he had no desire to exchange another word at present, he hastened out of the house, and rambled alone about the fields and homestead until dusk.

Several times during this stroll did Colin consider and re-consider the propriety of walking home again without giving his situation any farther trial. That Snitterton was no paradise, and its inhabitants a nest of hornets, he already began to believe: though to quit it even before a beginning had been made, however much of ill promise stared him in the face, would but indifferently accord with the resolu. tions he had formed in the morning, to undergo any difficulty rather than fail in his determination eventually to do something, not for himself only, but for his mother and Fanny. The advice which the former had given him not twelve hours ago also came vividly to his recollection; the sense of its truth, which experience was even now increasing, materially sharpening its impression on his memory. It was not, however, without some doubts and struggles that he firmly resolved to brave the worst,—to stand out until, if it should be so, he could stand out no longer.

Strengthened by these reflections, and relying on his own honesty of intention, our hero returned to the house just as all the labourers had gathered round the kitchen grate, and were consuming their bread and cheese in the dim twilight. Amongst them was one old man, whose appearance proclaimed that his whole life had been spent in the hard toils of husbandry, but spent almost in vain, since it had provided him with nothing more than the continued means of subsistence, and left him, when worn-out nature loudly declared that his days of labour were past, no other resource but still to toil on, until his trembling hand should finally obtain a cessation in that place which the Creator has appointed for all living. What little hair remained upon his head was long and white; and of the same hue also was his week's beard. But a quiet intelligent grey eye, which looked out with benevolence from under a white penthouse of eyebrow, seemed to repress any feelings of levity that otherwise might arise from his appearance, and to appeal, in the depth of its humanity, from the helplessness of that old wreck of manhood, to the strength of those who were now what once he was, for assistance and support.

"Ay, my boy!" said old George, as Colin entered, and a seat was made for him near the old man, "thou looks a bit different to me ; though I knew the time when I was as bonny as thou art."

As he raised the bread he was eating to his mouth, his hand trembled like a last withered leaf, which the next blast will sweep away for ever. There was so much natural kindness in the old man's tone, that instantaneously, and almost unconsciously, the comparison between Miss Sowersoft and her man Samuel who had spoken to him

in the afternoon, and poor old George, was forced upon Colin's mind.

In reply to the old man's concluding remark, Colin observed,

Yes, sir, I dare say; but that is a long while ago now."

"Ay, ay, thou's right, boy,—it is a long while. I've seen more than I shall ever see again, and done more than I shall ever do again." Mr. Palethorpe, who sat in the home-made easy-chair, while the old man occupied a four-legged stool, burst into a laugh.

"You're right there, George," he retorted. "Though you never did much since I knowed you, you'll take right good care you do not do as much again. Drat your idle old carcase! you don't earn half the bread you're eating."

The old man looked up,—not angry, nor yet seeking for pity.

"Well, perhaps not; but it is none the sweeter for that, I can assure you. If I can't work as I did once, it's no fault of mine. We can get no more out of a nut than its kernel; and there's nought much but the shell left of me now.".

"Yes, yes," returned Palethorpe, "you don't like it, George, and you'll not do it. Dang your good-for-nothing old limbs ! you'll come to the work'us at last, I know you will !"

"Nay, I hope not," observed the old man, somewhat sorrowfully. "I've lived out so long, and with God's blessing on my hands, though they can't do much, I shall manage to die out."

"Come, then," said Palethorpe, pushing a pair of hard clay-plastered quarter-boots from off his feet, "stir your lazy bones, and clean my boots once more before you put on the parish livery."

The old man was accustomed to be thus insulted, and, because he dared not reply, to take insult in silence. He laid down the remain. ing portion of his bread and cheese, with the remark that he would finish it when he had cleaned the boots, and was about rising from his seat to step across the hearth to pick them up, as they lay tossed at random on the floor, when young Colin, whose heart had been almost bursting during this brief scene, put his hand upon the poor old creature's knee to stop him, and, at the same time starting to his own feet instead, exclaimed,

"No, no!—It's a shame for such an old man as you.-Sit still, and I'll do 'em."

"You shan't though, you whelp!" exclaimed Palethorpe in great wrath, at the same time kicking out his right foot in order to prevent Colin from picking them up. The blow caught him upon the nose, and a gush of blood fell upon the hearthstone.

"I will, I tell you !" replied Colin vehemently, as he strove to wipe away the blood with his sleeve, and burst into tears.

"I'm d--d if you do!" said Palethorpe, rising from his chair with fixed determination. "I'll soon put you to rights, young busy-body."

So saying, he laid a heavy grip with each iron hand on Colin's shoulders.

"Then if I don't, he shan't !" sobbed Colin.

"Shan't he?" said Palethorpe, swallowing the oath which was upon his lips, as though he felt that the object of it was beneath his contempt. "I'll tell you what, young imp, if you don't march off to bed this minute, I'll just take and rough-wash your nose in the horse-pond."

Miss Sowersoft smiled with satisfaction, both at Sammy's wit and at his display of valour.

"Do as you like about that," replied Colin: "I don't care for you, nor anybody like you. I didn't come here to be beaten by you!"

Another burst of tears, arising from vexation at his own helplessness, followed these words.

"You don't care for me, don't you?" savagely demanded Palethorpe. "Come, then, let's try if I can't make you."

He then lifted Colin by the arms from the floor, with the intention of carrying him out. The farm-labourers had hitherto sat by in silence, though with rising feelings of indignation.

"You shan't hurt him any more," cried old George, shall kill me first!"

66

or else you

"Kill you first, you old fool!" contemptuously repeated Palethorpe. "Why, if you say another word, I'll double your crooked old back clean up, and throw you and him an' all both into th' brook together!"

"Then I'm danged if you do, and that's all about it!" fiercely exclaimed another of the labourers, striking his clenched fist upon his thigh, and throwing the chair on which he sat some feet behind him, in his sudden effort to rise. "If you dare to touch old George," he add. ed, with an oath, "I'll knock you down, if I leave this service to-night for it!"

"Ay,-what you an' all, Abel!" cried Palethorpe, somewhat paler in the cheeks than he was sixty seconds before. "Why, what will you do, lad?"

"What will I do?" said Abel, "Why, if you don't set that lad loose, you cowardly brute, and sit down in quietness, I'll thump you into a jelly in three minutes!-Dang you! everybody hates you, and I'll tell you so now; for you're the biggest nuisance that ever set foot on a farm. Talk of that old man being idle !-why, what the deuce do you call yourself, you skulking vagabond? You never touch plough nor bill-hook once a-week, nor anything else that's worth a man's putting his hand to. Your business is to abuse everybody under you, and sneak after your missis's tail like a lick'd spaniel.-I wish I was your mester, instead of you being mine, I'd tickle your ears with a two-inch ash plant every morning, but I'd make you do more in a day than you ever did in a week yet!"

A blow from Palethorpe's fist drove all further powers of oratory out of Abel, and caused him to stagger so suddenly backwards, that he would have fallen, had he not caught hold of the back of one of his comrades' chairs. All were now upon their feet; while Miss Sowersoft, who hitherto had sat petrified at the monstrous discourse of Abel, screamed out that whoever struck Sammy again should go out of the house that night. But as no one interfered farther in the quarrel, on the supposition that he was already pretty well matched, the penalty she had proclaimed amounted to nothing, since it did not deter the only man who at that moment was likely to commit anything so atrocious. Abel had no sooner recovered his balance than he made a furious lunge at the head farming-man, which that hero attempted, but failed to parry. His antagonist, who, though less in weight, was yet tall and active, followed up his advantage; and, by a judicious and rapid appli. cation of his fists, he so far made good his former threat, as to give Miss Sowersoft's favourite two tremendous black eyes, and to plump his nose up to nearly double its original bulk and lustre, within sixty tickings of the clock. Miss Maria had now summoned the maid to her assistance, and between them they succeeded in protecting Sammy from further vengeance. Nor did they find much difficulty in persuading that courageous man to sit down in his chair, and submit to a grand mopping with vinegar and hot water, which commenced as soon as active hostilities ceased, and did not conclude until nearly two hours afterwards.

Long before that time was expired, as no more comfort could be expected by the fireside that night, the rustics had moved quietly off to rest taking poor Colin along with them, and directing him to occupy one small bed which stood in a room containing two, and informing him at the same time, not much to his satisfaction, that Palethorpe always slept in the other. Old George shook hands with Colin at the door, bidding him good night, and God bless him; and telling him not to care for what had happened, as Heaven would reward his goodness of heart at a time when, perhaps, being old and feeble, he might most want a friend to help him. As the old man said this, his voice failed, and Colin felt a warm tear drop upon his hand as it remained clasped in that of the speaker.

Colin rushed into his room, and in great distress, resulting from the memory of all he had left behind, and the dread of all that might meet him here, he fell on his knees by the bed-side.

That night the voices of two lonely women, praying for the wel fare of a still more lonely child, and of a child asking for help in his loneliness, ascended to heaven. Their hearts were comforted.

INDEX

TO THE THIRD VOLUME.

Cadell, Lieut. Robert, Anecdotes of Evening Star, verses to the, 209.
Military Service by, 205.