if you be not too slow and clumsy."

"But Jeph--"

"Withhold me not. Is it not written--"

"I wish you would not say is it not written," broke in Stead, "I know
it is, but you don't say it right."

"Because you are yet in darkness," said Jeph, contemptuously. "Hold
your tongue. I must be off at once. Market folk can get into the
town by the low lane out there, away from the camp of the spoilers,
early in the morning, and I must hasten to enlist under Captain Venn.
No, don't call the wenches, they would but strive to daunt my spirit
in the holy work of vengeance on the bloodthirsty, and I can't abide
tears and whining. See here, I found this in the corn bin. I'm poor
father's heir. You won't want money, and I shall; so I shall take
it, but I'll come back and make all your fortunes when I am a captain
or a colonel. I wonder this is not more. We got a heap of late.
Maybe father hid it somewhere else, but 'tis no use seeking now. If
you light upon it you are welcome to do what you will with it. Fare
thee well, Steadfast. Do the best you can for the wenches, but a
call is laid on me! I have vowed to avenge the blood that was shed."

He strode off into the steep woodland path that clothed the hill
side, and Steadfast looked after him, and felt more utterly deserted
than before. Then he looked up to the sky, and tried to remember
what was the promise to the fatherless children. That made him
wonder whether the Bible and Prayer-book had been burnt, and then his
morning's duty of providing milk for the little ones' breakfast