendingly. "Sit thee down, tha"st getten a walk both afore and behind thee. What book "st getten under thy arm?"
Jud regarded the volume with evident pride and exultation.
"It"s Robyson Crusoe, that theer is," he answered.
Sammy shook his head dubiously.
"Dunnot know as I ivver heerd on him. He"s noan scripter, is he?"
"No," said Jud, repelling the insinuation stoutly; "he is na."
"Hond him over, an" let"s ha" a look at him."
Jud advanced.
"Theer"s picters in it," he commented eagerly. "Theer"s one at th"
front. That theer un," pointing to the frontispiece, "that theer"s him."
Sammy gave it a sharp glance, then another, and then held the book at arm"s length, regarding Robinson"s goat-skin habiliments over the rims of his spectacles.
"Well, I"m dom"d," he exclaimed. "I"m dom"d, if I would na loike to see that chap i" Riggan! What"s th" felly getten on?"
"He"s dressed i" goat-skins. He wur cast upon a desert island, an" had na owt else to wear."