"Then our Jephthah is a great man?"

"You may say that--a bigger man than the squire at Elmwood, or at Leigh
I can tell you. Only I would give all that bare mountain and bog, full
of wild, Popish, red-haired kernes for twenty yards in a tidy street at
Bristol, with decent godly folk around me. Murdering or being murdered,
I have marvelled more than once whether the men of Israel were as sick
of it in Canaan as I was at Drogheda, but the cry ever was, 'Be not
slack in the work.' But I will bring you Jephthah's letter. He could not
write when he went off, but he could not be a serjeant without, so we
taught him--I and Corporal Faith-Wins."

Jephthah's handwriting was of a bold description doing honour to his
tutors, but the letter was very brief, though to the purpose--

"Dear Brothers and Sisters,

"This is to do you, to wit, that by the grace of Heaven on my poor
endeavours I am come to high preferment. A goodly spoil hath fallen
unto me, namely, the castle and lands of Ballyshea, and therewith
the daughter of the owner, deceased, by name Ellen Roche, whom I have
espoused in marriage, and am bringing to the light of truth. I have
castle, lands, flocks and herds, men-servants and maid-servants in
abundance, and I give thanks to Him who hath rewarded His servant.

"Therefore I wholly resign to you, my brethren, Steadfast and Benoni,
any rights of heirship that may be mine in respect of the farmstead of
Elmwood, and will never, neither I nor my heirs, trouble you about it
further. Yet if Ben, or my sisters Patience and Jerusha, be willing to
cross over to me in this land of promise they shall be kindly welcome,
and I shall find how to bestow them well in marriage. Mine old comrade,
Seth Coleman, will tell them how to reach the Castle of Ballyshea, and
how to find safe convoy, and tell you more of the estate wherewith it
has pleased Heaven to reward my poor services.

"And so commending you to His holy keeping, no more from your loving
brother,

"JEPHTHAH KENTON."

The spelling of this was queer, even according to the ways of the time,
but it was not hard to understand, and it might well fill Steadfast with
amazement.

He longed to share the tidings with Emlyn, but he did not feel as if it
would be right to let anyone hear before Patience. Only as he went back
and called again at Mrs. Lightfoot's for his basket, she asked
whether he had found Seth Coleman, and if his brother had come to such
preferment as