The Project Gutenberg EBook of Will of the Mill, by George Manville Fenn

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

Title: Will of the Mill

Author: George Manville Fenn

Release Date: May 8, 2007 [EBook #21376]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WILL OF THE MILL ***

Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

Will of the Mill, by George Manville Fenn.

________________________________________________________________________

A Huguenot settlement in the Derbyshire dales, in the middle of England,
in the mid-nineteenth century.

The Vicar's son, and the mill-owner's son are great friends. They
become friends with a visiting artist, who is lodging in the house of
one of the key-workers at the Mill, where they manufacture silk. The
artist falls down an old mine-shaft up in the hills, and the boys find
him. At home they are missed and a rescue party is sent out, and finds
them all.

One day the mill mysteriously goes on fire, and, equally mysteriously,
the fire pump has been disabled. Just in time it is repaired by the man
the artist is staying with. The man's name was originally Boileau, but
like so many Huguenots, he has anglicised it to Drinkwater.

Drinkwater goes mad, and has an obsessional hatred for the mill-owner.
It is thought possible that he actually set the fire having previously
disabled the fire-pump.

But far worse is to befall. One night, in the autumn rains, the dam
that feeds the mill bursts its banks, and the village is flooded, with
much being washed away. Did Drinkwater do this too? There is a
dramatic finish to the book.

________________________________________________________________________

WILL OF THE MILL, BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN.

CHAPTER ONE.

DOWN IN THE COUNTRY.

"Here, I say, Josh, such a game!"

"What is it?"

The first speaker pointed down the gorge, tried to utter words, but
began to choke with laughter, pointed again, and then stood stamping his
feet, and wiping his eyes.

"Well," cried the other, addressed as Josh, "what is it? Don't stand
pointing there like an old finger-post! I can't see anything."

"It's--it's--it's--he--he--he!--Oh my!--Oh dear!"

"Gahn! Wha