red the coachman to drive on.

My Lady was put out. No wonder. She was a very sensible, managing woman
herself, and justly and up-rightly kind to all her dependants; and she
expected every one else to be sternly and wisely kind in the same
pattern. Mrs. King was one whom she highly esteemed for her sense and
good judgment, and she was the more provoked with her for any failure in
these respects. If she had known Paul as the Kings did, it is probable
she might have felt like them. Not knowing him, nor knowing the secrets
of Elbury Union, she thought it Mrs. King's clear duty to sacrifice him
for her children's sake. Moreover, Lady Jane had strict laws against
lodgers--the greatest kindness she could do her tenants, though often
against their will. So to have her model woman receiving a strange boy
into her house, even under the circumstances, was beyond bearing.

So Mrs. King stood on her threshold, knowing that to keep Paul Blackthorn
would be an offence to her best friend and patroness. Moreover, Mr. Cope
was gone, without having left her a word of advice to decide her one way
or the other.

CHAPTER X--CHRISTMAS DAY

Things are rather apt to settle themselves; and so did Paul Blackthorn's
stay at the post-office, for the poor boy was in such an agony of pain
all night, and the fever ran so high, that it was impossible to think of
moving him, even if the waiting upon him in such suffering had not made
Mrs. King feel that she could not dismiss him to careless hands. His
patience, gratitude, and surprise at every trouble she took for him were
very endearing, as were the efforts he made to stifle and suppress moans
and cries that the terrible aches would wring from him, so as not to
disturb Alfred. When towards morning the fever ran to his head, and he
did not know what he said, it was more moving still to see that the
instinct of keeping quiet for some one's sake still suppressed his voice.
Then, too, his wanderings shewed under what dread and harshness his life
had been spent, and what his horror was of a return to the workhouse. In
his senses, he would never have thought of asking to remain at
Friarswood; but in his half-conscious state, he implored again and again
not to be sent away, and talked about not going back, but only being left
in a corner to die; and Mrs. King, without knowing what she was about,
soothed him by telling him to lie still, for he was not going to that
place again. At day-b