screen me. Besides, I
cannot spare you. I have few friends, and I should be badly off indeed
if the one who has proved himself the truest and best were to leave
me. I am going to carry on the mill, and I must have your help. I have
relied upon you to stand by me, and you must be the foreman of your
department. Come, Luke, you must say you forgive Polly for opening my
eyes just a little sooner than they would otherwise have been to the
sacrifice you wanted to make for me."

Luke, who was sorely shaken by Mary's pitiful sobs, could resist no
longer, but opened his arms, and the girl ran into them.

"There, there," he said, "don't ee go on a crying, girl; thou hasn't
done no wrong, vor indeed it must have seemed to thee flying in the face
of natur to go away wi' out saying goodby to Maister Ned. Well, sir,
oi be main sorry as it has turned out so. Oi should ha' loiked to ha'
cleared thee; but if thou won't have it oi caan't help it. Oi think thou
beest wrong, but thou know'st best."

"Never mind, Luke, I shall be cleared in time, I trust," Ned said. "I
am going down to the mill tomorrow for the first time, and shall see
you there. You have done me good, Luke. It is well, indeed, for a man to
know that he has such a friend as you have proved yourself to be."

CHAPTER XVII: A LONELY LIFE

The machinery had not started since the death of Mr. Mulready, the
foreman having received several letters threatening his life if he
ventured to use the new machinery; and the works had therefore been
carried on on their old basis until something was settled as to their
future management.

The first few days after his return Ned spent his time in going
carefully through the books with the clerk, and in making himself
thoroughly acquainted with the financial part of the business. He was
assisted by Mr. Porson, who came every evening to the house, and went
through the accounts with him. The foreman and the men in charge of the
different rooms were asked to give their opinion as to whether it was
possible to reduce expenses in any way, but they were unanimous in
saying that this could not be done. The pay was at present lower than in
any other mill in the district, and every item of expenditure had been
kept down by Mr. Mulready to the lowest point.

"It is clear," Ned said at last, "that if the mill is to be kept on we
must use the new machinery. I was afraid it would be so, or he would
never have taken to it and risked his