vian origin. His eye was a
little wandering and absent, and the ragged gray whiskers which
surrounded his countenance emphasized the slight incoherence of its
expression. Quiet he was and looked. But his wife knew him for one of
the most incurably obstinate of men; the inveterate critic moreover of
everything and every one about him, beginning with herself. This trait of
his led her unconsciously to throw most of her remarks to him into the
form of questions, as offering less target to criticism than other forms
of statement. As for instance:

"Tammas, did yo' hear me say what I'd gotten from Mr. Tyson?"

"Aye."

"That the mistress was an Eye-talian."

"Aye--by the mother--an' popish, besides."

Mrs. Dixon sighed.

"How far 'ull it be to t' chapel at Scargill Fell?"

"Nine mile. She'll not be for takkin' much notice of her Sunday dooties
I'm thinkin'."

"An' yo' unnerstan' she'll be juist a yoong thing? An't' baby only juist
walkin'."

Dixon nodded. Suddenly there was a sound in the corridor--a girl's laugh,
and a rush of feet. Thomas started slightly, and his wife observed him as
sharply as the dim light permitted.

"Thyrza!" she raised her voice peremptorily. "What are you doing there?"

Another laugh, and the girl from whom it came ran forward into the
lamp-light, threading her way through the packing-cases, and followed by
a small fox-terrier who was jumping round her.

"Doin'? There's nowt more to do as I know on. An' I'm most droppin'."

So saying the girl jumped lightly on one of the larger packing-cases and
sat there, her feet dangling.

Mrs. Dixon looked at her with disapproval, but held her tongue. Thyrza
was not strictly her underling, though she was helping in the housework.
She was the daughter of the small farmer who had been for years the
tenant of part of the old house, and had only just been evicted in
preparation for the return of the owner of the property with his foreign
wife. If Thyrza were too much scolded she would take her ways home, and,
as her parents spoilt her, she would not be coerced into returning. And
how another "day-girl" was to be found in that remote place, where,
beyond the farm, a small house belonging to the agent, and a couple of
cottages, the nearest house to the Tower was at least three miles away,
Mrs. Dixon did not know.

"My word! what a night!" said Thyrza with another laugh a little stifled
by the sweets she had just transferred from her pocket to her mou