"Oh, no," said Reuben, sitting in yesterday's chair, and gazing up at the Rossetti.The boy and girl were still silent. But in the consciousness each had of the other, kindled and spread a strange dear poignancy. They walked side by side through the dusk, now faintly cold. Dew began to tremble and shine on the grass, to pearl the brambles and glimmer on the twigs.
"He's had some punishment," said Pete when they were alone. He inspected the tramp, now feebly moaning, with the air of a connoisseur. "I'm hemmed if I ever saw a purtier knock-out."The chapel, during all the tumult, was unnoticed, probably less through respect for the place, than from neglect; and thither those who had most to fear from the people had hastened, expecting safety from the sacredness of the spot. Among the rest, or rather leading the way, went Sudbury, who was shortly afterwards joined by the constable and treasurer, on perceiving the commons in possession of the Tower."Confound you, and your flowers!you are sure every thing is in order?"Reuben had sold Alfriston King for two hundred pounds, and this new capital made possible another enterprisehe bought twenty head of sheep. For some time he had considered the advantages of keeping sheep. It was quite likely that his new land on Boarzell would be mostly pasture, at all events for some time to come, and sheep, properly managed, ought to be a good source of revenue as well as a hall-mark of progress. He did not want Odiam to be a farm of one idea; his father had kept it ambitionlessly to grass, but Reuben saw grain-growing, dairy-keeping, cattle-breeding, sheep-rearing, hops, and fruit, and poultry as branches of its greatness."Start not," said he, "John Ball is not come to harm you;he never harmed any to whom God gave the breath of life,neither did he counsel the blood which has been spilt. A price is set upon his headbut think ye the homeless wanderer fears to die? Baron of Sudley, I have come thus far to tell you what I told you once beforethat if ye will swear to set free the bondmen of Sudley, the child you mourn as dead shall be restored to you!"
