English fiction -- 19th century; Labor unions -- Fiction
At about eleven o'clock, there being still no news of them, Jael Dence
came to Mr. Raby wringing her hands. “Why do all the men go east for
them?”
“Because they are on the east side.”
“How can ye tell that? They have lost their way.”
“I am afraid so,” groaned Raby.
“Then why do you send all the men as if they hadn't lost their way? East
side of Cairnhope! why that is where they ought to be, but it is not
where they are, man.”
“You are a good girl, and I'm a fool,” cried Raby. “Whoever comes in
after this, I'll send them up by the old church.”
“Give me a torch, and I'll run myself.”
“Ay, do, and I'll put on my boots, and after you.”
Then Jael got a torch, and kilted her gown to her knees, and went
striding through the snow with desperate vigor, crying as she went, for
her fear was great and her hope was small, from the moment she heard the
Gabriel hounds.
Owing to the torch, Grace saw her first, and uttered a little scream; a
loud scream of rapture replied: the torch went anywhere, and gentle and
simple were locked in each other's arms, Jael sobbing for very joy after
terror, and Grace for sympathy, and also because she wanted to cry, on
more accounts than one.
Another torch came on, and Jael cried triumphantly, “This way, Squire.
She is here!” and kissed her violently again.
Mr. Raby came up, and took her in his arms, without a word, being broken
with emotion: and, after he had shaken Coventry by both hands, they all
turned homeward, and went so fast that Coventry gave in with a groan.
Then Grace told Jael what had befallen him, and just then another torch
came in, held by George the blacksmith, who, at sight of the party,
uttered a stentorian cheer, and danced upon the snow.
“Behave, now,” said Jael, “and here's the gentleman sore hurt in the
river; Geordie, come and make a chair with me.”
George obeyed and put out his hands, with the fingers upward, Jael did
the same, with the fingers downward: they took hands, and, putting their
stalwart arms under Coventry, told him to fling an arm round each of
their necks: he did so, and up he went; he was no more than a feather to
this pair, the strongest man and woman in Cairnhope.
As they went along, he told them his adventure in the stream, and, when
they heard it, they ejaculated to each other, and condoled with him
kindly, and assured him he was alive by a miracle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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