once been ejected from his house, and had disappeared from
that part of the country. Reuben was glad that they had left; for
he had long before heard that Thorne had spread the story, in
Lewes, of the poisoning of the dog. He felt, however, with their
departure all chance of his ever being righted in that matter was
at an end.

One evening in winter, when Reuben had done his work, he said to
his mother:

"I shall go over and see Mr. Shrewsbury tonight. I have not been
over for some time and, as it is not his night for a class, I am
pretty sure not to find anyone there. I told him, when I was there
last, that I would take over a few tools and fix up those shelves
for him.

"I don't suppose he will stay very much longer at Tipping. His
health is completely restored now, and even his wife admits that he
could work at his own business again. He has already been doing a
little, for some of the houses he worked for in town, so as to get
his connection back again. I expect, every time I see him, to hear
that he has made up his mind to go. He would have done it, two
years back; but his wife and the two little ones are so well that
he did not like the thought of taking them up to London, till he
was sure that his health was strong enough to stand steady work. I
shall miss them very much. He has been a good friend, indeed, to
me."

"He has indeed," Mrs. Whitney said. "I think anyhow, Reuben, you
would have got on at your trade; but you would never have been what
you are now, if it hadn't been for him. Your poor father would be
proud of you, if he could see you; and I am sure that, when you
take off that workman's suit and put on your Sunday clothes, you
look as well as if the mill had never gone wrong, and you had been
brought up as he intended you to be. Mrs. Tyler was saying only the
other day that you looked quite the gentleman, and lots of people
have said the same."

"Nonsense, mother," Reuben answered, "there is nothing of the
gentleman about me. Of course, people say things that they think
will please you, knowing that you regard me as a sort of wonder. I
hope I shall make my way some day, and the fact that I have had a
better education than most young fellows, in my position of life,
of course may make some little difference; and will, I hope, help
me to mount the ladder, when once I put my foot upon it."

But although, no doubt, Mrs. Whitney was a partial judge, her
opinion as to her son was not an incorrect o