Rhoda Fleming -- Volume 5

om the doorway, with her han

rankish and wilful; because the young squire was eager to settle affairs, that he might be settled himself. "I don't deny it's honour to us, and it's a comfort," said the fa

ement of any kind. On the contrary, there was the dimple of one of his voiceless chuckles moving about the hollow of one cheek, indicating so

ain some doubts. "Or else," said the farmer, with a tap on his forehead, "he's going here. It 'd be odd after all, if commercially, as

ith an air of depre

erest the story of her uncle and the money-bags would have for him. She rel

vived apprehension, and a fixed will were expressed in it, and as he catechized her for each particular of the truth which had been conce

prehended all, he said, "

is tottering. She cannot endure a word

im. I thank him. I honour him. I bless his name. It's to him I owe-You go up to her and say, her father owes it to the young man who's married her that he can lift up his head. Go aloft. Ay! for years I've been suspecting something of this. I tell ye

wretch!" c

reature a name? I'm not for abusing her, but him I do thank, and I say, w

r years, and knows that he is very wicked. This man married our Dahlia to get-" Rhoda gasped, and could not speak it. "He flung her off with horrible words at the church door. After this, how can h

ffle with Robert. I do hope Robert will not forget his proper behaviour. Go you up to your sister, and say from me-All's forgotten and forgiven; say, It's all underfoot; but she must learn to be a good girl from this day. And, if she's at the gate to welcome her hu

received the confession of

ishness she saw in her father, and the partial desire to scourge which she was too intuitively keen

ply stating that their father wa

at her, but da

were locked. The sisters that night slept together, feeling the very pulses of t

ow. All the machinery of the daily life got into motion; but it was evident that Robert and Anthony continued to be absent. A thought struck her that Robert had killed the man. It came with a flash of joy

for her below, and it was in

ey were in the garden, he commanded her to read and tell him

Rhoda murmured, in a

bidden to read

ercy for us. You a

war

appended in a

Run, hide, go anywhere, if you have reason to think he is near. I dare not write what it is we expect. Yesterday I tol

gare

fted up

tter, and laid his finge

istian name of m

lf turned the key of the door, and secured her. Mute woe was on Mrs. Sumfit's face at all these strange doings, but none heeded her, and she smothered her lamentations. The farmer

ank and bless and dream of him who had said that there was no fear. She knew that Dahlia was unconscious of her imprisonment, and had less compunction in counting the minutes of her absence. The sun spread in yellow and fell in red before she thought of returning, so sweet it had become to her to let her mind dwell with Robert; an

gett was be