CHAPTER XLI - "A Soart o" Pollygy"

The interview between Anice and Derrick was a long one. At the end Derrick said:

"I shall go to Ashley-Wold."

Grace had been called out almost immediately after his return to the house; but on his way home he met Anice, and having something to say about the school, he turned toward the Rectory with her.

They had not gone far, however, before they were joined by a third party,--Mr. Sammy Craddock, who was wending his way Crownward. Seeing them, Mr. Craddock hesitated for a moment, as if feeling somewhat doubtful; but as they approached him, he pulled off his hat. "I dunnot know," he said, "after aw, if it would not be as well to ha" a witness.

Hope yo"re nicely, Miss," affably; "an" th" same to yo", Parson. Would yo"" clearing his throat, "would yo" moind shakin" honds wi" a chap?"

Grace gave him his hand.

"Thank yo", Parson," said "Owd Sammy." "It"s th" first toime, yo" know, but it shanna be th" last, if yo" dnnnot see owt agen it. Th" truth is, as it"s summat as has been on my moind for some toime,--ivver sin" th"

accident, i" fact. Pluck"s pluck, yo" see, whether yo"re for a mon or agen him. Yo"re not mich to look at. Yo" mowt be handsomer, an" yo" mowt be likelier,--yo" mowt easily ha" more muscle, an" yo" dnnnot look as if yo" wnr like to be mich i" argyment; but yo"re getten a backbone o"

yo"re own,--I"m danged if yo" ha" na."

"I"m much obliged to you, I am sure," said Grace.

"Yo" need na be," answered Sammy, encouragingly. "Yo" need na be. If yo"d getten owt to be obleeged to me fur, I should na ha" so mich to say. Yo" see I"m makin" a soart o" pollygy,--a soart o" pollygy," with evident enjoyment of the word. "An" that"s why I said as it mowt be as well to ha" a witness. I wur allus one as set more store by th" State than th" Church, an" parsons wur na i" my line, an" happen I ha" ben a bit hard on yo", an" ha" said things as carried weight agen yo" wi" them as valleyed my opinion o" things i" general. An" sin" th" blow-up, I ha"

made up my moind as I would na moind tellin" yo" as I wur agoin" to w"draw my oppysition, sin" it seemit as if I"d made a bit o" a mistake.

Yo"re neyther knave nor foo", if yo" are a parson. Theer now!

Good-mornin" to yo"!"

"Noan on "em con say as I wur na fair," Owd Sammy said to himself, as he went on his way shaking his head, "I could na ha" done no fairer. He desarved a bit o" commendation, an" I let him ha" it. Be fair wi a mon, say I, parson or no. An" he is na th" wrong sort, after aw."

He was so well pleased with himself, that he even carried his virtue into The Crown, and diffused it abroad over his pint of sixpenny. He found it not actually unpleasant to display himself as a magnate, who, having made a most natural mistake, had been too independent and straightforward to let the matter rest, and consequently had gone to the magnificent length of apologetic explanation.

"I ha" bin havin" a word or so wi" th" little Parson," he said. "I ha"

ben tellin" him what I thowt o" what he did th" day o" th" blow-up. I changed my moind about th" little chap that day, an" I ha" ben tellin"

him so."

"Yo" ha"?" in an amazed chorus. "Well, now, that theer _wur_ a turn, Sammy."

"Ay, it wur. I"m noan afeard to speak my moind one way or t"other, yo"

see. When a mon shows as he"s med o" th" reet cloth, I am na afeard to tell him I loike th" web."

CHAPTER XLII - Ashley-Wold

Two weeks after Joan left Riggan, she entered the village of Ashley-Wold on foot. With the exception of a few miles here and there, when a friendly wagoner had offered her a lift, she had made all her journey in this manner. She had met with discouragement and disappointment. She had not fancied that it would be an easy matter to find work, though she had expressed no doubt to Anice, but it was even a more difficult matter than she had imagined. At some places work was not to be had, in others the fact that she was an utter stranger went against her.

It was evening when she came to Ashley-Wold; the rain was falling soft and slowly, and the air was chill. She was cold, and faint with hunger.

The firelight that shone through the cottage windows brought to her an acute sense of her bodily weariness through its suggestion of rest and cheerfulness. The few pa.s.sers-by--princ.i.p.ally men and women returning from their daily labor--glanced at her curiously.

She had held to the letter as a last resource. When she could not help herself she would ask for a.s.sistance, but not until then. Still she had always turned her face toward Ashley-Wold, Now she meant to go to Mrs.

Galloway and deliver the letter.

Upon entering the village she had stopped and asked a farmer for directions. He had stared at her at first, hardly comprehending her northern dialect, but had finally understood and pointed out the house, whose gables could be seen from the road-side.

So Joan made her way toward it through the evening rain and mist. It was a pretty place, with a quaint picturesqueness. A hedge, which was a marvel of trimness, surrounded the garden, ivy clung to the walls and gables, and fancifully clipped box and other evergreens made a modest greenery about it, winter though it was. At her first glance at this garden Joan felt something familiar in it. Perhaps Anice herself had planned some portion of it. Joan paused a moment and stood looking over the hedge.

Mrs. Galloway, sitting at her work-table near the window, had found her attention attracted a few moments before by a tall young woman coming down the road which pa.s.sed on one side of the hedge.

"There is something a little remarkable about her," she said. "She certainly does not belong to Ashley-Wold."

Then Joan stopped by the hedge and she saw her face and uttered a low exclamation of surprise at its beauty. She drew nearer to the window and looked out at her.

"She must be very cold," said Mrs. Galloway. "She looks as if she had made a long journey. I will send Hollis to her."

A few minutes later there tripped down the garden-walk a trimly attired young housemaid.

The mistress had seen her from the window and thought she looked cold and tired. Would she come into the house to rest?

Joan answered with a tinge of color on her cheek. She felt a little like a beggar.

"Thank yo"; I"ll come," she said. "If th" mistress is Mrs. Galloway, I ha" a letter fur her fro" Lancashire."

Mrs. Galloway met them on the threshold.

"The young woman, ma"am," said the servant, "has a letter from Lancashire."

"From Lancashire!" said Mrs. Galloway.

"Fro" Riggan, mistress," said Joan. "Fro" Miss Anice. I"m Joan Lowrie."

That Joan Lowrie was a name familiar to her was evident by the change in Mrs. Galloway"s face. A faint flush of pleasure warmed it, and she spoke quickly.

"Joan Lowrie!" she said. "My dear child"s friend! Then I know you very well. Come into the room, my dear."

She led her into the room and closed the door.

"You are very cold and your shawl is wet," laying a kind hand upon it.

"Give it to me, and take a seat by the fire. You must warm yourself thoroughly and have a cup of tea," she said, "and then I will begin to ask questions."

There was a wide, low-seated, low-armed, soft-cushioned chair at one side of the fire, and in this chair she had made Joan seat herself. The sudden change from the chill dampness of the winter day to the exquisite relief and rest, almost overcame the girl. She was deadly pale when Mrs.

Galloway ceased, and her lips trembled; she tried to speak, and for a moment could not; tears rushed to her eyes and stood in them. But she managed to answer at last.

"I beg yo"re pardon," she said. "Yo" ha" no need to moind me. Th" warmth has made me a bit faint, that"s aw. I"ve noan been used to it lately."

Mrs. Galloway came and stood near her.

"I am sorry to hear that, my dear," she said.

"Yo"re very kind, ma"am," Joan answered.