ullo! what's all this?" demanded Mr. Sam, staring around the
schoolroom; and Mrs. Purchase, bustling in and mopping her face, paused
too to stare.

For a moment no one spoke. Mr. Sam's eyes passed over Tom Trevarthen in
slow, indignant wonder, and rested on Hester's flushed cheeks and
tear-reddened lids.

"Why, whatever on earth is Tom Trevarthen doin' here?" cried Mrs.
Purchase.

"I've a-come here, ma'am," spoke up Tom, kindling, "to say a word against
a cruel shame; for shame it is, to take the food away from a poor old
'ooman's mouth!"

"Meanin' Mother Butson?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"An' your way to set things right is to come here and browbeat a poor girl
before the children till her eyes be pink as garden daisies! Go'st 'way
home, thou sorry fool! I'm ashamed of 'ee!"

"As for that, ma'am, I did wrong," Tom admitted sullenly, "and I beg her
pardon for't. But it don't alter the hurt to Mother Butson."

"You're mistaken, my friend," broke in Mr. Sam, in his rasping voice.
"To be sure you haven't closed Mother Butson's school for her, because
'tis closed already. Twopence a week is the lowest she could ever charge,
to earn a living, and I leave to judge how many sensible folks will be
paying twopence a week for her ignorance when they can get sound teaching
up here for a penny. But a worse thing you've done for her. She lodges
with your mother, I believe? Very well; you can go home and tell your
mother to get rid of her lodger. Eh, what are you staring at?"

The young man had fallen back, and stared from face to face, incredulous.
There was a bewildered horror in his eyes, and it cut Hester to the heart.
Her own eyes sank as he challenged them.

"No, Sam--no!" Mrs. Purchase interposed. "Don't 'ee go to punish the lad
that way. He've made a mistake; but he's a well-meanin' lad for all, and
I'll wage he'll tell you he's sorry."

"Well-meaning, is it, to come here bullying a young lady? Sorry, is he? I
promise he'll be sorrier before I've done. Answer me, sir. Did Mrs.
Butson know of your visit here to-day?"

"I told her I was coming," Tom answered dully.

"That settles it. Heaven is my witness," said Mr. Sam, with sudden
unction, "I was willing to let the old woman wind up her affairs in peace.
But mutiny I don't stand, nor molesting. You go home, sir, to your
mother, and tell her my words. I give her till Saturday--"

The words ended in a squeal as Tom, with a sharp intake of breath like a