‘I must go up and see her,’ said Sharpe, much perturbed. ‘I’m sure I don’t know whatever’s come to folks these times. As to them Hunts—I’ll gi’e them a bit o’ my mind. They should be ashamed o’ theirselves to treat a pore young creature so disrespectful. They do think, I s’ppose, as Mrs. Fiander has n’t got nobody to purtect her, and they can serve her so bad as they like. But them as was friends to her husband is friends to her. Pore young thing! Well, I be glad your son did do his duty by her, anyways, Mrs. Belbin. My Father A’mighty, these be times!’ He walked away at an accelerated pace, the women looking after him. ‘He did speak so feelin’, did n’t he?’ commented Mrs. Paddock. ‘“Pore young creature!” says he, d’ ye mind? An’ “Pore young thing!” Master be a very feelin’ man!’ ‘Ah,’ agreed Mrs. Belbin; ‘an’ he did say as he were glad my Sam did do his duty. Ah, he be a good man, master be! But I would n’t like so very much to be Abel Hunt jist now—nay, nor Job neither.’ CHAPTER VI Souvent femme varie, Bien fol est qui s’y fie. THE mistress of Littlecomb Farm had no cause to complain of the unpunctuality of any of her workpeople on the following morning. Each man appeared at the very moment he was supposed to appear, the maids were up betimes, and the business of the day progressed with far greater speed than usual. At dinner-time she again observed a group of men in the yard, smaller in number, however, than on the preceding day, and talking with dismal countenances and hesitating tones. Susan came presently to announce, as before, that some of the men wished to speak to her. Rosalie went out, and discovered a detachment of four awaiting her, two with plaintive, wobegone faces, the others in a state of surly depression. ‘Missus,’ stammered James Bundy, ‘we be a-come—me and these here chaps—be a-come to ’pologise, and to say as we hopes ye won’t bear no malice, and as ye’ll overlook what has passed. We’ll undertake to give satisfaction from this time for’ard.’ ‘’T is a pity you did not say that yesterday, James,’ said Rosalie severely. Bundy looked at Cross, and the latter’s jaw fell. ‘If ye’d please to overlook it, mum,’ resumed James, falteringly. ‘We was, so to speak, took by surprise wi’ the new rules, and we was persuaded’—here he darted a reproachful glance at Joe—‘I’ve got a long family, mum,’ he added tearfully, ‘and my wife—she be near her time wi’ the eleventh—’ ‘Well, James, you have been foolish, but I do not altogether think it was your fault. I will make no definite promise, but I will see how you go on between this and Saturday week.’ ‘I be to go on Saturday week?’ ejaculated James, whose wits were none of the keenest, and who was more impressed by the severity of the tone than by Rosalie’s actual words. ‘No, no, you foolish fellow! Come, I will give you another chance; but mind you behave very well.’ Robert Cross next came forward.