SQUIRE ARDEN. VOL. I. SQUIRE ARDEN. BY MRS. OLIPHANT, AUTHOR OF “CHRONICLES OF CARLINGFORD,” “SALEM CHAPEL,” “THE MINISTER’S WIFE,” ETC., ETC. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: HURST & BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS, 13 GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 1871. _The Right of Translation is Reserved._ PERTH: SAMUEL COWAN & CO., PRINTERS. SQUIRE ARDEN. CHAPTER I. “What are the joy bells a-ringing for, Simon?” said an old woman, coming briskly out to the door of one of the pretty cottages in the pretty village of Arden, on a pleasant morning of early summer, when all the leaves were young, and the first freshness of the year was over the world. “There’s ne’er a one married as I knows on, and it aint Whitsuntide, nor Holmfirth fair, nor----” “It’s the young Squire, stoopid,” said the old clerk, gruffly, leaning his arms upon the little paling of the tiny garden and looking at her. “He’s come home.” What he really did say was “he’s coom whoam;” but the reader will be so kind as take it for granted that Simon Molyneaux was an old Lancashire man, and talked accordingly, without giving a pen not too familiar with the dialect the trouble of putting in all the o’s that are necessary. Simon said coom, and he said loove, and moother; but as there is no moral meaning in the double letter, let us consent to leave it out. “The young Squire!” said the old woman, with a start.