folk:  an’ a’ a said were just “Coom along, chap, an’ fa’ to; an’ God’s blessing be on him as eats most.”  An’ sin’ that day him and me’s been as thick as thieves, only he’s niver telled me nought of who he is, or wheere he comes fra’.  But a think he’s one o’ them poor colliers, as has getten brunt i’ t’ coal-pits; for, t’ be sure, his face is a’ black wi’ fire-marks; an’ o’ late days he’s ta’en t’ his bed, an’ just lies there sighing,—­for one can hear him plain as dayleet thro’ t’ bit partition wa’.’

As a proof of this, a sigh—­almost a groan—­startled the two women at this very moment.

‘Poor fellow!’ said Sylvia, in a soft whisper.  ’There’s more sore hearts i’ t’ world than one reckons for!’ But after a while, she bethought her again of Kester’s account of his sister’s ‘softness’; and she thought that it behoved her to give some good advice.  So she added, in a sterner, harder tone—­’Still, yo’ say yo’ know nought about him; and tramps is tramps a’ t’ world over; and yo’re a widow, and it behoves yo’ to be careful.  I think I’d just send him off as soon as he’s a bit rested.  Yo’ say he’s plenty o’ money?’

’Nay!  A never said that.  A know nought about it.  He pays me aforehand; an’ he pays me down for whativer a’ve getten for him; but that’s but little; he’s noane up t’ his vittle, though a’ve made him some broth as good as a could make ’em.’

’I wouldn’t send him away till he was well again, if I were yo; but I think yo’d be better rid on him,’ said Sylvia.  ’It would be different if yo’r brother were in Monkshaven.’  As she spoke she rose to go.

Widow Dobson held her hand in hers for a minute, then the humble woman said,—­

‘Yo’ll noane be vexed wi’ me, missus, if a cannot find i’ my heart t’ turn him out till he wants to go hissel’?  For a wouldn’t like to vex yo’, for Christopher’s sake; but a know what it is for t’ feel for friendless folk, an’ choose what may come on it, I cannot send him away.’

‘No!’ said Sylvia.  ‘Why should I be vexed? it’s no business o’ mine.  Only I should send him away if I was yo’.  He might go lodge wheere there was men-folk, who know t’ ways o’ tramps, and are up to them.’

Into the sunshine went Sylvia.  In the cold shadow the miserable tramp lay sighing.  She did not know that she had been so near to him towards whom her heart was softening, day by day.

CHAPTER XLIV

FIRST WORDS

It was the spring of 1800.  Old people yet can tell of the hard famine of that year.  The harvest of the autumn before had failed; the war and the corn laws had brought the price of corn up to a famine rate; and much of what came into the market was unsound, and consequently unfit for food, yet hungry creatures bought it eagerly, and tried to cheat disease by mixing the damp, sweet, clammy flour with rice or potato meal.  Rich families denied themselves pastry and all unnecessary and luxurious uses of wheat in any shape; the duty on hair-powder was increased; and all these palliatives were but as drops in the ocean of the great want of the people.