PROBATION: A TALE OF THE LANCASHIRE COTTON FAMINE ;

BY MISS JESSIE FOTHERGILL,

Author of "Ilealey," "Aldyth," "Tho First

Violin," etc.

CHAPTER XII.

MB MAIiLOHYS POLITICS,

Fhlllnte: Mais on entond lea gens au moms,

sans sofachor. Alcesto: Moi, jo veux mo fachor, et ne voux point entendre. Le Misanthrope. During the following forenoon, Myles sat alone in the outer ofhec, employed exactly as he hud been on the day of Mrs Mallory's visit, weeks before.. Wilson was going his usual round in tho works, and Mr Sutcliffe, the manager, was out. Pausing at the end of a column of figures ho raised his eyes aud saw coming down, the street something which caused him to open bis eyes in surprise, though surprise was not his usual expression. It was a very high and very swell phae ton, with a pair of magnificent bays, which danced along the street, as if its shabby, clog-woru stones caused much distress to their aristocratic hoofs. Tho driver of this (in Thanshope) unique conveyance was a young man in light grey clothes and a round cloth cap, no English cap ; indeed there was at least to the uninitiated Thans hope eye something un-English iv his whole appearance. He was, however, master of bis cattle, as even Myles could see. Beside him sat a slight, dark boy, with a plain, queer, but attractive face ; aud behind was a very correct-looking groom. " SVho on earth is that chap ?" was Mylcs' first very natural thought, as he forgot his work, and gazed in the blissful ness of ignorance at the vision. The next moment ho could have bitten off his tongue could he have had tho feeling that he had not bestowed a second glance upon the whole affair, for the dancing bays came sidling down the street, and the driver pulled them up before that very office door; moreover, bo had caught sight of Myles staring at him, and had given him in return a lazy look from a pair of rather sleepy eyes, Now Myles knew it was the "so-called master"—it was Sebastian Mallory; a second glance at the fair though bronzed face, tho yellow hair and moustache, the proudly cut features, and tho indifferent expression, displayed sullicicnt likeness to his mother to make the first intuitive con viction a certainty. Furious with himself at having been caught staring openly aud wonderingly, Mylcs forgot his voluntary promise to Adrienne, and in order to prove that, what ever his open eyes might at first have seemed to intimate, yet that lie was not really at all struck by anything he had seen, he turned his back to the door, and was apparently bending with the deepest atten tion over his work, when that door was opened; ho heard a voice conclude some injunctions to the groom and the answer which followed : "Jatvohl, mem Herr." "Foreign servants, _even !"' murmured Myles, shrugging his shoulders. " Good morning, my good man," was the next thing he heard, in au accent as differ ent from that of the Thanshopo "gentle man " as Adrienne's was different from that of the Thanshope lady. He turned round and looked up; be was forced to do so now, and, without noticing the lad who stood in tho background, ho faced Mallory. The two young men con fronted each other for the first time. So faras expression and complexion went, they were as great a contrast as could be imagined. Both were tall, snare, and well built, and there the resemblance ended. Myles was, as has been said, quick, pas sionate, lithe, alert, with a temper that sprang into act ion on every possible occa sion, with eyes that flashed, brows that contracted very often in tho course of tho day. Sebastian Mallory was graceful, but there was some languor, real or assumed, in the grace. He was handsome, but the good looks wero certiinly marred by the bored expression on his pale, line features. His eyes moved slowly ; they wero very good eyes, luminous, and hazel in colour, but they did not look as if they would easily flash. He spoke, looked, moved, as if he found life rather troublesome, and scarcely worth the trouble when it had been taken. Ho had taken off his cup when he entered the office, foreign fashion, and Mylcs saw that his face, all save the forehead, was somewhat bronzed ; but it was with the bronze of a hot sun—not nature, naturally he was pale. His hair, too, seemed to have caught tho sun at the ends, elsewhere it was just yellow hair. Every gesture and movement was full of the polished ease of high cultivation. Mylcs, looking straight at hint, said to him self. " Ono of your languid, heavy swells, aro we? I'm afraid we shall ruflle his line feathers in this horrid democratic place." Ho had Mrs Mallory in his mind's eye as he surveyed her son; her principles were well known—the divine right of kings—the Conservative side through thick aud thin, good report and evil report; Church and constitution intact through every storm ; our greatest Premier, the late lamented Duko of Wellington ; the working man in his proper place (wherever that may bo); rich and poor, gentle and simple, a Provi dential arrangement which it would bo sinful and impious to think of disturbing. Thinking of all this, Myles surveyed Sebastian Mallory, and as he found him en tirely different from any young man he had ever seen before, and as most, of the Thans hope people, great and small, wero of the liadical persuasion, he immediately con cluded that he was right—what had been bred in the bone must come out in the flesh, aud it was quite clear that Mr Mallory was a Conservative of the bluest dye.

Meanwhile Sebastian had boon looking at Myles, too, surprised at receiving no answer to his remark, and still more sur prised to observe that the eyes of the "good man " were fixed intently, criticisingly, and with an unabashed steadfastness upon him self, and appeared to measure him over from head to foot, in a manner which was, to say the least, singular. The cap of the young man remained on his head; ho did not rise ; he did not ask what ho could do, nor the visitor's business; he simply looked at him with a pair of remarkably keen, piercing dark eyes, and Sebastian returned the look until at last a gleam of amusement appeared in his sleepy eyes. That look of amusement was not lost upon Myles ;it irritated and angered him. He was so terribly in earnest about all he did, thought, or believed, as not readily to see the comic side of a question; while it was Mallory's chief foible to take every thing in this world that came to him .as rather amusing—if not too troublesome. "Mafoil" ho observed, with a quaint look, but very good-uaturedly ; " theytold me in the train that I should bo surprised at the Thanshope people, and so I am I" " Perhaps they'll he equally surprised with you," said Myles concisely. "Well, they may," replied Sebastian, coolly. "Do you know who lam I" Myles hesitated a moment, .much wish ing to say, "No, I don't," but integrity

fot the upper hand; he only put the fact as isagreeably a3 he could : "I should suppose you arc Mrs Mallory's son." Sebastian turned to the brown-faced, dark eyed boy who stood behind, and remarked, smilingly: " You see, lam nobody, Hugo; only my mother's son; and yet here I am upon my own property." The youth nodded, and glanced thought fully at Myles, who could not resist going on with the rather perilous game he was playing, and who remarked drily: " You'll find that we count a good deal by residence and relationship here." "So!"said Sebastian, with the amused half smile still playing about his lips and in his eyes, to the intense exasperation of Mylcs, who naturally saw nothing at all to laugh at in the situation. There was some thing, too, about Mallory which struck a subtle blow at his pride and self-esteem — something which in his innermost heart he knew to be snperior to himself, though he passionately refused to admit the date. " Your guess is correct," went on Sebas tian. '' lam Mrs Mallory's son. And now I should be glad to know who and what you are. One of my workpeople, perhaps»" The young man did not seem to be at all annoyed at what was taking place; indeed there was that in his manner which said that he was mildly amused with the whole affair. He looked around as he spoke, with a lazy criticising glance, but it was the glance, as Myles keenly felt, of a master, and of ono who was acccustomed to be a master. He was surveying his property, and question ing one of his servants. All the revolutio nary clement in that servant was in pertur bation. " What am I?" he began, when Sebas tian, who had taken off his cap on entering the office, said suggestively : " Hadn't you better take your cap off?" , " That is a matter of opinion, "said Myles, the blood rushing to his face. "It is not the fashion here. As for me, I doff to no man, and but few women." "Ah I well, wc won't quarrel about it. As you say, it is a matter of opinion," said Sebastian, politely ; but there was some thing in the tone which made Mylcs feel small, aud as i£ he had been behaving chil dishly—not a comfortable feeling. " But I interrupted you," continued Mallory, who seemed to be acquiring gra dually a sort of interest in the conversation ; "you wero going to tell me who you are?" "My name is Mylcs Hey wood, and my business is cut-looking and part of the over looking in this factory," said Myles. " Hoy wood," repeated Sebastian, his eyes losing their lazy look, "Heywood; where have I—ah, yes ! A cut-looker—l don't know what that is." "(Likely enough not," said Myles. " But it is quite certain that 1 must learn it," pursued Sebastian; "what is it, if I may ask ?" An uncomfortable sense began to steal over Myles that Mr Mallory was courtesy itself, and that, too, under considerable provocation. He gave a short sketch of his business. "Thanks," said Sebastian. "And now —by-the-by, I am absolutely forgetting my business—is Mr Sutcliffe in ?" '' Not now; he will be in about an hour." "In an hour ? Then I must go over tbe works without him. Is there anyone here who knows all about it—you perhaps ?" he added quickly, as if struck by a happy thought. The idea of loading Mr Mallory round the works excited the liveliest aversion in Myles' mind. "Wilson, the head overlooker, is above me. He generally does that," said he. " Wilson—l ought to remember Wilson. He has been here a long time, hasn't he ?" " He has," said Myles, rather emphati cally. "I thought 'so. Well,jwhcre is he ?" Mylcs, despite himself, very much despite himself, felt the influence of Sebastian's manner. He would have beeu glad could he reasonably have classed him with Frederick Spenceley, but no such classifi cation was for a moment possible. He wished he had not made that difficulty about going through the works. He suddenly remembered his voluntary promise to Adrienne, and felt that he could not tell her hu had kept his word, But too proud, or perhaps too shy, to suddenly change his manner, he said, in the same curt tone : " He's going round tho works. If you'll wait a minute I'll send him to you." " Thank you," said Mr Mallory. Myles went out of the office and across the yard to the factory; and Mallory putting his hand upon Hugo's shoulder, silently pointed to tho workman's figure, and watched him until he had gone into the mill. "Hugo, you have not a good ear for English names yet, but 1 have. I have heard that man's name just lately-yester day, in fact, in the train as wc came from Manchester. He is a fellow I must know something more about. Did you notice him ? He has a splendid face."

"Splendid manners too, I think," said the boy sarcastically " Yes," replied Sebastian, meditatively. " Heywood. If he had not mentioned his name when he did, I think I should have lost my temper. As it is, I shall try another plan. There he goes ! What a row comes from behind that door !" Then they looked through the window.

" What a prospect I" said Sebastian, glan cing over the head of his companion, who leaned with both arms on tho window sill. "This time last week, do you remember, wo were with—ah, what was their name— those girls and their brother?" "On tho Luzem steamer, going to Fluelen," said Hugo, his eyes fixed on the dead wall opposite.

" Just so I Do you remember the sunset, and Mount Pilatus, as we came back ? Well, Pilatus is there now—and we are here."

Hugo made no answer, but Sebastian saw a smile curve his chock.

" Why, you might bo pleased rather than not,"said he.

"I am not displeased," replied the lad, witli tho same little smile. '

"Not displeased that I took a notion about duty into my head, and whirled you away from Switzerland, and snow-peaks, and Alpine colouring, to Thanshope, Hugo ?" •: "Suppose you had obeyed the call of duty without whirling me away—had left me behind somewhere?" said Hugo tran quilly. " Ah so ! That is at tho root of it," said Sebastian laughing. " What an odd—ah, hero comes the overlooker ! Now, Hugo, observe mc doing tho merchant prince, aud prepare your artist eye for some shocks during the progress we are going to make."

Wilson entered in a state of high excite, ment.

" Mr Mallory, sir, this is a huuexpocted pleasure I I couldn't believe it. 'Ow are you, sir. Well, I 'ope ? We've looked for ward loug to this event."

" Very well, thank you. I found myself at homo sooner than I had expected—a week earlier. I remember you very well," he added. '' How are you and your family ?"

"As well as possible, sir, thank you," said Wilson, pressing the hand which Sebastian had held out to him. "Do I see a friend of yours, sir?" he added, looking at Hugo, who was watching the man with the preternatural solemnity which was one of his ways of showing that he was amused. "Yes; a very great friend—Mr Yon Birkenau," was all Sebastian said, and

added, " I want to go through the works. I asked that young follow who was here, who " _ " I hope he wasn't rude sir. I trust he didn't make himself unpleasant," said Wilson, fervently. "Why, is he insubordinate usually,_ or rude to his superiors ?" asked Sebastian, with a sudden keenness of look, in strong contrast with his soft voice and gentle manner. " Insubordinate! No, sir. A better workman or an honestcr young fellow never lived.; only he's got the idea that he hasn't got no superiors—and it will bring him into trouble. I often tell him so." " But he is clever and honest, you Hay ?" said Sebastian, pausing to ask the ques tion. "Yes, sir," said Wilson, who was fond of Mylcs, and had been fond of him for years. '' He's got the brains of half a dozen of the usual run, and you might trust him with untold gold ; ay, and more dangerous tilings than that. But he is apt to give a little too much of his sauce." "Ah ! Well we will go on now, if you please ; and when Mr Sutcliffe comes in, I'll get him to go on and lunch with me. I should like to say a few words to the— " hands," is it you call them ?—if there is any place where they could come to listen to me." , ~,,,, "Surely, sir. The big yard will hold them all, and more than them." "Then be good enough to lead the way, ' said Sebastian looking at his watch sug gestively. Wilson was a proud and happy man that morning, as he led the newly-arrived lord of that place through the maze of great rooms, and machinery, and pointed out all the improvements, the wonderful contri vances for making wood and steel and iron do the work of hands and feet; all the " perfection of mechanism, human and metallic," of which the factory and its contents formed an example. Sebastian followed him : his eyes had lost their sleepy look: he asked many questions, acute enough, for all the indifferent tones of them. He seemed to have much of the gift which is said to bo royal—the eye which took in with incredible rapidity both details and generalities.. Very little that was to be seen escaped him, including the curious glances and the loud comments and surmises" relative to himself. It took an hour to go even quickly through the different rooms, and then Wilson, saying, "This is the last, sir, the ware house," took them into a large, well-lighted room, in which were some half dozen men at work, Myles Heywood in the centre. Sebastian stooped to Hugo whis pering— " I want to speak to that young fellow alone a few minutes." Hugo stepped up to a large pile of cloth, seemingly interested in some mystic marks and figures upon it, which he requested Wilson to explain ; while Sebastian, going on, stopped at Myle's side, and, looking at his work, said: " That is cut-looking, is it?" " Yes." " Well, I've learnt something. Listen to mo a moment, will you ?" Mvles looked up inquiringly. " I am going to say something to all these people directly, and I want you to promise to come and listen to it; will you ?" Half vexed, half flattered, Myles looked into Mallory's face. He had not given up his notion that tho young man was a " jack anapes;" but if so the "jackanapes" had a manner that it was not easy for even a superior person to resist. Myles replied : " Certainly, I will come." Ho looked as if he were going to add something—in fact it was on the tip of his tongue to say, " I don't promise to like what I shall hear; " but he refrained. He remembered Adrienne and his promise. Yet he had the conviction that he would dislike what.Sebastian had to say. A Con servative—Southern sympathies, no doubt. What could such a one have to say that he would liko? But he would go if only to watch till the cloven foot showed itself.

At that moment Wilson came up again. " You've seen the last of the rooms, sir. If you're ready I'll have the bell rung, and then we can go out into the yard." Iv a few minutes the great bell had clanged out, the engines had been stopped, the hands were streaming out into the yard. Sebastian and Wilson stood upon a huge empty lurry that was close by one of the warehouse doors, so that they had nothing to do but step on to it, which they did, while Myles and his comrades, swung them selves on to the ground, aud took their stand in a knot, not far away from tins impromptu platform. Sebastian looked keenly at all the up turned faces, while Wilson made a few brief, yet remarkably entangled and involved in-! troductory remarks. The overlooker's voice ceased. He swung' himself from the lurry, and went and stood with the crowd. .

"My friends," began Sebastian, "cir-; cumstances have kept mo for ten years away, from Lancashire. Perhaps I might still not have made the necessary effort to return, but for this great struggle which is going on in America, and .whose direct effects will first be felt in Lancashire. When that began, I felt I had no right to remain any longer away. I have heard,; and one or two little things which I have seen, even during the few hours I have been in Thanshope, lead me to feel that the saying is a true one, that you Lancashire men are inclined to despise an employer who docs not know his business, much as you would despise a workman who did.not know his work. The principle is aright and honest one ; and I don't say that I may not have come under the head of those who deserve some contempt as being ignorant and ' absentee owners.' .'Evensince I Icamo here I have discovered that I never knew what work was before ; I see that my task will be no easy one to master the principles of my business, and to try and provide, in some degree against the dark days which, I fear, are almost inevitable. But, hard or easy, it is a task I mean to learn. The time is coming, as I think all thoughtful men must see—coming rapidly—when Lan cashire will liavc to exert every effort to meet that distress which will rush upon her; that cloud that is hastening across the Atlantic isa very black cloud, and will make the days very dark. Let us try man fully, hand in hand, to breast tho storm to gether.

"I suppose that you all, or nearly all, will agree with me upon at least one point —sympathy with the Federal side in this struggle." (A murmur, deep and strong, of profound approbation arose—a murmur in which men's and women's voices alike i'oined.) "That noble man, Abraham jincoln, against whose honour the Southern press has lifted its impotent voice—not to mention some journals in this country, which Englishmen ought to be ashamed to read—that noble man, should he live and be fortunate in his grand crusade, will benefit all the world by his intrepidity. He cannot give you cheap and abundant supplies "of cotton now, but by his courage and wisdom he is securiug your future supplies upon a firm basis, very different from the slippery vantage ground of slave labour upon which they have hitherto depended." (Another murmur, indicative of that approval which,

to their honour, Lancashire working men and women, throughout those bitter years, gave to the Federal side, greeted the speaker.) "lunderstand that you Lancashire men, especially you Thanshope men, think a great deal of politics and principles. So you ought, considering who is your member, and that other great name that is connected with Thanshope. 1 also know that in spite of the strong Conservative element amongst your gentry, and they tell me, amengst the workmen too "—(a voice : " Conserva tive working men— there's no such thing ! ) —"in spite of this alleged Conservative element, you have always, since you first returned a representative to Parliament, re-' turned a Radical. ' ' " I was not aware of the strength of the feeling upon this point in Thanshope. 1 have always myself held politics to be secondary to some other subjects, but, since I find so much interest centred round the point here and moreover, since persons whom I have met and spoken to have treated me on the tacit assumption that I was a Conservative, I judge it as well to tell you; face to face, that whatever I may be on other matters, in politics I am no. Conservative but a Eadical. Of course there are almost as many kinds of Radicals as there are of Dissenters. The details of my Radicalism and those of your Radicalism are, I dare say, somewhat different; but I hope we shall both be able to respect tbe principles and never mind the form. "Now, I will keep you no longer—only let me say, finally, 1 am here to learn my business, and to try to guide my ship through the storm that is coming. Thanshope, as you know, is one of the places, where the pinch of distress will be soonest felt, since the counts of yarns used here are precisely those the supply of which will soonest fall; off. I ask a promise from you, and I make one to you. In that time that is coming I ask you to trust me—my feelings and inten tions towards you —and on my part I Eromise to strain every nerve to do my duty y you. We will work on as long as there is cotton to be had, and then-I trust, for your sakes and mine, and that of humanity at large, that it will not be long that I shall have to help you in your fight to keep the wolf from the dooiv' He stepped, bowed, and was turning away, when they gave him a hearty cheer ; and one or two voices informed him laconi cally, that they reckoned he was " one o' the reet sort," and that "he'd suit.."' He jumped down from the lurry, joined Wilson and his friend Hugo, and went with themtowards the office. The engineerreturned to his post; soon the busy macuinery was in full roar again, as if there had been no such thing as war—no such parties as Federals and Confederates. The interruption to the morning's work was already a thing of the past—an incident to be talked about. Myles Heywood maintained entire silence upon the subject, nor could any one of all who inquired of him get him to say : what he thought of his new master. He might have deep thoughts about it—at least they were unexpressed. The rest of the hands talked the event over with lively excitement. The general impression was a favourable one. The men liked what he had said, though he was generally pronoun ced to be a " bit too much of a swell," and it was agreed that he " spoke rather fine," and, they said, minced his words too much; and was; in short, rather too much of a fine gentleman. Otherwise he was considered sound, and they were pleased to find him on the right side in politic?. The women too liked him, for reasons apparently similar to those alleged by Peter van den Bosch, as their grounds tor liking Philip van Artevelde : — ... : i And wenches who were there, said Artevelde Was a sweet name, and musical to hear. Mary Heywood, at least, said she "liked the chap; he had siccan a soft; voice, and a nice, smooth-soundin' name like." " The general conclusion was a very Lancashire one—that the young man had' spoken well and reasonably; sensibly j enough for aperson who knew uothing about j his business, but that "fair words butter j no "parsnips ;" and the conjecture may reasonably be hazarded whether Sebastian's speech had induced any one of its hearers to | form a decided opinion, good or bad, of him. j They waited to see, and indeed the time' was striding forward with fearful rapidity, i nearer and nearer, when the sincerity of his profession should he put' to the I proof.

CHAPTER XIII,

INITIATION.

Sebastian and Hugo drove, away from; the factory, accompanied by Mr Sutcliffe, j the manager and head man of business. 1 Arrived at the Oakenrod, Mallory, and bis "manager retired to the library, and there plunged straight into business.. : Mr Sutcliffe was a small, mild-looking man, with eyes that were keen, despite his nervous, almost timid expression, a bald head, spectacles, a. gentle smile, and a large bundle ■of what .he called "docu-; ments."'., •. .. .u\ .■'.■• j;! j Overthese documents he and Sebastian! remained absorbed until luncheon was an nounced. They tarried not long over that meal. Hugo van Birkenau appeared to be. a very familiar friend,, for Sebastian made no excuse for leaving him, and with a slight apology to his mother he and Mr Sutcliffe returned to the library. An. hour, two, three hours passed, chiefly occupied in expositions from Mr Sutcliffe on the nature of the business, its principles; aud the method of carrying it on. Sebas tian's part consisted chiefly in listening naturally; but every now and then he interposed with a question—questions:so much to the point, and showing such disj cernment and discrimination, ; that ■Mr Sutcliffe, who had at first begun his tasks with some constraint and great dryness of manner and tone, brightened visibly every minute ; his tone grew warmer, his mannej moreanimated, hiseyesflashednowandthen; Thus the interview went on, until M Sutcliffe, laying down a bundle of pape* whose import he had just explaimed, to* up another bundle, and was begi .mng— • . I' " These refer to the—" .'••■*'■ / , But Sebastian interrupted liim. / ' "Excuse me, Mr Sutchffe. Supposwe lay aside' business for-to-day. I wa*to ask you some other questions. Withsuch a manager as you, I have no fear of aings going wrong." -■ : Mr Sutchffe smiled. . ■/'"'•'■' "Judgingfrom what I have he/d and seen of you, Mr Mallory, you will sto_ be in a position to manage your own usiness. You must not feel offended when .pay that I have been most agreeablj disaap pointed—surprised is perhaps ather the word." ; 7 Sebastian smiled a little. j "lam a fearfully indolen/fellow, I believe," said he. " I take a Id 'of rousing, but once set me to plod at a.ming, and I continue until I understand '—at least, I think so." .' " That is a very modest -wf °f describing your ready comprehension c details which must be as strange to you ?'those we have iust been discussing. [Bp that's neither here nor there ; you vranfid some other in-: formation?" /,' '" ...,,. ." I suppose you arejiretty well abquain ted with the differer parties,' social and

political, in the town, and with the characters, at any rate, of the leading people 2" "I may say thatl certainly am." " Well, to begin with, I wish you would tell me candidly what character is borne by my own concern and the management of it?" | Mr Sutcliffe looked up quickly, an almost! startled expression on his face. '._ /» '•That is rather a delicate matter," he began. " Yes, I suppose it is. But lam sure you will be frank with me. I drew my own conclusions from what I saw and heard this morning, and I want to find out if your ac count agrees with them. Never mind.bow disagreeable it may be." i '.■•'.'"':', ' i "Your works, then, bear a very, high re putation in many respects. Your hands are as decent and as steady a lot as any in the town, take them all in all. Things' are } generally peaceable. It is looked upon, and with justice, as an increasing" thoroughly prosperous concern. Onr goods, both yarn- and cloth, have got a name. 1 like the men who are under me, and I think' they like me—Wilson, and Heywood, and others. I think I have succeeded in keeping things right; but " . "Well?" '•■"••".'. ; -U "There are some misunderstandings about yourself—some prejudices. They don't like absentee owners here, and that's" a fact. But I'm sure that impression -will; soon be effaced now that you are here your-. self. If you show them that you don't mean) play " Sebastian shrugged his shoulders. .;-■ " Mon dieu ! There does not seem to bej much question of play, I never saw any.: thing so oppressively in earnest as everyone here seems to be. It is stamped; upon: almost every face you meet. Certainly lam riot in play." T " Then they will soon find that but, and" respect you accordingly." ;; '. "But that is not all you were going to say." " It may seem a small kind of complaint to make, but it's better to let you know the" truth at once. There certainly is a feeling against Mrs Mallory." --• Sebastian looked up in surprise. . :.„" " Against my mother ? What has she to do withit?" • '■■■■■ 'J. "A feeling that she is not sufficiently liberal in her ideas, and that she would, if she couldget the authority, interfere unduly in matters which, with the utmost respect to her, she does not understand, never having had occasion to study them. lam bound to say that, though I have never had anything like a dispute with Mrs Mallory yet that is my own impression too, and that is one reason why I rejoice at your return' You are now the final authority." The murder was out, and Mr Sutcliffe's shrewd eyes watched the young man's face attentively. He did not look angry, did not look even annoyed, but rather thoughtful for a moment. Then he said : "I am glad you mentioned it. Of course, that is not a topic for discussion. As you said, my presence will make all the difference. Is that all about my own works ?" " Yes. I don't think there is anything else." " Who arc the leading men here ?" " So far as money goes, there are a good many big men here. Mr Spenceley is re. ported to be the richest, and I believe report is right." "Spenceley! Ah! What about him ?" "Heis a spinner; does an enormous trade. They say he has been speculating rather too much'lately. He has. a certain influence in some quarters, but it is ah in fluence that will die with him." .. .. r "Howso?" " be has only a son and a daughter, and the son is probably the biggest blackguard in the place; he will never- have any in fluence. The daughter, I hear, is rather an eccentric young lady." _ "Oh !'' was all Sebastian said.

Mr Sutcliffe went on: , "' " The son, I believe, is a very black sheep. It was only a'week or two ago that he insulted some young woman—in 'a small place,. you .see, these things make a good deal of noise—in a most abominable manner; but he was punished for that,, for the girl's sweetheart at least that is one of the: tales, I don't bel'eve it myself; but one thing is quite certain, a young working man fol lowed him to his club that -very night, and wave him a good hidingin the billiard room. Sfo one, I don' 4 think one soul was sorry for him. The feeling was so dead against hiiri, that he did not even prosecute." " ; ' ' " I have heard' sohie account of. it. But don't you know, who the young man was whodWit?" i ' '". :' ; ."V'V'' .'.-'' Mr. Sutcliffe smiled a' little as' he said-* j "In my ovm mind I believe I could lay my finger upm the man; but as I thorough ly respect him for what he did, and should be sorry to get him into trouble, I shall keep quiet about it." '•".'"' W'->>B'*' arfu Sebastiai looked inquiringly.at him. -' " I believe the man was one of your own workpeople—Heywood, a' ■ fellow5 I have known from the time when first he came as a half-timer."''1 '■•'' '". << '■", r '.'■ jodi " IhJVeseen the man.; You think it Was he. \yhy<"; : :-,■ ' : V • ;''. v-. -.:,• " Pftly because I was passing the club door A the very time of the row, and saw him chne out of it, looking rather dangerous, witha couple of straps in his hand; and secoidly; because when it has; been dis cussed, which you will easily believe it has beej pretty actively, he has looked embai* rasjed, and kept perfect silence upon the suiject.". '' . ;': •■:••'!. Sebastian nodded. ■ ' .''Miss Spenceley is agreat friend of Mrs jfallory," . went on the manager: "But hat's neither here nor there; only they are ibout the biggest people, in a money point of' .view, in the place. There "are several •other families something like themi 'Then there's Canon Ponsonby, the Radical parson, our vicar, a very, fine old gentleman; jyou will like him, He is respected by all who are themselves worthy of respect, be they Churchmen or Dissenters." ' ! " Naturally tbe feeling here is Radical?" " Tremendous ; and North.almost to a man. ..Lots, of these working men know what's coming; and it is coming upon, them, too, like the very devil. They'll tell you they know the cotton must runout soon, or run up to such a price that we can'hardly get it. But if they have to do without' it, or with SuratS""*"-"-"-".: r " What on earth is ' Surats?'" " Indian cotton; abominable stuff to work. Haven't you—but of course you haven't—heard of the.weaver who put up the prayer, ' 0 Lord ; send us cotton, but not Surats!" But if they have .to work Surats, they'll stick to it that North is right, and South wrong: and they'll clem rather than haye anything to say to Jeff Davis." ' "How soon do you think distress will begin?" ;• :..,*. , .., " 1 think we shall have to shut up shop by Christmas. It's of no use talking much about it beforehand. All I can say is there's a time coming which will prove Lancashire once for all, her rich and her poor alike, and show them up to the world in a light as fierce as that of the midday sun. We shall get to see the stuff we're made of.' ' And there's half-past .five ! I must go;" " Won't you stay and dine withhme ?"'

" I have another engagement, thank you. To-morrow, at the same time, Mr Mallory,

STAR SATURDAY SUPPLEMENT, SEPTEMBER IT, 1881

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