Tim listened to Martha's tearful story with great amazement and
indignation; and, after a few minutes' consideration, he told her he had
nothing much to do, and he would get leave to take Stephen's place for
the rest of the day, so as to set him free to go home at once. He left
her standing in the middle of the cabin, for the rough benches round it
looked too black for her to venture to take a seat upon them; and in a
short time he shouted to her from a skep, which was being lowered into
the pit, promising her that Stephen should come up as soon as possible.
It seemed a terribly long time to wait amid that noise and dust, and
every now and then Black Bess relieved her feelings by making hideous
grimaces at her when she passed the cabin door; but Stephen ascended at
last, very stern-looking and silent, for Tim had told him Martha's
business; and he hurried her away from the pit-bank before he would
listen to the detailed account she was longing to give. Even when they
were in the lonely lane leading homewards, and she was talking and
sobbing herself out of breath, he walked on without a word passing his
lips, though his heart was sending up ceaseless prayers to God for help
to bear this trial with patience. Poor old home! There was all the
well-used household furniture carried out and heaped together on the
turf,--chairs and tables and beds,--looking so differently to what they
did when arranged in their proper order. The old man, with his grey head
uncovered, was wandering to and fro in sore bewilderment; and little Nan
had fallen asleep beside the furniture, with the trace of tears upon her
rosy cheeks. But the house was almost gone. The door-sill, where Stephen
had so often seen the sun go down as he rested himself from his labours,
was already taken up; the old grate, round which they had sat all the
winter nights that he had ever known, was pulled out of the rock; and all
the floor was open to the mocking sunshine. It is a mournful thing to see
one's own home in ruins; and a tear or two made a white channel down the
coal-dust on Stephen's cheeks; but he subdued himself, and spoke out to