CHAPTER XI.

STEPHEN AND THE RECTOR.


The report of the expulsion of the family from Fern's Hollow spread
through Botfield before morning; and Stephen found an eager cluster of
men, as well as boys and girls, awaiting his appearance on the pit-bank.
There was the steady step and glance of a man about him when he came--a
grave, reserved air, which had an effect upon even the rough colliers.
Black Thompson came forward to shake hands with him, and his example was
followed by many of the others, with hearty expressions of sympathy and
attempts at consolation.

'It'll be put right some day,' said Stephen; and that was all they could
provoke him to utter. He went down to his work; and, though now and then
the recollection thrilled through him that there was no pleasant Fern's
Hollow for him to return to in the evening, none of his comrades could
betray him into any expression of resentment against his oppressor.

In the meantime Miss Anne did not forget to visit the cabin, and cheer,
as well as she could, the trouble of poor Martha, whose good and proud
housewifery had kept Fern's Hollow cleaner and tidier than any of the
cottages at Botfield. It was no easy matter to rouse Martha to take any
interest in the miserable cabin where the household furniture had been
hastily heaped in the night before; but when her heart warmed to the
work, in which Miss Anne was taking an active part, she began to feel
something like pleasure in making the new home like the old one, as far
as the interior went. Out of doors, no improvement could be made until