Jeffery Farnol

“ Miss Anthea, mam,—the mortgage is as good as paid,—there ain’t no such ’ops nowhere near so good as our’n be. An’—you’re quite free o’ care, an’ ’appy ’earted, Miss Anthea?”
“Quite—Oh quite, Adam!”
But when Adam’s heavy tread had died away,—when she was all alone, she behaved rather strangely for one so free of care, and happy-hearted. Something bright and glistening splashed upon the paper before her, the pencil slipped from her fingers, and, with a sudden, choking cry, she swayed forward, and hid her face in her hands. ”

“ And yet,—even if the hops do well, the money they bring will hardly be enough by itself, and so—I was selling my furniture to make it up, and—now— Oh! what am I to do?” and she leaned her head wearily upon her hand.
Now, seeing her distress, Adam all sturdy loyalty that he was, must needs sigh in sympathy, and fell, once more, to twisting his hat until he had fairly wrung it out of all semblance to its kind, twisting and screwing it between his strong hands as though he would fain wring out of it some solution to the problem that so perplexed his mistress. ”

“ Then—jest as I thought it were all over, an’ jest as that there Old Grimes were beginning to swell hisself up wi’ triumph, an’ get that red in the face as ’e were a sight to behold,—Mr. Belloo, who’d been lightin’ ’is pipe all this time, up and sez,—‘Fifty up!’ ’e sez in his quiet way, making it a hundred an’ fifty-six pound, Miss Anthea,—which were too much for Grimes,—Lord! I thought as that there man were going to burst, Miss Anthea!” and Adam gave vent to his great laugh at the mere recollection. But Anthea was grave enough, and the troubled look in her eyes quickly sobered him. ”