man, and the first words she said,
were:

"'Surely it is not you, Master Low, and in such a plight? Why, you have
been a-fighting.'

"'I want nurse,' said Bernard.

"'What, mother-in-law?' answered the woman; 'you can't see her.'

"'Why?' answered Bernard.

"'She is sick in bed,' said the woman.

"'Let me go up and see her, if you please,' said Bernard.

"'You can't do no such thing,' said the woman; 'she is not in the
house, and if she was she could not have much to say to you. Has not
Miss Grizzy forbid her to come about you? and times are hard, Master
Low. You has run away from school, I doubt not, by the look of you. You
has been a-fighting. Don't think that we shall go to harbour you here,
and get nothing but cross words for our pains. Miss Grizzy told mother
that there would be nothing a-coming to you when all was paid. So go
back as fast as you can; you can't come in. Go back, there's a good
lad.'

"She then, in her great goodness, handed him a crust and a bit of dry
cheese, and pushed him from the door; for she was afraid that her
husband and his mother, who were both out, might come in before the
child was gone.

"Bernard hardly knew what he did when he took the bread and cheese, and
felt the hand of the woman pushing him out. He could not eat what was
given him, for he was parched with thirst, and his young heart was
almost broken by his disappointment. Even to nurse he had behaved ill,
and now he thought that even she had forsaken him. He dragged himself
back through the deep lane, and being again in the highroad at the foot
of the hill, he sat, or rather stretched, himself on a green bank
under a hedge; and having cried again till he could cry no longer, he
fell into a sort of stupor, neither asleep nor otherwise, quite worn
with tiredness, and thirst, and sorrow.

"About the time when Bernard was turned from nurse's door, the
dinner-bell at his papa's house was ringing, and Miss Evans waiting at
the head of the table ready to carve.

"Before the bell had done tinkling, Stephen and Meekin came in, and
Miss Grizzy said:

"'Where is Low? I suppose he does not expect us to wait for him.'

"Stephen looked at Meekin, and Meekin looked at Stephen. Stephen was
not quite easy in the thought of the severe beating which he had given
Bernard; but as it was expected that Mr. Evans would not return till
the evening of the next day, he trusted that there would be nothing
about Bernard to lead his uncle t