The Measure of a Man | Page 8

satisfaction. And when John looked into her happy face he wondered at
his dream in Edinburgh, and said gratefully to himself,
"All is right with mother. Thank God for that!"
She did not talk while John was eating, but as he sat smoking in the
porch afterwards, she said,
"I want to ask you where you have been all these weeks, John, but
Harry isn't here, and you won't want to tell your story twice over, will
you, now?"

"I would rather not, mother."
"Your father wouldn't have done it, whether he liked to or not. I don't
expect you are any different to father. I didn't look for you, John, till
next week."
"But you needed me and wanted me?"
"Whatever makes you say that?"
"I dreamed that you wanted me, and I came home to see."
"Was it last Sunday night?"
"Yes."
"About eleven o'clock?"
"I did not notice the time."
"Well, for sure, I was in trouble Sunday. All day long I was in trouble,
and I am in a lot of trouble yet. I wanted you badly, John, and I did call
you, but not aloud. It was just to myself. I wished you were here."
"Then yourself called to myself, and here I am. Whatever troubles you,
mother, troubles me."
"To be sure, I know that, John. Well, then, it is your brother Harry."
A look of anxiety came into John's face and he asked in an anxious
voice, "What is the matter with Harry? Is he well?"
"Quite well."
"Then what has he been doing?"
"Nay, it's something he wants to do."
"He wants to get married, I suppose?"

"Nay, I haven't heard of any foolishness of that make. I'll tell you what
he wants to do--he wants to rent his share in the mill to Naylor's sons."
Then John leaped to his feet and said angrily, "Never! Never! It cannot
be true, mother! I cannot believe it! Who told you?"
"Your overseer, Jonathan Greenwood, and Harry asked Greenwood to
stand by him in the matter, but Jonathan wouldn't have anything to do
with such business, and he advised me to send for you. He says the lad
is needing looking after--in more ways than one."
"Where is Harry?"
"He went to Manchester last Saturday."
"What for, mother?"
"I don't know for certain. He said on business. You had better talk with
Jonathan. I didn't like the way he spoke of Harry. He ought to
remember his young master is a bit above him."
"That is the last thing Jonathan would remember, but he is a
good-hearted, straight-standing man."
"Very, if you can believe in his words and ways. He came here
Saturday to insinuate all kinds of 'shouldn't-be's' against Harry, and
then on Sunday he was dropping his 'Amens' about the chapel so
generously I felt perfectly sure they were worth nothing."
"Well, mother, you may trust me to look after all that is wrong. Let not
your heart be troubled. I will talk with Jonathan in the morning."
"Nay, I'll warrant he will be here tonight. He will have heard thou art
home, and he will be sure he is wanted before anybody else."
"If he comes tonight, tell him I cannot see him until half-past nine in
the morning."
"That is right--but what for?"

"Because I am much troubled and a little angry. I wish to get myself in
harness before I see anyone."
"Well, you know, John, that Harry never liked the mill, but while father
lived he did not dare to say so. Poor lad! He hated mill life."
"He ought at least to remember what his grandfather and father thought
of Hatton Mill. Why, mother, on his twenty-first birthday, father
solemnly told him the story of the mill and how it was the seal and
witness between our God and our family--yet he would bring strangers
into our work! I'll have no partner in it--not the best man in England!
Yet Harry would share it with the Naylors, a horse-racing, betting,
irreligious crowd, who have made their money in byways all their
generations. Power of God! Only to think of it! Only to think of it!
Harry ought to be ashamed of himself--he ought that."
"Now, John, my dear lad, I will not hear Harry blamed when he is not
here to speak for himself--no, I will not! Wait till he is, and it will be
fair enough then to say what you want to. I am Harry's mother, and I
will see he gets fair play. I will that. It is my bounden duty to do so, and
I'll do it."
"You are right, mother, we must all have fair judgment, and I will see
that the brother I love so dearly gets it."
"God love thee, John."
"And, mother,