118 Turnaside Cottage.

 

your father as that ? why, granfer says out every-
thing he thinks to me, and more’n he means, whiles.
No, your father’s a stranger to these parts, and he
keeps hisself to hisself always. Not you be afeared
for he, Reuben.” Then Tommy discovered that it
was time to be off, and scampered up the lane,
shouting back that he would soon be with me again
about the writing.

I went into the house, and had a great sweeping
down—and not before it was wanted—to keep my-
self from thinking. My father came home in good
time, and hurried me off to bed after supper. I
went up to my room, after jamming the outer
door with a stick—so that if my father turned the
key upon me, the lock would not enter its place—
and lay down in my window and watched. Dark-
ness had nearly fallen before I saw three figures
come stealthily along, and slip in at the door. Then
I rose up and threw over me an old sack that had
often served me the double purpose of greatcoat
and umbrella, for it had been wet and stormy for
several days past, which I hoped would pass for the
reason of my non-appearance at Mr. Hurst’s. I
stole down ; my plan had succeeded with the door,
which I was able to push open at once, and I took
up my post at the window. The curtain was drawn
so that I could not be seen, and a bit out at the