trouble over past clouds when the sun shines again, madam,"
said Mrs Jane cheerily.

"I marvel what we can make of your man, when he cometh back," resumed
Mrs Lane. "If you go not now again into Somerset, you will have no
work for him to do."

"Maybe, Madam, he shall not return hither," answered her daughter.

"My cousin, Colonel Wyndham, had some notion he could find him a good
place down yonder, and I thought you would judge it best to leave the
matter to his discretion."

"Oh, very good," assented Mrs Lane. "So much the better. I would not
have the young man feel himself ill-used, when my Lord Wilmot spake so
well of him."

"There is no fear of that, I hope," replied Mrs Jane.

"O Mrs Jane! I am so thankful to hear that creature may not come back,
after all!" cried Millicent.

"Ay, Millicent, you may sleep at ease in your bed," said Mrs Jane,
looking amused. "But I marvel why you feared him thus. I found him a
right decent fellow, I can assure you."

"Then I can assure you solemnly, madam," answered Millicent, with a look
to match her words, "that is more than I did. Never can I forget the
horrid moment when I thought that nasty black creature went about to
take me by the hand. It made me feel creepy all over--faugh! I cannot
find words to tell you!"

"Pray don't trouble yourself," calmly responded Mrs Jane. "I am going
upstairs, so you need not give yourself the labour to look for them."

Before many weeks were over, Colonel Lane came one evening into the
drawing-room, to report a wonderful piece of good news.

"His Majesty hath escaped the realm!" cried he, "and is now clean over
sea to France."

"God be praised!" exclaimed his mother. "This is indeed good news."

Farmer Lavender was almost as excited as his landlord, and declared that
he would light a bonfire in the farm-yard, if he could be sure the
stacks wouldn't get alight.

"Nay, Joe, I wouldn't," said his prudent mother. "Thou can be as glad
as thou wilt, and the Parliament 'll say nought to thee; but bonfires is
bonfires, lad."

Will Jackson did not come back to Bentley, and Mrs Jane remarked in a
satisfied tone that she supposed Colonel Wyndham had found a place to
suit him.

Millicent contemptuously observed to Jenny that she wondered how Colonel
Wyndham, who was a gentleman born, could take any trouble about that
creature Jackson.

"Well, and I do too, a bit," said Jenny, "for I'm sure the Colonel did
not seem over ple