Fenn

“ The Doctor looked up at the bold precipitous bulwark of rock above their heads, and then downward toward the far-stretching vale below the shelf-like path, where a flock of sheep dotting the bottom by the river, endorsed the suggestion that the sound might be a call.
“Never mind that,” said the Doctor. “Come, I say that Dinah has given you no reason for behaving as you have.”
“Doctor, I resent all this,” cried Clive angrily. “I make no charge against Miss Gurdon, and I tell you that you have no right to attack me as you do. A man is helpless in such a case. Hush! No more.—Major Gurdon.” ”

“ The lark burst forth with one of its sweetest strains as it heard its master’s voice, and then, rising, the curate left the attic, closing the door after him slowly, and peering through the narrowing slit to look upon the cripple eagerly devouring a page of the work he had brought.
The Frenchwoman was upon the first landing, and saluted the curate with a sinister meaning smile as he passed her and thoughtfully descended.
“But he is mean, I tell you,” cried ma mère angrily, as she once more stood beside her son. “What does he give us but words—words which are worth nothing? ”

“ If one has an active mind and a fair degree of optimism, the effect of the "staggerers" administered by Fate passes off after a while. Fenn had both. The consequence was that, after ten minutes of grey despair, he was relieved by a faint hope that there might be some other way into the house than through his study. Anyhow, it would be worth while to investigate.
His study was at the side of the house. At the back were the kitchen, the scullery, and the dining-room, and above these more studies and a couple of dormitories. ”

“ Fenn’s Heaven, and as he goes about from door to door soliciting for sewing, the knowledge that if he should cease or falter four women might be on the 387street the next night, keeps him happy, and not even when he was county attorney or in the real estate business nor writing insurance, nor disporting himself as an auctioneer was Mr. Fenn ever in his own mind a person of so much use and consequence. ”

“ Denis, my brave lad, how is it with you?”
“You took too much care of me, my lord. I am only hot.”
“Well done!” cried the King. “And you, Saint Simon?”
“A bit battered with blows, sir,” replied the young man; “and I expect when the day dawns I can show some rags.”
“No wounds?” cried the King.
“Not a scratch, sir.”
“But what of you, sir?” cried Denis eagerly, “I am afraid you must have suffered badly.”
“I have,” said the King shortly. “I feel as if my beauty is spoiled by a blow one ruffian struck at my face. But he was the one who suffered,” he added, with a low hiss suggestive of satisfaction. ”

“ I shiver every time I meet a policeman. Can’t you see how I am placed?”
“Yes—yes,” said Louise wearily; “but at times I can only think of our father—of Madelaine—of Uncle Luke.”
“Hush!” he cried with an irritable stamp of the foot. “Have patience. Once we are on the Continent I shall feel as if I could breathe; but this wretched dilatory way of getting money worries me to death.” ”

“ No work, no worry, no struggle,” cried the Major, one evening, when he was alone with Clive, who had been looking curiously at Martha, and recalling that night when he had first slept at the cottage. He was wondering how it all was. Whether the sturdy elderly woman had some love affair. Then he had, in spite of himself, thought of Sturgess, whom he had that day seen crossing one of the hills at a distance. He recalled the Major’s words and asked himself whether he, as a man, ought not in his resentment to have taken some step to punish the scoundrel. ”

“ There was no mistaking Mrs Gentles without her voice, which she soon made heard.
“Whose bairn is it?” she cried loudly, and throwing off her bonnet and shawl as she spoke.
“Thine—it’s thy little Esau—playing on the edge—got shoved in,” was babbled out by a dozen women; while Gentles did not speak, but went on pushing in the broom, giving it a mow round like a scythe, and pulling it out.
“Wheer? Oh, my gracious!” panted Mrs Gentles, “wheer did he go in?”
Poor woman! ”

“ Fenn turned after him. He had just time to recognise the street as his goal, the High Street, when somebody, walking unexpectedly out of the corner house, stood directly in his path. Fenn could not stop himself. He charged the man squarely, clutched him to save himself, and they fell in a heap on the pavement. ”

“ It took Fenn less than a minute to decide to patronise that opening performance. He was never in the habit of paying very much attention to risks when he wished to do anything, and now he felt as if he cared even less than usual what might be the outcome of the adventure. Since he had ceased to be on speaking terms with Kennedy, he had found life decidedly dull. Kennedy had been his only intimate friend. He had plenty of acquaintances, as a first eleven and first fifteen man usually has, but none of them were very entertaining. ”

“ Tell her it is as she believed, only a rumour, and that everything is right.”
“Everything wrong, you mean,” groaned the Major. “How can I write that?”
“Because everything will be all right, sir. You do not think I am going to let my dearest wife’s father suffer for an error of judgment?”
“No, no,” groaned the Major, “I cannot lower—I cannot—God in Heaven! how could I have been such a fool.”
“Because, my dear sir,” said Clive, patting his shoulder affectionately, “you are not quite perfect. There, send the message at once. Poor darling! She must be in agony.” ”

“ Had your mother lived, your career might have been different. What I was taught as my little hands were held together, I still repeat: ‘As we forgive them that trespass against us.’ Yes. Some day I hope to give you in the flesh that which I give you in the spirit now—my hand.”
Six more years had passed before a broad-shouldered, bronzed, and bearded man—partner in the firm of Leslie and Vine, Singapore and Penang—grasped John Van Heldre’s hand, and asked him a question to which the old merchant replied: “Yes, all is forgiven and forgotten now. If you can win her; yes.” ”

“ Fenn's happiest efforts, and deserves to be read and re-read by every school-boy in the land. We are not exaggerating when we say that Quicksilver has nothing to equal it this season."—Teacher's Aid.
Dick o' the Fens: A Romance of the Great East Swamp. By G. Manville Fenn. With 12 full-page Illustrations by Frank Dadd. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine edges, 6s.
"We conscientiously believe that boys will find it capital reading. ”

“ Can’t we run?”
“Can’t we fly?” said Frank, bitterly. “It’s all over.”
“Hist! quick!” came from the water; “get in.”
There was the sound of wood brushing against the bushes, and a dark object rose in front of them.
“The boat!” said Frank, excitedly. “Hurrah! In with you, Ned.”
The latter needed no second admonition, but sprang in against the man who was holding on by the boughs, and as the boy stumbled and fell, Frank followed. ”

“ I have been down in the mine all day, and chose this path for the sake of the cool, sweet, moist air.”
“The more need for a little rest and quiet communion with others, my dear young friend,” said the Major. “You will give us pain if you do refuse, Mr Reed. I too have known trouble, perhaps greater than yours. Don’t say no, sir. You will come?” Dinah stood with her lips apart, listening, as she mentally prayed that her father’s hospitality might be refused.
“You wish it?” said Clive.
“My dear sir,” paid the Major, speaking rather stiffly, “I very rarely ask a visitor to my little hermitage. ”

“ Just come, have you, sir?”
“Oh, yes, father, just come,” said the young man, with an offensive grin.
“You heard more than you said, sir,” said the Squire, “so we may as well have a few words at once.”
“No, no, no, my dear; pray, pray don’t quarrel with Claud now; I’m sure he wants to do everything that is right.”
“Be quiet, Maria,” cried the Squire, angrily.
“All right, mother; I’m not going to quarrel,” said the son.
“Of course not I only want Claud to understand his position. Look here, sir, you are at an age when a bo—, when a man doesn’t understand the value of money.”
“Oh, I say, guv’nor! ”

“ Fin was quite right. They had not gone above a couple of hundred yards down the lane, with Mr Mervyn between them, swinging his empty soup tin, when they became aware of a loud whistling, as of some one practising a polka. Then it would cease for a few moments, and directly after begin again.
“There’s somebody,” said Fin; and then, turning a sharp corner, they came suddenly on Mr Frank Pratt, perched in a sitting posture on the top of a huge, round lith of granite, with his back to them, and his little legs stretching out almost at right angles. ”

“ We’re not dressed up now, and we look like any one else.”
“I hope not,” said Andrew, drawing himself up.
Frank laughed, and his companion looked nettled.
“It is nothing to laugh at. Do you suppose I want to be taken for one of the mob?”
“Of course I don’t. But, I say, look. I saw a fish rise with a regular flop. That must be a carp. They are fond of leaping out of the water with a splash. I say, this isn’t a lake, is it? Looks like a river.” ”

“ The King hesitated, and stood striking his two stout riding gloves twisted together sharply in his left hand.
“Yes, you look hurt, boy. Perhaps it will be better that we should stay. We could hold one room, unless they burnt us out, and take turn and turn to watch.”
“Oh no, sir; I am well enough to go,” cried the lad. “Here, Saint Simon, give me a leg up. I am better now, and shall feel easier still when in the saddle.”
“Keep back, Saint Simon!” said the King. “Let me be the judge of that. Here, your foot, boy? Do you hear me, sir? Quick!” ”

“ He knew at once who it was—Thomas Edward, the matron's cat, ever a staunch friend of his. Many a time had they taken tea together in his study in happier days. The friendly animal had sought him out in his hiding-place, and was evidently trying to intimate that the best thing they could do now would be to make a regular night of it.
Fenn, as I have said, liked and respected Thomas. In ordinary circumstances he would not have spoken an unfriendly word to him. But things were desperate now, and needed remedies to match. ”

“ There was a rustle of the bushes before her, and the dimly seen figure of Claud climbed over the iron hurdle, made a snatch at the girl’s arm with his right and a trial to fling his left about her waist, but she eluded him.
“Keep off,” she said sharply; “how dare you!” ”

“ The doctor frowned a little, and then helped the boy pretty liberally.
“Oh, I say! Just look at the gravy,” he cried. “Have you got plenty, Miss!”
“Oh yes, Dexter,” said Helen. “May I—”
“Don’t give it all to me, Mister,” cried the boy. “Keep some for yourself. I hate a pig.”
“Errum!” coughed the doctor, frowning. “Miss Grayson was going to ask if you would take some vegetables!”
“What? taters? No thankye, we got plenty o’ them at the House,” cried the boy; and he began cutting and devouring the lamb at a furious rate.
“Gently, gently!” cried the doctor. “You have neither bread nor salt.” ”

“ The men descended till every step was occupied, the little force extending from top to bottom.
“Stop a minute, Mr Gurr. Let the bo’s’n guard the entry here; I must go with you to act as guide.”
“It aren’t all passage, then, like this?”
“No; it’s a great open place supported by pillars, big enough to lose yourselves in. But stop; that can’t be the way, sir.”
“Oh, hang it all, my lad!” cried the master in disappointed tones. “Don’t say that.”
“But I do,” cried Archy. “There ought to be a trap-door covered with stones leading down a place like a well.”
“Yes; that’s what we’ve come down.” ”

“ The men would be in the regular seams. There was nothing to bring them here; and as they toiled at piece-work, they would not lift a pick except to hew out coal. No overman would be here without his knowledge; and try how he would to find some reason for the sound, he was still at fault. The only possibility was that, in some peculiar way the echo of a hewer’s pick ran along the silent galleries, to be reverberated from this distant wall.
“Impossible!” he said, doubling up his map and replacing it in his breast, as he rose and took up his lamp. ”

“ Ugh! I’m as jealous as an Eastern sultana I shall stab you some night with a bodkin. But, I say, isn’t the solemn man fun?”
“I don’t see it,” said Tiny, glad of a diversion.
“I think he’s a regular little cad.”
“Slang again, Fin!”
“Yes, it’s because I’m cross and want my breakfast,” and she hurried her sister along.
“Ahem!” said Pratt, as soon as they were alone in the lane.
“Franky,” cried Trevor, clutching his friend by the arm, “did you ever see a sweeter girl in your life?”
“What, than that little Miss who laughed at me?” said Frank.
“No, no; the other. I declare she’s a perfect angel. ”

“ We shall have brain fever if there is not the greatest care.”
“It’s all nonsense,” cried Richard, passionately. “A mere whim—a girl’s silly fainting-fit. Bring her to, doctor, and the marriage shall go on.”
“I told you, sir,” said the vicar, sternly, “that it could not go on. Poor girl: she could bear no more.”
“But,” shrieked Richard, “it shall go on. Do you think I’ll be made such a fool of before the town? Curse you, this is your doing, and—”
“Silence, sir,” thundered the vicar. “You are in God’s house. Leave it this instant.” ”

“ It was terribly tantalising, for there was absolutely no place where he could conceal it; and at last, biting his lips with vexation, he exclaimed, after vainly looking out for a slab that he could raise:
“I must either fight for it or throw it out of the window; and I’d sooner do that than he should have it back. Hurrah! That will do!” he cried eagerly, as a thought struck him.
Laying down the cutlass, he leaped up to the window, pressed his face sidewise against the bars, and looked down, to see that the grass and weeds grew long below him. ”