craftsmen and craftswomen. This was a hard subject during all the years of the cotton famine--how keep the operatives together, provide for them, prevent them from becoming demoralised by the enforced idleness, combined with the living on money not earned by themselves? It was a problem which, all must confess, was nobly solved. At this precise time, though the distress was daily augmenting in an appalling manner, though each week saw a greater number of factories closed entirely, yet the organised system of relief--that gigantic machinery whose equal the world had never before seen--was not yet in existence. Sebastian, after long consultations with Mr. Sutcliffe, had come to the conclusion, for the present at least, to support his own work-people, and the result of that resolution was the paper just now read out by Wilson. Slowly the hands dispersed. Mary Heywood, seeing her brother near the big gate, joined him there, and glanced rather doubtfully up into his face. Doubt rapidly changed to dismay: he was white as death; his lips tight-set; his great dark eyes absolutely scintillating with passion. The words she had been about to speak to him died upon her lips. ‘Thou go home, lass! I’ve a little business to do before I come after thee, but I’ll not be long,’ said he, so quietly and calmly that her heart beat a little less rapidly, and without a word she obeyed, leaving him there in the yard, he conscious only of one purpose, and of a burning restlessness until that purpose should be accomplished. He waited by the gates, looking at no one, speaking to no one, until he saw that all the hands had filed out, and that Wilson was left alone in the office, locking things up. A few swift, striding steps brought him inside the little room. Wilson looked up. ‘Hey, Myles! Is that you? Do you want something?’ ‘Yes. I just want to tell you to take my name--and my sister’s too--off the books. We shall not work here any more.’ ‘Oh! but you will. This here is only a temporary stoppage, you know. Times must mend, though they look bad enough now, and Mallory’s won’t go to smash so easily.’ ‘I shall never work here again, I tell you, nor Mary either. Take our names off the books, if you please; and look you, Wilson, if anybody comes round to my house offering me relief in’--a spasm twitched his pain-set lips--‘the master’s name, I’ll kick him out--so you’re warned.’ ‘My certy, Myles! You’re mad to talk i’ that way. You’ve ne’er thought about it. How are you to live without relief? And when such a handsome arrangement has been made----’ ‘That’s nothing to the point. Please to do as I ask, and remember, I’ll keep my word.’ He turned on his heel and left the yard. Wilson looked after him, watching the proud, elastic figure, haunted by the remembrance of the deadly paleness of the face, and the sombre, despairing gloom of the eyes. Wilson acted as became a wary man, who did not choose to commit himself--shook his head, and murmured,