d to
receive much. What obedience does the lad owe who at eighteen goes
forth and earns his own bread? What is it to him that he has not yet
reached man's estate? He has to do a man's work, and the price of it
is his own, in his hands, when he has earned it. There is no curse
upon the poor heavier than that which comes from the early breach
of all ties of duty between fathers and their sons, and mothers and
their daughters.

Mr. Fenwick, as he passed out of the miller's house, saw Jacob
Brattle at the door of the mill. He was tugging along some load,
pulling it in at the door, and prevailing against the weakness of his
age by the force of his energy. The parson knew that the miller saw
him, but the miller took no notice,--looked rather as though he did
not wish to be observed,--and so the parson went on. When at home he
postponed his account of what had taken place till he should be alone
with his wife; but at night he told her the whole story.

"The long and the short of it is, Master Sam will turn to
housebreaking, if somebody doesn't get hold of him."

"To housebreaking, Frank?"

"I believe that he is about it."

"And were they going to break in here?"

"I don't think he was. I don't believe he was so minded then. But he
had shown them the way in, and they were looking about on their own
scores. Don't you frighten yourself. What with the constable and
the life-preserver, we'll be safe. I've a big dog coming, a second
Bone'm. Sam Brattle is in more danger, I fear, than the silver
forks."

But, in spite of the cheeriness of his speech, the Vicar was anxious,
and almost unhappy. After all that occurred in reference to himself
and to Sam Brattle,--their former intimacies, the fish they had
caught together, the rats they had killed together, the favour which
he, the parson of the parish, had shown to this lad, and especially
after the evil things which had been said of himself because of this
friendship on his part for one so much younger than himself, and
so much his inferior in rank,--it would be to him a most grievous
misfortune should he be called upon to acknowledge publicly Sam
Brattle's iniquity, and more grievous still, if the necessity should
be forced upon him of bringing Sam to open punishment. Fenwick knew
well that diverse accusations had been made against him in the
parish regarding Sam. The Marquis of Trowbridge had said a word. Mr.
Puddleham had said many words. The old miller himself had growled