"How dared you make such a promise? Did you think that I, standing as I
do, for my father, Stephen Hatton, would ever lower the Hatton name to
Hatton and Naylor? I am ashamed of you, Harry! I am that!"

"John, I am so unhappy in the mill. You don't understand--"

"Your duty is in the mill. If a man does his duty, he cannot be unhappy.
No, he can not."

"I have been doing my duty five years, and hating every hour of it. And
I promised the Naylor boys--"

"What?"

"That I would sell or rent my share in this mill to them."

"It is impossible for you to keep that promise. You cannot sell a
shilling's worth belonging to the mill property without mine and
mother's permission. Neither of us will give it. Your plan won't work,
Harry. Mother and I will stand by Hatton mill as firm as an anvil beaten
upon. Both of us will do anything we can to make you reasonably happy,
but you must never dare to name selling or renting your right to anyone
but your brother. The mill is ours! No stranger shall own a bobbin in
it! One or both of us will run it until we follow our father, and
then--"

"Then what?"

"Our sons will take our place if so it pleases God. Harry, dear, dear
lad, go and take a long holiday among the things you love, and after it