work, or go and tell
your story, at the Rectory?"

"Try for work there! No, I never went arter work there."

Tom went on without noticing the change in Harry's tone and
manner--

"Then I think you ought to have gone. I know my cousin, Miss
Winter, is so anxious to help any man out of work, and
particularly you; for--" The whole story of Patty flashed into
his mind, and made him stop short and stammer, and look anywhere
except at Harry. How he could have forgotten it for a moment in
that company was a wonder. All his questioning and patronizing
powers went out of him and he felt that their positions were
changed, and that he was the culprit. It was clear that Harry
knew nothing yet of his own relations with Patty. Did he even
suspect them? It must all come out now at any rate, for both
their sakes, however it might end. So he turned again, and met
Harry's eye, which was now cold and keen, and suspicious.

"You knows all about it, then?"

"Yes; I know that you have been attached to Simon's daughter for
a long time, and that he is against it; I wish I could help you,
with all my heart. In fact, I did feel my way towards speaking to
him about it last year, when I was in hopes of getting you the
gardener's place. But I could see that I should do no good."

"I've heard say as you was acquainted with her, when she was
away?"

"Yes, I was, when she was with her aunt in Oxford. What then?"

"'Twas there as she larnt her bad ways."

"Bad ways! What do you mean?"

"I means as she larnt to dress fine, and to gee herself airs to
them as she'd known from a child, and as'd ha' gone through fire
to please her."

"I never saw anything of the kind in her. She was a pleasant,
lively girl, and dressed neatly, but never above her station. And
I'm sure she has too good a heart to hurt an old friend."

"Wut made her keep shut up in the house when she cum back? ah,
for days and weeks;--and arter that, wut made her so flighty and
fickle? carryin' herself as proud as a lady a mincin' and a
trapesin' along, wi' all the young farmer's a follerin' her, like
a fine gentleman's miss."

"Come, Harry, I won't listen to that. You don't believe what
you're saying, you know her better."

"You knows her well enough by all seeming."

"I know her too well to believe any harm of her."

"What call have you and the likes o' you wi' her? 'Tis no good
comes o' such company keepin'."

"I tell you again, no harm has come of it to her."

"