emed rather to take pride
in showing what a debonair young fellow he was, in glowing kindly
upon his handsome face and strong, graceful figure, and touching up to
greater brightness his bright hair.

The face was one to be remembered with a sentiment approaching gratitude
for the mere existence of such genial and unspoiled good looks, but
the voice that addressed the men was one to be loved, and loved without
stint, it was so clear and light-hearted and frank.

"Boys," said he, "good-evening to you. Evans, if you could spare me a
minute"--

Evans rose at once.

"I'll speak to _him_," he said to the lad at his side. "His word will
go further with Lancashire Jack than mine would." He went to the horse's
side, and stood there for a few minutes talking in an undertone, and
then he turned to the stranger and beckoned. "Come here," he said.

The lad took up his bundle and obeyed the summons, advancing with an
awkward almost stumbling step, suggestive of actual weakness as well
as the extremity of shyness. Reaching the two men, he touched his cap
humbly, and stood with timorous eyes upraised to the young man's face.

Langley met his glance with a somewhat puzzled look, which presently
passed away in a light laugh. "I'm trying to remember who you are, my
lad," he said, "but I shall be obliged to give it up. I know your face,
I think, but I have no recollection of your name. I dare say I have seen
you often enough. You came from Deepton, Evans tells me."

"Ay, mester, fro' Deepton."

"A long journey for a lad like you to take alone," with inward pity for
the heavy face.

"Ay, mester."

"And now you want work?"

"If you please, mester."

"Well, well!" cheerily, "we will give it to you. There's work enough,
though it isn't such as you had at Deepton. What is your name?"

"Seth, mester--Seth Raynor," shifting the stick and bundle in uneasy
eagerness from one shoulder to another. "An' I'm used to hard work,
mester. It wur na easy work we had at th' Deepton mine, an' I'm stronger
than I look. It's th' faggedness as makes me trembly--an' hunger."

"Hunger?"

"I ha' not tasted sin' th' neet afore last," shamefacedly. "I hadna th'
money to buy, an' it seemt loike I could howd out."

"Hold out!" echoed Langley in some excitement. "That's a poor business,
my lad. Here, come with me. The other matter can wait, Evans."

The downcast face and ungainly figure troubled him in no slight degree
as they moved off together, t