the
farmyard on his way home. But here, by unhappy chance, stood Mr. Lyddon
watching his daughter feed the fowls. Her husband ran full upon Phoebe,
and she blushed in a great wave of joy until the black scowl upon his
face told her that something was amiss. His evident anger made her
start, and the involuntary action upset her bowl of grain. For a moment
she stood motionless, looking upon him in fear, while at her feet fought
and struggled a cloud of feathered things around the yellow corn.

"If you've done your job, Will, may'st come and shaake Phoebe by the
hand," said Mr. Lyddon nervously, while he pretended not to notice the
other's passion.

"I haven't done it; and if I had, is a scavenger's hand fit to touch
hers?" thundered Blanchard. "I thought you was a man to swear by, and
follow through thick an' thin," he continued, "but you ban't. You'm a
mean, ill-minded sawl, as would trample on your awn flesh an' blood, if
you got the chance. Do your awn dirty work. Who be I that you should
call on me to wallow in filth to please your sour spite?"

"You hear him, you hear him!" cried out the miller, now angry enough
himself. "That's how I'm sarved for returnin' gude to his evil. I've
treated un as no man else on God's airth would have done; and this is
what I gets. He's mad, an' that's to speak kind of the wretch!"

The young wife could only look helplessly from one to the other. That
morning had dawned very brightly for her. A rumour of what was to happen
reached her on rising, but the short-lived hope was quickly shattered,
and though she had not seen him since their wedding-day, Phoebe was
stung into bitterness against Will at this juncture. She knew nothing of
particulars, but saw him now pouring harsh reproaches on her father, and
paying the miller's unexampled generosity with hard and cruel words. So
she spoke to her husband.

"Oh, Will, Will, to say such things! Do 'e love me no better 'n that? To
slight dear faither arter all he's forgiven!"

"If you think I'm wrong, say it, Phoebe," he answered shortly. "If you'm
against me, tu--"

"'Against you!' How can you speak so?"

"No matter what I say. Be you on his side or mine? 'Cause I've a right
to knaw."

"Caan't 'e see 'twas faither's gert, braave, generous thought to give 'e
work, an' shaw a lesson of gudeness? An' then we meet again--"

"Ess fay--happy meetin' for wife an' husband, me up to the eyes
in--Theer, any fule can see 'twas done a purpose to