“I may ha’ been a bit hasty, Jagger, i’ offering brass ’at didn’t belong to me, but if we lose it I’ll try to make it up to you, lad; and if I can’t you’ll none bear me a grudge. I can’t fairly put into words what’s at t’ back o’ my mind, but yon lad’s nob’dy akin to him by what I can make out, and this is t’ last chance there’ll be for a good while o’ showing him a kindness. He’ll ha’ lots o’ time for reckoning things up after a bit, and I could like him to think ’at he’d a friend ’at ’ud give him a hand and help him to keep straight when he came out. I could like better still, lad, to think ’at he’d a houseful o’ friends.” He looked hard at his son, who avoided the glance and still looked gloomy. “There’s some men kindness won’t cure,” he growled. “That’s true,” his father replied, “but you never know who they are. You’ve got to go on trying, same as t’ doctors, and it’s capping what bad cases pull round sometimes, if you’ve a bit o’ patience. Now come, lad! you wouldn’t have me go to Inman and say, ‘I’ve been thinking t’ thing over, and we’re flayed if we bring you home you’ll nobbut get worse, and mebbe smittle someb’dy else into t’ bargain, so we’ve decided to leave you to t’ prison doctor?’” With a hasty exclamation Baldwin pushed back his chair and went out of doors, and Hannah smiled. “It was getting over warm for him i’ front o’ t’ fire,” she remarked caustically. “_He’s_ pulling round very slow.” “He’s none that bad,” said her grandmother, with a note of defiance in her voice. “He’s none that good, neither,” returned Hannah. “It’ll take a deal o’ father’s honey to sweeten him to my taste.” “Shut up, Hannah,” said her brother, who seemed relieved now that Baldwin was not present. “He’s making himself useful i’ t’ shop, and his temper’s improving. He’ll be going back to Keturah, let’s hope, when Inman’s out o’ t’ road. It’s _him_ I’m bothered about. It’s all very well experimenting on t’ devil wi’ kindness, but what about Nancy? He’ll kill her!” “I’ll go see t’ lass,” said his father, “and talk it over. She’d best go away while after t’ trial, happen.” “You’ve no ’casion to bother,” returned his son; “I’ve seen her myself and she won’t budge. She’s as bad to move as you.” “But as I’ve getten her into t’ mess I must try to get her out,” said Maniwel. “She’ll be blaming me, and no wonder; but I doubt if t’ lass ’ud have me go back o’ my word. I’ll step across.” “Please yourself,” said Jagger, “but she’s made her mind up. She’s staying where she is, choose what happens. I said Hannah ’ud sleep wi’ her, but she shook her head. She’s got it fixed in her mind that he’s too fond of his skin to hurt her—‘all for my-sen doesn’t put his neck in a noose,’ she says. And she won’t blame you, you’ll see. As like as not she’ll thank you.” “Then it’ll be summat fresh,” said Maniwel, “and a change is good for everybody. We shall find some way out between us, I’ll warrant.” CHAPTER XXXI