She saw as much,
and turned and went upstairs again to her chamber.
"Think of her kindly," said Uncle Chirgwin as Mary left him without more
words. "She'm so young an' ignorant o' the gert world, Polly. An' if the
worst falls, which God forbid, 'tis her as'll suffer most, not we."
"Us have all got to suffer an' suffer this side our graaves," she said,
mounting wearily.
"So young an' purty as she be--the moral o' her mother. I doan't knaw--'tis
sich a wonnerful world--but them blue eyes--them round blue eyes couldn't
do a thing as was wrong afore God as wan might fancy," he said aloud, not
knowing she was out of earshot. Then he heaved a sigh, returned to the
kitchen, and presently departed to the fields.
CHAPTER EIGHT
WAITING FOR "MISTER JAN"
With searching of heart, Mary Chirgwin spent time during that afternoon. In
one room Joan, happier than she had been for many days, set out her few
possessions, boldly hung the picture of Joe Noy's ship upon the wall and
gazed at it with affection, for it spoke of the painter, not the sailor, to
her; while, in a chamber hard by, Mary solved the problem of the day,
coming at her conclusion with great struggle of mind and clashing of
arguments. She resolved at last to abide at Drift with her uncle and with
Joan. The reason for those events now crowding upon her life was hidden
from her; and why Providence saw fit to awaken or mightily intensify the
sorrows which time was lulling to sleep, she could not divine.
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