b till the end of the world afore he gets
peace, no doubt, and them with ears to hear, may oft listen to a sound in
the water like the rattling of a loom to this day; but 'tis no more than
that poor devil-dog of a Knowles at his endless task."

Millicent poured the old man another cup of tea and Parsloe went to work
and Wade applauded the tale-teller.

"A very fine yarn, uncle," he said, "and I'm glad to know the rights of
it; and if the Hound brings luck, I hope I'll see him."

"More would see him if faith was there," answered old Belchamber. "But
where do you find faith in these days? For all I can see the childer
taught in school don't believe in nothing on earth but themselves. In
fact, you may say a bald head be a figure of scorn to 'em, same as it was
in the prophet's time."

"Youth will run to youth, like water to the sea," said Harry Wade. "But a
very fine tale, master, and I hope I may be the next to meet thicky ghost
Hound I'm sure."

"You've had your luck, Mr. Wade, by all accounts," laughed Millicent, but
the returned native was doubtful. They chatted and he told 'em some of his
adventures and how, at the last gasp, prospecting along with two other
men, they had found a bit of gold at last.

"Not any too much for three, however," said Harry; "but enough for a
simple customer like me. They say lucky in life unlucky in love; but I
much hope I haven't been too lucky in life to spoil my chance of a
home-grown partner."

Mr. Belchamber departed then, because he was rather tired after his tale,
but Harry stopped on, because Mrs. Meadow had took a liking to his talk
and found he'd got a very civil way with old women. He'd listen to her
and, as she loved to chatter, though she'd got nothing whatever to say, as
so often happens with the great talkers, his attention pleased her and she
asked him if he'd bide to supper. And Millicent liked him also, being
drawn to the man by his account of great hardships and perils borne with
bravery; for though Harry wasn't the hero of his own tales no more than
his mates had been, yet he had gone through an amazing lot and done some
bold and clever things. And the girl, being one of the timid sort, liked
to hear of the courage of a man, as they will. Wade was an open speaker,
and had no secrets from 'em. He confessed that he'd got a clear four
hundred pounds a year out of his battle with life.

"Not much for what I endured," he said, "yet a lot more than many poor
chaps, wh