Year: 1866

went on with her ironing or her cooking as
if he were not there. She had some sort o.
soothing influence over him, however
though she did not know it if she stayed
long away he grew restless and uneasy
He said he was too i'll to take to keeping
again, even if there had been a place va
cant, Altogether it was hardly possible tc
recognize the high-spirited, overbearing
Ralph in the silent, almost sullen, depress-
ed man. Rachel was surprised that peo
! pie did not remark it, but he exerted him.
self more in public, and emotions are not
delicately noted in village life.


AS for the murder, " it were long time
ago ; it warn't their business. The man
were none of theirs, and Ralph was and
most like he knew naught about it. He
had brought his ship papers sll right home
with him, which everybody might zee y;
and so the matter dr. ppcd.


And soon a rumOr arose that Maurice
was dead, no one could say how or when,
but Rachel utterly refused to believe it
Leverton went on coming, and the old man
consulted him about everything he seem
ed to grow more cheerful as Rachel grew
more dispirited. At last, after some weeks,
she was struggling on windy day with
some drying clothes, when he came out and
helped her


" Ye work too hard, Rachel l wish ye'd
let me help ye. wish yed let me help ye
through life ; the thought o ye has been
WI me all these weary days. Why won't
ye hearken what hae to say 2"


20 Leverton" she answered, wrenching
her hand away from him, how can ye?
feel as good as married to Maurice, and I'll
never forsake him." "But if he's dead ?"
said Leverton, sadly. "He be MT dead |
dunna believe it. shall ha' him back a.
gain wanna b'lieve it."


Leverton set his teeth and went back in
to the house without a word. Still he came
as before the old man, apparently out of
sheer contradiction, seemed as if he could
not do without him, and Leverton took it
all Ill good part.


He made no way with Rachel, but she
grew used to seeing him there, and, buried
in her own thoughts, hardly seemed aware
when he was by. He went on with pa
tience and perseverance, which in better
cause would have been beyond praise, to
save her and help her with her grandfather
to ward off trouble and anxiety and she
could not but be grateful to him when he
turned off scolding from the fierce and
sullen old man, and advised him always, as
Rachel saw, wisely and well.


The Forest has long been a favorite
haunt of gypsies, and the pale blue smoke
of their encampments is often seen among
its grassy glades. Up one of these went
Leverton in search, not for the first time, of
the old gypsy grandam of the tribe, who
was held in fear and awe by the whole
neighborhood. The tents, with their COM
plement Of carts and horses, were pitched
in an open space where weird old pollard
oaks, covered with the long gray lichen
which waves like hair in the wind, fringed
gravel-bank which shut out the wind "a
little stream ran below. An iron pot, slung
on crossed sticks, hung over a small fire
the old woman, with red handkerchief tied
over her grZzled elf-locks, that protruded
from under it, sat and stirred. There was
pleasant SAVIOR Of savory meat, which
was probably not the case with the stew of
the witches whom she resembled but she
looked like Fate as she lifted up her fimy
black eyes on him. well, mother, here |
am again"


And what do ye want, with me, Ralph
Leverton No good I'll be bound ye
won't get that, with yer years, Pm think
ing"


Nobody can't say as it's bad this time
| want to be married" She looked at him
with her piercing eyes, but said nothing.
She'd marry me, believe, now, but that's
she tied herself to that poor crettur Mau-
rice Lovel, and he's dead | know he's
dead" he repeated, vehemently.


And that's what you want me to incense
her vii" answered the woman, with a sort
of s,vage laugh, and raising herself with
a long stick you as makes yer bed on
better mems graves. Not bad Howev-
er," she added, for it is pleasant to indulge
your sharp tongue. and your love of gain
at once, "pay for yer merchandise, and get
gone WI yer"


A few days after, Rachel had gone on
one of her rare expeditions to the little
market-town. He grandfather was ailing,
and she was late in setting out the long
June twilight Of close, hot day had set
in as she took short cut across the forest,
and she sat down weariy by sort of ford
where the gravel had been washed away
| from the roots of the fantastic old beech,
trees, and bathed her hands and face in the
little stream, which made pleasant ripple
among the stones. Presently she heard the
dull tread Of horse on the sward in the
still evening, and she drew back among the
holly-bushes, for it was lonely place, and
she did not want to be seen. A man on a
bare-backed horse passed close beside her
and was turning his head over his shoulder
as if to see whether he were followed


He was so near that, though the light
was fast fading, she recognized him as a
loose sort of fellow who belonged to the
parish, but had no regular work, and made
his bread as he could What was he doing
with Farmer Bakers horse which she
knew also, because Leverton had been dis
cussing it with her father. Both horse anC
man, however, disappeared quickly ovel
the hill, and Rahcel went on. She made hel
way back to the road as fast as she could
for she did not like the encounter AS she
came, however, to the turn which led up tt
her grandfather's the old hag who was al
ways called Queen of the Gypsies barred
the way. She was standing in an ope1
glade, under an arch of green boughs, will
her scarlet cloak and a staff in her hand
There is curious love of stage effect il
the race they are born actors. There
seems to be no absolute truth in words fo
them they are only used relatively TO pro