willing that she should teach him, and when the ladies came to see her,
she was full of stories of what he had told her. She said no word of
the rudeness of the girls or the tyranny of Jem, as she sat helpless by
the fire. When all were out, these were pleasant peaceful visits to
her, and she was grateful for the books Dora lent her, and the
needlework Mrs Carbonel gave her when she was well enough to do it.
Molly was not unwilling that her sister should be "a fav'rite," as she
called it, more especially as Jem was generally allowed to swallow any
dainty brought by the ladies that was to his taste.

Old Master Redford, Widow Mole's father, was another cheerful spot in
the village. He was a thoroughly good, devout person in a simple way,
and most grateful for Dora's coming to read to him. Old Pucklechurch
once, indeed, said, "What, ma'am, ye be never a-going to read to that
there Thomas Redford! Why, 'tis all one as singing Psalms to a dead
horse."

In spite, however, of this hopeless augury, Dora's voice did reach his
ears. He had made good use of his scanty opportunities, and had taught
his family to be thoroughly conscientious. There was another daughter
in service, who from time to time sent him a little help, but the
transit of money was a difficulty in those days, and the relief could
not often come. One morning Widow Mole fainted away in the hayfield,
and hardly heard Farmer Goodenough abusing her fine-lady airs, though
she trembled and shook so much when she tried to go on that she was
forced to let Tirzah Todd lead her home, and the next morning she could
not get up.

She had been in such plight before, and the shop trusted her, knowing
that she always strove to pay off her debts, but the farmer rated her
vehemently, declaring that she had been good for nothing since the
ladies had been putting fancies and megrims in her head, and that he
would not take her on again. Probably he did not mean to fulfil his
threat, for, as far as her strength allowed, she was the best and most
thorough worker of all his women, and he had no desire to have the whole
family on the rates; but the ladies believed it, and came home furious
with indignation, and even Captain Carbonel thought her justified in
accepting the dismissal, and as soon as "kitchen physic" had a little
restored her, she became washer-woman, weeding woman, and useful woman
generally at Greenhow Farm.

Many a cup of tea and thick slice of bread-and-b