up correspondence for twenty-three years. It really seemed as if leathery, rusty Aunt Dionyvsia, from being a dry Gideon's fleece, were about to be turned into a wet and wringable fleece. No one was more astounded than herself.
It was now necessary that Miss Trevisa should go to S. Austell and see after what had come to her thus unsolicited and unexpectedly. All need for her to remain at Pentyre was at an end.
Before she departed—not finally, but to see about the furniture that was now hers, and to make up her mind whether to keep or to sell it—she called Judith to her.
That day, the events of which were given in last chapter, had produced a profound impression on Jamie. He had become gloomy, timid, and silent. His old idle chatter ceased. He clung to his sister, and accompanied her wherever she went; he could not endure to be with Coppinger. When he heard his voice, caught a glimpse of him, he ran away and hid. Jamie had been humored as a child, never beaten, scolded, put in a corner, sent to bed, cut off his pudding, but the rod had now been applied to his back and his first experience of corporal punishment was the cruel and vindictive hiding administered, not for any fault he had committed but because he had done his sister's bidding. He was filled with hatred of Coppinger, mingled with fear, and when alone with Judith would break out into exclamations of entreaty that she would run away with him, and of detestation of the man who held them there, as it were prisoners.
"Ju," said he, "I wish he were dead. I hate him. Why doesn't God kill him and set us free?"
At another time he said, "Ju, dear! You do not love him." "I wish I were a big strong man like Oliver, and I would do what Captain Cruel did."
"What do you mean?"
"Captain Cruel shot at Oliver."
"This was the first tidings Judith had heard of the attempt on Oliver's life.
"He is a mean coward," said Jamie. "He hid behind a hedge and shot at him. But he did not hurt him."
"God preserved him," said Judith.
"Why does not God preserve us? Why did God let that beast——"
"Hush, Jamie!"
