make the laws;
and they'll never make any laws to limit their own powers over us,
though always quick enough to increase them. Job says that the only
bright side to a revolution would be that the law and the lawyers would
be swept into the street orderly bin together. Then we'd start clean and
free, and try to keep clean and free."

Upon this subject Mrs. Legg always found plenty to say. Indeed she
continued to open her mind till they grew weary.

"We must be moving if we're going to church," said Sarah. "I think we'd
better go and pick up a bit of charity to our neighbour--Sunday and
all."

CHAPTER XVI

THE OFFER OF MARRIAGE

Raymond met Estelle on his way from the works and together they walked
home. Here and there in the cottage doorways sat women braiding. Among
them was Sally Groves--now grown too old and slow to tend the
'Card'--and accident willed that she should make an opening for thoughts
that now filled Ironsyde's mind. They stopped, for Sally was an old
acquaintance of both, and Estelle valued the big woman for her resolute
character and shrewd sense. Now Sally, on strength of long-standing
friendship, grew personal. It was an ancient joke to chaff Miss Groves
about marriage, but to-day, when Raymond asked if the net she made was
to catch a husband, Sally retorted with spirit.

"All very fine for you two to be poking fun at me," she said. "But what
about you? It's time you made up your minds I'm sure, for everybody
knows you're in love with each other--though you don't yourselves
seemingly."

"Give us a lead, Sally," suggested Raymond; but she shook her head.

"You're old enough to know your own business," she answered; "but don't
you go lecturing other people about matrimony while you're a bachelor
yourself--else you'll get the worst of it--as you have now."

They left her and laughed together.

"Yet I've heard you say she was the most sensible woman that ever worked
in the mills," argued Raymond.

Estelle made no direct reply, but spoke of Sally in the past at one of
her parties, when the staff took holiday and spent a day at Weymouth.

Their conversation faded before they reached North Hill House, and then,
as they entered the drive, Raymond reminded Estelle of a time long
vanished and an expedition taken when she was a child.

"Talking of good things, d'you remember our walk to Chilcombe in the
year one? Or, to be more exact, when you were in short frocks."

"I remember well en