risk of debt or of privations for her delicate children; but she also knew that though he had not experience, education had given him a wider and clearer range of thought; and that, as her pastor, he ought to be consulted; so though she did not exactly mean to make it a matter for his decision (unless, indeed, he should have some view which had not occurred to her), she knew that he was by far the best person to help her to see her way, and form her own judgment.

Mr. Cope heard all the story with as much eagerness as the Ragglesford boys themselves, and laughed quite out loud at Harold’s spirited defence.

‘That’s a good lad!’ said he.  ’Well, Mrs. King, I don’t think you need be very uneasy about your boy.  When a fellow can stand up like that in defence of his duty, there must be the right stuff in him to be got at in time!  And now, as to his ally—­this other poor fellow—­ very kind of you to have taken him in.’

‘I couldn’t do no other, Sir,’ said Mrs. King; ’he came in so drenched, and so terribly bad, I could do nothing but let him lie down on Harold’s bed; and now Dr. Blunt thinks he’s going to have a rheumatic fever, and wanted me to send in to the relieving officer, to have him removed, but I don’t know how to do that; the poor lad doesn’t say one word against it, but I can see it cuts him to the heart; and they do tell such stories of the nurses at the Union, that it does seem hard to send him there, such an innocent boy, too, and one that doesn’t seem to know how to believe it if one says a kind word to him.’  The tears were in Mrs. King’s eyes as she went on:  ’I do wish to let him stay here and do what I can for him, with all my heart, and so does all the children, but I don’t hardly know what’s right by them, poor things.  If the parish would but allow him just one shilling and sixpence a week out of the house, I think I could do it.’

’What, with your own boy in such a state, you could undertake to nurse a stranger through a rheumatic fever!’

‘It wouldn’t make much difference, Sir,’ said Mrs. King.  ’You see I am up a good deal most nights with Alfred, and we have fire and candle almost always alight.  I should only be glad to do it for a poor motherless lad like that, except for the cost; and I thought perhaps if you could speak to the Guardians, they might allow him ever so little, because there will be expenses.’

Mr. Cope had not much hope from the parish, so he said, ’Mr. Shepherd ought to do something for him after he has worked for him so long.  He has been looking wretchedly ill for some time past; and I dare say half this illness is brought on by such lodging and living as he got there.  But what did you say about some eggs?’

Mrs. King told him; and he stood a moment thoughtful, then said, ‘Well, I’ll go and see about it,’ and strode across to the farm.

When Mr. Cope came back, Ellen was serving a customer.  He stood looking redder than they had ever seen him, and tapping the toe of his boot impatiently with his stick; and the moment the buyer had turned away, he said, ’Ellen, ask your mother to be kind enough to come down.’