over old prejudices.

Then all became very misty and strange; and to his blurred eyesight it
seemed as if Mrs Hexton's grey stocking-covered hand got itself mixed
up with her head, and her head appeared to be mixed up with the copper
kettle on the hob, and then it was his wife who was singing like the
tea-kettle, and then all was blank till he started up wide awake, for
there was a noise at the door, and Mrs Hexton immediately began to make
the tea.

"Have I been asleep, mother?" said Mr Hexton. "Hallo, Phil! back
again?"

"Why, father--mother!" exclaimed the young man, "why haven't you both
gone to bed?"

"I thought you'd find a cup of tea so refreshing," said the old lady
briskly; and, waiting till it had stood long enough, she poured out a
cup, placed a pair of slippers a little more in front of the fire, her
work in a basket, and ended by kissing her son and saying good-night.

He followed her to the door, where she laughingly turned round and bade
Mr Hexton make haste up, kissed her son once more, and left him with
his father.

"Nice to be you, Phil," said the latter. "Oh, she has left out two
cups! I'll have a cup of tea with you."

This he took, and then, as father and son sat together, the latter was
the first to speak.

"I've had rather a scene to-night, father," he said.

"Scene! What! Not an accident?" said Mr Hexton, nearly upsetting his
tea in his excitement.

"No, father, no accident; but the pit was so foul to-night that I
believe if I had not interfered the place would have fired."

"They will do it, Phil; they will do it," said Mr Hexton, as soon as
his son had finished his narration. "I've tried all I know to stop it,
but they'll run any risk, especially if they've tried the same thing
before without accident."

"Yes, I see that," said Philip. "It is so hard to make them see that
there is danger at one time that does not exist at another."

"Exactly," said the elder seriously. "But I'm very sorry about that
fellow Parks. He's a spiteful and dangerous man. I don't like his
owing you a grudge."

"I'm not afraid, father," said Philip. "I've right on my side. I
believe, too, that he is a great coward."

"Maybe," said Mr Hexton thoughtfully; "but still I would much rather it
had not happened. Bother the fellows! it does seem hard; we are always
striving to give them the means of working in safety, and in return they
fly in your face."

"We'll forgive them that, father," s