small household duties, but somehow differently—­I can’t tell you how, for she was just as deft and quick in her movements, only the light spring was gone out of them.  Cousin Holman began to question me; even the minister put aside his books, and came and stood on the opposite side of the fire-place, to hear what waft of intelligence I brought.  I had first to tell them why I had not been to see them for so long—­more than five weeks.  The answer was simple enough; business and the necessity of attending strictly to the orders of a new superintendent, who had not yet learned trust, much less indulgence.  The minister nodded his approval of my conduct, and said,—­ ’Right, Paul!  “Servants, obey in all things your master according to the flesh.”  I have had my fears lest you had too much licence under Edward Holdsworth.’

‘Ah,’ said cousin Holman, ’poor Mr Holdsworth, he’ll be on the salt seas by this time!’

‘No, indeed,’ said I, ’he’s landed.  I have had a letter from him from Halifax.’  Immediately a shower of questions fell thick upon me.  When?  How?  What was he doing?  How did he like it?  What sort of a voyage? &c.

’Many is the time we have thought of him when the wind was blowing so hard; the old quince-tree is blown down, Paul, that on the right-hand of the great pear-tree; it was blown down last Monday week, and it was that night that I asked the minister to pray in an especial manner for all them that went down in ships upon the great deep, and he said then, that Mr Holdsworth might be already landed; but I said, even if the prayer did not fit him, it was sure to be fitting somebody out at sea, who would need the Lord’s care.  Both Phillis and I thought he would be a month on the seas.’  Phillis began to speak, but her voice did not come rightly at first.  It was a little higher pitched than usual, when she said,—­

’We thought he would be a month if he went in a sailing-vessel, or perhaps longer.  I suppose he went in a steamer?’

’Old Obadiah Grimshaw was more than six weeks in getting to America,’ observed cousin Holman.

‘I presume he cannot as yet tell how he likes his new work?’ asked the minister.

’No! he is but just landed; it is but one page long.  I’ll read it to you, shall I?—­

’"Dear Paul,—­We are safe on shore, after a rough passage.  Thought you would like to hear this, but homeward-bound steamer is making signals for letters.  Will write again soon.  It seems a year since I left Hornby.  Longer since I was at the farm.  I have got my nosegay safe.  Remember me to the Holmans.—­Yours, E. H."’

‘That’s not much, certainly,’ said the minister.  ’But it’s a comfort to know he’s on land these blowy nights.’

Phillis said nothing.  She kept her head bent down over her work; but I don’t think she put a stitch in, while I was reading the letter.  I wondered if she understood what nosegay was meant; but I could not tell.  When next she lifted up her face, there were two spots of brilliant colour on the cheeks that had been so pale before.  After I had spent an hour or two there, I was bound to return back to Hornby.  I told them I did not know when I could come again, as we—­by which I mean the company—­had undertaken the Hensleydale line; that branch for which poor Holdsworth was surveying when he caught his fever.