e was, indeed, a clear loss upon
every yard of cloth so made, as it had, of course, to be sold at the
lower prices which machinery had brought about; still the profits
from the mill itself were large enough to bear the drain, and means
of support would be given to a large number of families throughout the
winter. Ned told Dr. Green what he had done.

"You see, doctor," he said, "this is altogether beyond your province.
You and Mr. Lovejoy appointed me, as the senior representative of the
family, to manage the mill. Of course I can manage it in my own way, and
as long as the profits are sufficient to keep us in the position we have
hitherto occupied I don't see that you have any reason to grumble."

"You are as obstinate as a mule, Ned," the doctor said, smiling; "but I
am glad enough to let you have your way so long as it is not clearly
my duty to thwart you; and indeed I don't know how those poor people at
Varley and at some of the other villages would get through the winter
without some such help."

"I am very glad I hit upon the plan. I got Luke Marner to draw up a list
of all the men who had families depending upon them; but indeed I
find that I have been able to set pretty nearly all the looms in the
neighborhood at work, and of course that will give employment to the
spinners and croppers. I have made a close calculation, and find that
with the profit the mill is making I shall just be able to clear our
household expenses this winter, after selling at a loss all the cloth
that can be made in the looms round."

"At any rate, Ned," the doctor said, "your plan will be a relief to
me in one way. Hitherto I have never gone to bed at night without an
expectation of being awakened with the news that you have been shot on
your way out to the mill at night. The fellows you frightened away last
month must have a strong grudge against you in addition to their enmity
against you as an employer. You will be safe enough in future, and can
leave the mill to take care of itself at night if you like. You will
have the blessings of all the poor fellows in the neighborhood, and may
henceforth go where you will by night or day without the slightest risk
of danger."

"You are right, no doubt," Ned said, "though that did not enter my mind.
When I took the step my only fear was that by helping them for a time
I might be injuring them in the future. Hand weaving, spinning, and
cropping are doomed. Nothing can save them, and the soon