what is good for a
community."

"Sir, you are reckoning your bill without your host. The church would
likely stand by you, but all the women would stand by Lugur. And what is
queerer still, all his scholars would fight anyone who said a word
against him. He hes a way, sir, a way of his own with children, and I
hev wondered often what is the secret of it."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll give you an example, sir. You know Silas Bolton hes a very bad
lad, but the other day he went to Lugur and confessed he had stripped
old Padget's apple-tree. Well, Lugur listened to him and talked to him
and then lifted his leather strap and gave him a dozen good licks. The
lad never whimpered, and t' master shook hands with him when the bit o'
business was over and said, 'You are a brave boy, Will Bolton. I don't
think you'll do a mean, cowardly act like that again, and if such is
your determination, you can learn me double lessons for tomorrow; then
all will be square between you and me'--and Bolton's bad boy did it."

"That was right enough."

"I hevn't quite finished, sir. In two days he went with the boy to tell
old Padget he was sorry, and the man forgave him without one hard word;
but I hev heard since, that t' master paid for the apples out of his own
pocket, and I would not wonder if he did. What do you think of the man
now?"

"I think a man like that is very much of a man. I shall make it my
business to know him. But what has my brother to do with either Mister
or Miss Lugur?"

"Mr. Henry hes been doing just what Lord Thirsk did; he has been sending
Lucy Lugur flowers and for anything I know, letters. At any rate I saw
them together in Mr. Henry's phaeton on the Lancashire road at ten
o'clock in the morning. I was going to Shillingworth's factory, and I
stayed there an hour, and as I came back to Hatton, Mr. Henry was just
leaving her at Lugur's house door."

"Where do they live?"

"In Byle's cottage at the top of the Brow."

"That was quite out of your way, Jonathan."

"I know it was. I took that road on purpose. I guessed the little woman
was out with Mr. Henry, because she knew between ten and eleven o'clock
her father was safe in t' schoolroom. Well, I saw Mr. Henry leave her at
her own door, and though I doan't believe one-half that I hear, I can
trust my own eyes even if I hevn't my spectacles on. And I doan't bother
my head about other men's daughters and sweethearts, but Mr. Henry is a
bit different. I loved