scent of the sweetbriar everywhere and the
April sunshine over every growing thing. She was a great help and
comfort. He felt her encouraging smiles and words to be like wine and
music, and when they sat down to dinner together, they were a wonder to
their household. They did not speak of the closed mill and they did not
look like people who expected a hard and sorrowful time.

"They hev a bit o' money laid by for theirsens," said the selfish who
judged others out of their own hearts; but the majority answered
quickly, "Not they! Not a farthing! Hatton hes spent his last shilling
to keep Hatton mill going, and how he is going to open it when peace
comes caps everyone who can add this and that together."

The first week of idleness was not the worst. John and Greenwood found
plenty to do among the idle looms, but after all repairs and alterations
had been completed, then John felt the stress of hours that had no
regular daily task. For the first time in his life his household saw him
irritable. He spoke impatiently and did not know it until the words were
beyond recall. Jane had at such times a new feeling about her husband.
She began to wonder how she could bear it if he were always "so short
and dictatorial." She concluded that it must be his mill way. "But I am
not going to have it brought into my house," she thought. "Poor John! He
must be suffering to be so still and yet so cross."

One day she went to Harlow House to see her mother and she spoke to her
about John's crossness. Then she found that John had Mrs. Harlow's
thorough sympathy.

"Think of the thousands of pounds he has lost, Jane. For my part I
wonder he has a temper of any kind left; and all those families on his
hands, as it were. I am sure it is no wonder he is cross at times. Your
father would not have been to live with at all."

"I hope you have not lost much, mother."

"O Jane, how could I help losing? Well then, I have been glad I could
give. When hungry children _look_ at you, they do not need to speak. My
God, Jane! You must have seen that look--if it was in Martha's eyes----"

Jane caught her breath with a cry, "O mother! Mother! Do not say such
words! I should die!"

"Yes. Many mothers did die. It was like a knife in their heart. When did
you see John's mother?"

"The day the children came from Metwold."

"Did you speak to her?"

"No."

"Why not? She has been kind to me."

"You have given her milk for the children, I suppose."