; and that kind man, who knew his story, had eased his
fears and obtained from him a promise to return as soon as the term of
his engagement had expired. And there he was.

The Dalesmen gathered round the boy, listening to his tale, and in
return telling him the home news, and chaffing him about Maggie.

Of all the people present, only one seemed unmoved, and that was M'Adam.
When first David had entered he had started forward, a flush of color
warming his thin cheeks; but no one had noticed his emotion; and now,
back again beneath his armor, he watched the scene, a sour smile playing
about his lips.

"I think the lad might ha' the grace to come and say he's sorry for
'temptin' to murder me. Hooiver"--with a characteristic shrug--"I
suppose I'm onraisonable."

Then the gong rang out its summons, and the squire led the way into the
great dining-hall. At the one end of the long table, heavy with all the
solid delicacies of such a feast, he took his seat with the Master of
Kenmuir upon his right. At the other end was Parson Leggy. While down
the sides the stalwart Dalesmen were arrayed, with M'Adam a little lost
figure in the centre.

At first they talked but little, awed like children: knives plied,
glasses tinkled, the carvers had all their work, only the tongues were
at rest. But the squire's ringing laugh and the parson's cheery tones
soon put them at their ease; and a babel of voices rose and waxed.

Of them all, only M'Adam sat silent. He talked to no man, and you may
be sure no one talked to him. His hand crept oftener to his glass than
plate, till the sallow face began to flush, and the dim eyes to grow
unnaturally bright.

Toward the end of the meal there was loud tapping on the table, calls
for silence, and men pushed back their chairs. The squire was on his
feet to make his annual speech.

He started by telling them how glad he was to see them there. He made
an allusion to Owd Bob and the Shepherds' Trophy which was heartily
applauded. He touched on the Black Killer, and said he had a remedy
to propose: that Th' Owd Un should be set upon the criminal's track--a
suggestion which was received with enthusiasm, while M'Adam's cackling
laugh could be heard high above the rest.

From that he dwelt upon the existing condition of agriculture, the
depression in which he attributed to the late Radical Government. He
said that now with the Conservatives in office, and a ministry composed
of "honorable men and ge