as a sharpness in the ring of his voice, an impatience if
everything was not exactly as he wished. He roughly silenced Charlie and
Lucy if they spoke when he was reading his paper at breakfast, and
he spoke snappishly to his wife when she asked him a question on such
occasions. Ned felt his face burn, as with his eyes on his plate he
continued his meal. To him Mr. Mulready seldom spoke unless it was
absolutely necessary.

Ned often caught himself wondering over the change which had taken place
in his mother. All the ways and habits of an invalid had disappeared.
She not only gave directions for the management of the house, but looked
after everything herself, and was forever going upstairs and down,
seeing that everything was properly done. However sharply Mr. Mulready
spoke she never replied in the same tone. A little flush of color would
come into her cheek, but she would pass it off lightly, and at all times
she appeared nervously anxious to please him. Ned wondered much over the
change.

"He is a tyrant," he said, "and she has learned it already; but I do
think she loves him. Fancy my mother coming to be the slave of a man
like this! I suppose," he laughed bitterly, "it's the story of 'a woman,
a dog, and a walnut tree, the more you thrash them the better they will
be.' My father spent his whole life in making hers easy, and in sparing
her from every care and trouble, and I don't believe she cared half as
much for him as she does for this man who is her master."

For some months Mr. Mulready was very busy at his mill. A steam engine
was being erected, new machinery brought in, and he was away the greater
part of his time superintending it.

One day at breakfast, a short time before all was in readiness for a
start with the new plant, Mr. Mulready opened a letter directed in a
sprawling and ill written hand which lay at the top of the pile by his
plate. Ned happened to notice his face, and saw the color fade out from
it as he glanced at the contents. The mouth remained as usual, set in a
smile, but the rest of the face expressed agitation and fear. The hand
which held the letter shook. Mrs. Mulready, whose eyes seldom left her
husband's face when he was in the room, also noticed the change.

"Is anything the matter, William?"

"Oh! nothing," he said with an unnatural laugh, "only a little attempt
to frighten me."

"An attempt which has succeeded," Ned said to himself, "whatever it is."

Mr. Mulready passed t