ence, and Sarah scarcely recognised her
father's voice when he said, 'Thank God, my credit's saved! I don't
deserve such children; but you take after your mother, and she's brought
you up right. I've been a hard man, and I'd have been your ruin if you
hadn't prevented it.' Then he shut his eyes, only to open them and say,
'Tell the hands I'm glad they've come back;' and with a sigh he went off
into a refreshing sleep.

'And, oh George! he was so different, so humble and gentle. It did make
me feel so ashamed of myself,' cried Sarah to her brother when he came in
to lunch.

'I'm glad to hear it. It's about time you were,' announced George.

'You needn't say that now,' said Sarah, 'just when everything is going
all right.'

'I don't know that everything is going all right; in fact, I'm rather
glad I did not come in time to talk to father, for I should not have
given such a glowing account of everything as you have,' he remarked.

'You are dreadfully pessimistic. Of course there are ups and downs in
business; it's only that you are not used to it,' insisted Sarah.

'It's mostly downs at present unfortunately,' said George; and he was to
repeat the remark only too often in the weeks that followed.

CHAPTER XXIX.

'A MIRACLE.'

It was some weeks after the events related in the last chapter, and
George was looking years older, so his mother told him.

'Nay, lad, you must let me help you,' said Mr Howroyd. 'I've a few
thousands lying idle, and you'll want them to keep the mills going for
the next few weeks.'

'Do you mean to say it costs a thousand a week to keep the mills going?'
cried Sarah.

'It does that, lass, and I hear you've no orders coming in,' replied her
uncle.

'Then what's the good of their doing work if no one will buy it?' said
Sarah, whose enthusiasm had died out, and who was now as pessimistic as
her brother.

'Have it done ready for buyers. We often have to fill our warehouses in
bad times till we can find a market for our goods; and as George won't go
and ask for orders'----began his uncle.

'I really could not, Uncle Howroyd. I should feel like a beggar,'
protested George.

'Then you must sit here and wait till buyers come; it's only a case of
holding out long enough. Hurst is a good man, and a first-rate manager. I
don't know why the buyers have left you. I'm afraid it's some mischief
that's been made over the trial of the young men for firing the house,
and their heavy sente