And this was but the beginning of a long course; again and again Christian returned with spoiled nets; and, even on better days, few there were when his takings were not conspicuously poor in amount and quality. Such loss was the graver since an instalment was due at the season's close, and except the dawning autumn brought fair success, sore straits would come with the winter. Rhoda proved good for bread-winning. Before, she had practised lace-making, taught her at the convent school, and now she turned to it with all her energy. Early and late found her bending over her pillow. No more net-mending for her: for the sake of unroughened hands she had to leave that to Christian and the elders. Yet her work was but poorly paid, and the sale uncertain. As autumn came in, Christian still gained in physical strength up to near his old level; but Giles declined slowly, Lois grew thin and worn, and Rhoda was losing something of her bloom. The heart of the old man yearned over the girl, and he knew that his time was but brief. For hours he would sit and watch, fondly and sadly, her dear bent head and her hands playing over her pillow in a patch of light under the pinned-back blind. At last he told Christian his heart, even Christian. 'Take care of my little maid, lad.' He answered 'Ay,' stupidly. 'For I reckon I may not be here long to care for her myself.' That was all he said at first, but that he would say often for some days, till he was sure that Christian had taken the sense in full, and had failed to quite disbelieve his foreboding. 'Before I lie down in the dark, I would like main to hear you take oath on it, lad.' 'I take oaths never,' said Christian mechanically. 'Right, right! save in this wise: before God's altar with ring and blessing.' Christian examined his face long to be sure of understanding; then he said, 'No.' Giles was disappointed, but spite of the absolute tone he would not take a negative. 'When I am gone to lie yonder east and west, and when some day the wife shall come too to bed with me, how will you take care of my little maid? her and her good name?' 'Oh, God help us!' 'Look you to it, for I doubt she, dear heart, cares for you--now--more than for her mere good name.' 'How can she!' he muttered. Said Giles hazardously: 'Once I knew of a girl such as Rhoda; as shy and proud and upright; and a lad she liked,--a lad, say, such as you, Christian, that she liked in her heart more than he guessed. Until he got shamefully mistook, miscalled, mishandled, when she up and kissed him at open noon in the face of all. And then, I mind, at need she followed him over seas, and nought did her good heart think on ill tongues. There is Rhoda all over.' He watched askance to see what the flawed wits could do, and repented of his venture; for it was then Christian so paled and presently so slept. But Giles tried again.