's
resolve received it with most astonishment. Will's voice was almost
tremulous.

"You'll never be sorry, never. I couldn't have hoped such a thing.
Caan't think how I comed to ax it. An' yet--but I'll buckle to anything
and everything, so help me. I'll think for 'e an' labour for 'e as no
hireling that was ever born could, I will. An' you've done a big,
grand-fashion thing, an' I'm yours, body an' bones, for it; an' you'll
never regret it."

The young man was really moved by an issue so unexpected. He had uttered
his suggestion on the spur of the moment, as he uttered most things, and
such a reception argued a greatness of heart and generosity of spirit
quite unparalleled in his experience. So he departed wishing all good on
Mr. Lyddon and meaning all good with his whole soul and strength.

When he had gone the miller spoke; but contrary to custom, he did not
look into Mr. Blee's face while so doing.

"You'm astonished, Billy," he said, "an' so be I, come to think of it.
But I'm gettin' tu auld to fret my life away with vain strife. I be
gwaine to prove un. He'd stand to anything, eh? 'Twas his word."

"An' well he might."

"Can 'e picture Blanchard cleaning out the pigs' house?"

"No fay!"

"Or worse?"

"Ah!"

They consulted, and it presently appeared that Mr. Lyddon deliberately
designed to set Will about the most degrading task the farm could
furnish.

"'Twill sting the very life of un!" said Billy gleefully, and he
proceeded to arrange an extremely trying programme for Will Blanchard.

"Doan't think any small spite leads me to this way of dealing with un,"
explained Mr. Lyddon, who knew right well that it was so. "But 'tis to
probe the stuff he's made of. Nothing should be tu hard for un arter
what he've done, eh?"

"You'm right. 'Tis true wisdom to chastise the man this way if us can,
an' shake his wicked pride."

Billy's genius lent itself most happily to this scheme. He applauded the
miller's resolution until his master himself began to believe that the
idea was not unjust; he ranged airily, like a blue-fly, from one
agglomeration of ordure to another; and he finally suggested a task, not
necessary to dwell on, but which reached the utmost height or depth of
originality in connection with such a subject. Mr. Lyddon laboured under
some shadow of doubt, but he quickly agreed when his man reminded him of
the past course of events.

"'Tis nothin', when all's said. Who'd doubt if he'd got to cho