-a proposition
to which he assented; but to the surprise of every one, instead of
placing her during the day under the care of one of the women of the
place, he took her down with him to Marsden and placed her under the
care of a respectable woman there who had children of her own.

Starting at five every morning from his cottage with Polly perched on
his shoulder he tramped down to the town, leaving her there before going
to work, and calling for her in the evening. A year later he married,
and the village supposed that Polly would now be left behind. But they
were mistaken. When he became engaged he had said:

"Now, Loiza, there's one point as oi wish settled. As oi have told ye,
oi ha' partly chosen ye becos oi knowed as how ye would maake a good
mother to my little Polly; but oi doan't mean to give up taking her down
with me o' days to the town. Oi likes to ha' her wi' me on the roade--it
makes it shorter like. As thou knowest thyself, oi ha' bin a chaanged
man sin she coom. There warn't a cropper in the village drank harder nor
oi, but oi maad oop moi moind when she came to gi' it up, and oi have
gi'd it up."

"I know, Luke," the girl said, "I wouldna have had ye, hadn't ye doon
so, as I told ye two years agone. I know the child ha' done it, and I
loves her for it, and will be a good mother to her."

"Oi knows you will, Loiza, and oi bain't feared as ye'll be jealous if
so be as ye've children o' your own. Oi shan't love 'em a bit the less
coss oi loves little Polly. She be just the image o' what moi sister
Jane was when she war a little thing and oi used to take care o' her.
Mother she didn't belong to this village, and the rough ways of the men
and the drink frightened her. She war quiet and tidy and neat in her
ways, and Jane took arter her, and glad she was when the time came
to marry and get away from Varley. Oi be roight sure if she knows owt
what's going on down here, she would be glad to know as her child ain't
bein' brought oop in Varley ways. I ha' arranged wi' the woman where she
gets her meals for her to go to school wi' her own children. Dost thee
object to that, lass?--if so, say so noo afore it's too late, but doon't
thraw it in moi face arterwards. Ef thou'st children they shalt go to
school too. Oi don't want to do more for Polly nor oi'd do for moi own."

"I ha' no objection, Luke. I remembers your sister, how pretty and quiet
she wor; and thou shalt do what you likest wi' Polly, wi'out no gru