te exhausted, and asked for a slight contribution "to help
a deed of charity," there was a general rush towards him.

"No--no, my good people," said Mr. Charles, recovering his natural
manner, though a little clouded, I thought, by a faint shade of
remorse; "no, I will not take from any one more than a penny; and then
only if they are quite sure they can spare it. Thank you, my worthy
man. Thanks, my bonny young lass--I hope your sweetheart will soon be
back from the wars. Thank you all, my 'very worthy and approved good
masters,' and a fair harvest to you!"

He bowed them away, in a dignified and graceful manner, still standing
on the hay-cart. The honest folk trooped off, having no more time to
waste, and left the field in possession of Mr. Charles, his co-mate,
and ourselves; whom I do not think he had as yet noticed.

He descended from the cart. His companion burst into roars of
laughter; but Charles looked grave.

"Poor, honest souls!" said he, wiping his brows--I am not sure that it
was only his brows--"Hang me if I'll be at this trick again, Yates."

"It was a trick then, sir," said John, advancing. "I am sorry for it."

"So am I, young man," returned the other, no way disconcerted; indeed,
he seemed a person whose frank temper nothing could disconcert. "But
starvation is--excuse me,--unpleasant; and necessity has no law. It is
of vital consequence that I should reach Coltham to-night; and after
walking twenty miles one cannot easily walk ten more, and afterwards
appear as Macbeth to an admiring audience."

"You are an actor?"

"I am, please your worship--

'A poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is seen no more.'"

There was inexpressible pathos in his tone, and his fine face looked
thin and worn--it did not take much to soften both John's feelings and
mine towards the "poor player." Besides, we had lately been studying
Shakspeare, who for the first time of reading generally sends all young
people tragedy-mad.

"You acted well to-day," said John; "all the folk here took you for a
methodist preacher."

"Yet I never meddled with theology--only common morality. You cannot
say I did."

John thought a moment, and then answered--

"No. But what put the scheme into your head?"

"The fact that, under a like necessity, the same amusing play was
played out here years ago, as I told you, by John Philip--no, I will
not conceal his name, t