"She might do better, Steve; but I won't stand in your way. Only the thing must come about gently. Talk to the girl. You shall have chances. I don't want any scenes with her or her mother, or any flying to that old man or the parson to help her. It must be worked quietly." "All right. Order the horses round, and let her go for a ride with me this morning." Mrs Hallam was ready to object, but she gave way, and Julia went for a ride with Crellock, passing Sir Gordon's cottage, and then riding right away into the open country. The girl had developed into a splendid horsewoman, and at last, when she had forgotten her dislike to her companion in the excitement and pleasure of the exercise, and the horses were well breathed and walking up an ascent, Crellock, on the principle that he had no time to spare, tried to forward his position. "I say, Miss Julia," he said, taking off his broad hat, and fanning his face, as they rode on in the bright sunshine, "do you remember when you first came over?" "Oh, yes." "And meeting me as I was carried out of the prison on the stretcher?" Julia looked at him, her eyes dilating with horror as the whole scene came back. "Don't," she said hoarsely, "it is too horrible to think of? Such cruelty is dreadful." "I don't consider it too horrible to think of," he said smiling. "I'm always looking back on that day and seeing it all, every bit. That poor wretch shrieking out with pain." "Mr Crellock!" cried Julia. "Yes! me. Not hardly able to move himself, or bear his pain, and half mad with thirst." "Oh, pray, hush!" "Not I, my dear," continued Crellock, "and out of it all I can see coming through the sunshine a bright angel to hold water up to my lips, and wipe the sweat of agony off my brow." "Mr Crellock! I cannot bear to listen to all this." "But you could bear to look at it all, and do it, bless you!" said the man warmly. "That day I swore something, and I'm going to keep my oath." "Don't talk about it any more, please," said Julia imploringly. "If you don't wish me to, I won't," said Crellock smiling. "I do want to talk to you though about a lot of things, and one is about the drink." Julia looked at him wonderingly. "Yes, about the drink," continued Crellock; "the old man drinks too much." Julia's face contracted. "And I've been a regular brute lately, my dear. You see it has been such a temptation after being kept from it for years. I haven't been able to stop myself. It isn't nice for a young girl like you to see a man drunk, is it?" Julia shook her head. "Then I shan't never get drunk again. I'll only take a little." "Oh! I am so glad," cried Julia with girlish eagerness. "Are you?" he said smiling, "then so am I. That's settled then. I want to be as decent as I can. You see you're such a good religious girl, Miss Julia, while I'm such a bad one." "But you could be better."