Rhoda Fleming -- Volume 2

appiness, so that he might dispel the absurd general belief that he had ever loved the girl, and was now regretting her absence; but one look at Rhoda's face when she stepped f

bmissiveness will not always indicate a placid spirit in men. He talked at stale intervals of the weather and the state of the ground along the line of rail do

pride in Dahlia's beauty and accomplishments had whispered to him that her flight was possibly the opening of her road to a higher fortune, he made a noise for comfort, bel

essed his hope; and Robert said, "Capitally. We shal

that Mrs. Sumfit would have scorched the ears of all present, save the happy veteran of the furrows, with repetitions of

ow it and take it into my stomach!-I'll wait again for what ye've got

then lift

l oblige me by going to bed,"

. Sumfit, with ins

r; when you've d

e is by the tea-pot, which I cling to, rememberin' how I seen her curly head grow by inches up above

the prolonging of the se

kind as

gonist, as he finished that amount, an

t rolled i

I say; and never a cup less

, with a slow nod of his head, "that ever I to

on't I pour out to ye? It's five you take, a

aster Gammon reiterated res

or five, 'd do till enough you'd had, and here we might stic

ondescended to explain the nature of h

watery, and you won't be comfortable. May you get forgiveness from above! is all I say, and I say no more. Mr. Robert, perhaps you'll be so good as

sed the farmer; "tomorrow."

ess which was to be discussed without Mrs. Sumfit's assistance. Her father's mann

ghed Mrs. Sumfit. "Oh, it's hard on me. I do call it cr

mer move his fo

ks this remaining cup

bed to avoid the seduction of suppers, which he shunned as apoplectic, and Mrs. Sumfit prepared, in a desolate way, to w

ssing him to make her miserable enforced exit, the heavy severity of hi

e neighboured Judgement Day. Down to tea you set the first moment, and me alone with none of you, and my love for my girl known well to you. And now to be marched off! How

ar, let us bear. And you go on your knees to the Lord, and don't be a heathen wom

n I read it, and not know my ailing, and a'stract one good word, William? It'll seem only the devil's shootin' black lightnings across the page, as poor blessed granny used to say, a

was wrought by the farmer graspin

bed,

omfortable fat person to assist the words "it ain't good-no, not the best pious on

be angry," sa

tened i

t to yond' dark thing sitting there so sullen, and me in my misery; I'd give it to you now for news of my darlin'. Yes, William;

m behind and dragging in front, Mrs. Sumfit, as near on a shriek as one so fat and sleek could be, was ejected. The

irl," said the farmer, s

cted his imagination, and his h

ak-what has happened, whatev

she. She respe

ot ask what

tep. He closed the door again behind her, and went up to the square deal table, leaned his body forward on the

ent his gaze straight away under labouring brows to an arm of the fireside chair, while his shoulders drooped on the wavering support of his hard

at once, but he had not the heart to do it, even had he felt in himself strength to attract an intelligent response from

I'm about no better'n a farm labourer in our time, which is to-day. I don't cost much. I ask to be fed, and to work for it, and to see my poor bit o' property safe, as handed to me by my father. Not for myself, 't ain't; though perhaps there's a bottom of

head as to the very

s!" He be

inct termination, for he seemed to have ended as abruptly as he had begun; so long was

ised as toward where Rhoda stood, but he sent

from her, smote an awe through her soul that kept her dumb, th

e's got a mother in heaven, and that mother's got to bl

essure of an iron band for her head, while her lips parted, and her teeth, and cheeks, and eyeballs were all of one whiteness. Her tragic, even, in and out breathing, where there was no fall of th

rmer w

lieve the flesh on her bones she'd wear away for any one that touched her heart. She's a temper. But she's clean both in body and in spirit, as I believe, and

ng in natural expression, for he had reached a point of emotion upon the limits of his nature, and he was now wilful

hope, be buried with me in my grave; so that this girl's husband shan't have to complain that her character and her working fo

gs. I thank God for that now, I do. We don't face again them as we offend. Not, that is,

For I fear death while she's not safe in somebody's hand

ead for the first time,

be

now or to-morrow morning, I'd marry her, rather than le

ggestive indication to the possible bridegroom's age and habits, and all things associated

leming. If, I mean, he's content to farm soberly, and not play Jack o' Lantern tricks across his own acres. Right in one thing's right, I grant; but don

rt, and sufficiently showed whom the farmer had in view

ower of speech abandoned him, and he c

e had his word for it-all goes to this-God knows how much!-girl. And he don't hesitate to say she's worth a young man

his oppressed way quietly to the inner d