fire, in the post of honor on one side of which was his regular
seat. The subject, however, was too valuable to be allowed to drop
altogether, and Luke Marner brought it into prominence again by
remarking:

"They tell oi as how Nance has asked Bet Collins to watch by the
rood soide to catch doctor as he droives whoam. He went out this
arternoon to Retlow."

"Oi doubt he woant do she much good; it be food, and not doctor's
stuff as the child needs," another remarked.

"That be so, surely," went up in a general chorus, and then a
newcomer who had just entered the room said:

"Oi ha' joost coom vrom Nance's and Bill Swinton ha' sent in a
basin o' soup as he got vrom the feyther o' that boy as broke his
leg. Nance war a feeding the child wi' it, and maybe it will do
her good. He ha' been moighty koind to Bill, that chap hav."

"He ha' been that," Gideon said, after the chorus of approval had
died away.

"Oi seed t' young un today a-sitting in front o' th' cottage,
a-talking and laughing wi' Bill."

"They be good uns, feyther and son, though they tells oi as neither
on them bain't Yaarkshire."

The general feeling among the company was evidently one of surprise