“I think a man like that is very much of a man.  I shall make it my business to know him.  But what has my brother to do with either Mister or Miss Lugur?”

“Mr. Henry hes been doing just what Lord Thirsk did; he has been sending Lucy Lugur flowers and for anything I know, letters.  At any rate I saw them together in Mr. Henry’s phaeton on the Lancashire road at ten o’clock in the morning.  I was going to Shillingworth’s factory, and I stayed there an hour, and as I came back to Hatton, Mr. Henry was just leaving her at Lugur’s house door.”

“Where do they live?”

“In Byle’s cottage at the top of the Brow.”

“That was quite out of your way, Jonathan.”

“I know it was.  I took that road on purpose.  I guessed the little woman was out with Mr. Henry, because she knew between ten and eleven o’clock her father was safe in t’ schoolroom.  Well, I saw Mr. Henry leave her at her own door, and though I doan’t believe one-half that I hear, I can trust my own eyes even if I hevn’t my spectacles on.  And I doan’t bother my head about other men’s daughters and sweethearts, but Mr. Henry is a bit different.  I loved and served his father.  I love and serve his brother, and t’ young man himself is very easy to love.”

John was silent, and Jonathan continued, “I knew I was interfering, but—­”

“You were doing your duty.  I would thank you for it, but a man that serves Duty gets his wages in the service—­and is satisfied.”

Jonathan only nodded his head in assent, but there was the pleasant light of accepted favor on his face and he really felt much relieved when John added, “I will have a talk with my brother when he comes home about the Naylors and Miss Lugur.  You can dismiss the subject from your mind.  I’m sure you have plenty to worry you with the mill and its workers.”

“I hev, sir, that I hev, and all the more because Lucius Yorke hes been here while you were away and he left a promise with the lads and lassies to come again and give you a bit of his mind when you bed finished your laking and larking and could at least frame yourself to watch the men and women working for you.  Yorke is a sly one—­you ought to watch him.”

John smiled, dropped his eyes, and began to turn his paper-knife about.  “Well, Jonathan,” he answered, “when Yorke comes, tell him John Hatton will be pleased to know his mind.  I do not think, Jonathan, that he knows it himself, for I have noticed that he has turned his back on his own words several times since he gave me his mind a year ago.”

“Well, sir, a man’s mind can grow, just as his body grows.”

“I know that—­but it can grow in a wrong direction as easily as in a right one.  Now I must attend to my secretary; he sent me word that there was a large mail waiting.”

“I’ll warrant it.  Mr. Henry hesn’t been near the mill since Friday morning,” and with these words the overseer lifted his books and records and left the room.