them, weeping all the way beside them, and grieving Stephen's heart
by her tears, though she dared not speak a word in the constable's
presence. But he gave his testimony gravely and truthfully, and Tim and
Martha followed his example; and, in consequence of their joint
evidence, Black Thompson and Davies were fully committed to take their
trial at the next assizes, and were removed that afternoon to the county
jail.

CHAPTER XXI.

FORGIVENESS.

Bess Thompson started off on her way to her desolate home, almost
heart-broken, and with such a wrathful resentment against Stephen, and
Martha, and Tim, as seemed to blot out all memory of the lessons she had
been learning from Miss Anne since the little child's death. She could
never bear to go near them, or speak to them again, since they had sworn
against her father; and had not he been good to them when Stephen was
ill, often sparing her to watch with Martha, as well as helping to make
up his wages? If this was their religion, she did not care to have it;
for nobody else in Botfield would have done the same. And now she might
as well give up all thoughts of getting to heaven, where little Nan and
her baby sister were; for there would be nobody to care for her, and she
would be obliged to go back to all her old ways.

These were her bitter thoughts as she walked homewards alone, for
Stephen was gone up to the doctor's house to inquire after the master
and Miss Anne, and the others were waiting for him in Longville. She
heard their voices after a while coming along the turnpike road, and
walking quickly as if to overtake her; so she turned aside into a field,
and hid herself under a hedge that they might pass by. She crouched down
low upon the grass, and covered her red and smarting eyes from the
sunshine with her shawl, and then she listened for their footsteps to
die away in the distance. But she felt an arm stealing round her, and
Martha's voice whispered close in her ear,--

'Bess, dear Bess, thee must not hide thyself from us. We love thee,
Bess; and we are sore sorry for thee. Stephen is ever so down-hearted
about thee and thy father. Oh, Bess, thee must have no spite at us.'

'Bess,' said Stephen, 'thy father owned I was telling the truth, and
said he forgave me for speaking agen him; and he shook hands with me
afore he went; and he said, "Stephen, thee be a friend to my poor lass!"
and I gave him a sure promise that I would.'

'Nobody'll ever look at m