Part 21 (1/2)

”Well done, Miss Myra!--though you needn't talk vindictive. There's no need to harm _her_. Now look here, boys! Mother Butson gives you a holiday, and sent me up with the message. What do 'ee say to it?”

”Stop!” Hester lifted a hand against the now certain mutiny. ”Your name is Trevarthen, I believe?”

”Tom Trevarthen, miss.”

”Then, Tom Trevarthen, you are a poor coward. Now do your worst and go your way. You have heard the truth.”

”'Tidn' best a man said that to me,” answered Tom, with a lowering brow.

”A man?” she replied, with a short laugh of contempt which in her own ears sounded like a sob. ”There were men here just now; but you waited till they were gone!”

”No, miss; I did not, you'll excuse me. I only knew the school was to open to-day. I came ash.o.r.e half an hour ago, and walked up here across the fields.” He stood for a second or two meditatively twisting his round cap between his hands. ”We'll play fair, though,” he said, and faced round on the benches. ”Sorry to disappoint 'ee, boys, but you must do without your holiday, after all. This here is a man's job, as Miss Marvin says, and 'tis for men to settle it. Only,”--he turned upon Hester again-- ”you must name your man quick. My s.h.i.+p sails early in the week; let alone that there's cruel wrong being done, and the sooner 'tis righted the better.”

Hester's hand went up to her throat. Was this extraordinary youth actually proposing a wager of battle? His eyes rested on hers seriously; his demeanour had become entirely courteous.

”Ah,” she gasped, ”but cannot you see that the mischief is done!

You behave shamefully, and now you talk childishly. You have made these children disloyal, and what hold can I have on them except through their loyalty? You have thrown me back at the start--I cannot bear to think how far--and you talk as if some foolish violence could mend this for me!

Please--please go away! I have no patience to argue with you.”

”Yes, go away!” broke in a shrill treble voice. It was Clem's. The child had risen from his bench and stood up, gripping the desk in front and trembling.

”Clem dear, you don't understand--” began Myra.

”Yes, I do understand!” For the first time in his life his will clashed with hers. ”Tom Trevarthen is wrong, and ought to go away.”

”She's a nasty, deceitful witch!”

”She's not a witch!” The child's eyes turned towards Hester, as if seeking to behold her and be a.s.sured. ”You're not a witch, are you?” he asked; and at the question Hester's tears, so long held back, brimmed over.

Before she could answer him the door opened, and Mr. Sam stood in the entry with Mrs. Purchase close behind his shoulder, in a sky-blue and orange bonnet.

”Eh? Hullo! what's all this?” demanded Mr. Sam, staring around the schoolroom; and Mrs. Purchase, bustling in and mopping her face, paused too to stare.

For a moment no one spoke. Mr. Sam's eyes pa.s.sed over Tom Trevarthen in slow, indignant wonder, and rested on Hester's flushed cheeks and tear-reddened lids.

”Why, whatever on earth is Tom Trevarthen doin' here?” cried Mrs.

Purchase.

”I've a-come here, ma'am,” spoke up Tom, kindling, ”to say a word against a cruel shame; for shame it is, to take the food away from a poor old 'ooman's mouth!”

”Meanin' Mother Butson?”

”Yes, ma'am.”

”An' your way to set things right is to come here and browbeat a poor girl before the children till her eyes be pink as garden daisies! Go'st 'way home, thou sorry fool! I'm ashamed of 'ee!”

”As for that, ma'am, I did wrong,” Tom admitted sullenly, ”and I beg her pardon for't. But it don't alter the hurt to Mother Butson.”

”You're mistaken, my friend,” broke in Mr. Sam, in his rasping voice.

”To be sure you haven't closed Mother Butson's school for her, because 'tis closed already. Twopence a week is the lowest she could ever charge, to earn a living, and I leave to judge how many sensible folks will be paying twopence a week for her ignorance when they can get sound teaching up here for a penny. But a worse thing you've done for her. She lodges with your mother, I believe? Very well; you can go home and tell your mother to get rid of her lodger. Eh, what are you staring at?”

The young man had fallen back, and stared from face to face, incredulous.