ary listened in agony.

"Pity he did not own to having met with an accident at once," said her
father. "Of course it is no more than one expected, it was sure to come
some time; but it was a pity he was such a coward and took, refuge in a
lie. Just like a child: but, poor fellow, his accident has made him
weak."

Mary flushed up in her agony and indignation, for it was as if her
father had accused her of untruthfulness; but an imploring look from her
mother, just as she was going to speak, silenced her, and she suffered
to herself till her father had gone, and then indignantly declared that
John Grange was incapable of telling a lie.

The trouble was discussed too pretty largely at old Hannah's cottage,
where Tummus's wife gave it as her opinion that it was "one of they
dratted cats." They was always breaking something, and if the truth was
known it was "the missus's Prusshun Tom, as she allers called Shah."

"I don't want to accuse anybody," said John Grange sadly, as he sat with
a piteous look in his blank eyes; "but I'm afraid one of the servants
must have stumbled up against the stand, and was then afraid to speak."

"Burr-urr!" growled old Tummus, who was devouring his late meal--a meat
tea, the solid part consisting of a great hunch of bread and upon it a
large piece of cold boiled, streaky, salt pork.

"Don't make noises like that at the table, Tummus," said his wife.
"What will Mr Grange think of you?"

"Only said `Burr-urr!'" grumbled old Tummus.

"Well, you shouldn't; and I do wish you would use the proper knife and
fork like a Christian, and keep your pork on your plate."

"This here's quite sharp enough, missus," said the old man, cutting the
piece of pork with the blade of his great pruning-knife, and
re-arranging the piece under his perfectly clean but dirty-looking,
garden-stained thumb.

"But it looks so bad, cutting like that; and how do we know what you
used that knife for last."

"Well, Muster John Grange can't see, can he?"

"No, no, I cannot see, man," said Grange sadly. "Go on in your own way
as if I were not here."

"Burr-urr!" growled old Tummus again.

"Why, what is the matter with the man?" cried his wife. "Have you not
meat enough?"

"Aye, it's right enow. I was only thinking about them orchards. I
know."

"Know what?" said his wife.

"Who done it. I see him go there and come away."

"What?" cried John Grange excitedly, as he turned his eyes towards the
old gard