CHAPTER XII.

I see the wealthy miller yet,
His double chin, his portly size,
And who that knew him could forget
The busy wrinkles round his eyes?
The slow wise smile that, round about
His dusty forehead drily curl'd,
Seem'd half within and half without,

And full of dealings with the world.

TENNYSON.

"MAKE SO bold," Master Herbert, began the jolly miller, " a word with you."

66

Willingly," replied Herbert, " as many

as you like, Mr. Jenkins.”

Why then, sir, to be plain, I'm thinking

of telling you a bit of a secret that has

been a weight on my mind, for some time past, and that, maybe, you would like to hear."

Herbert put himself into an attitude of attention, whilst the miller fidgetted from side to side, and seemed not to know how to begin. At last

Well, it must out, wait as long as one will; so you must know, Master Herbert, that a little event happened to me some time ago, that though it did'nt exactly concarn me, astonished and troubled me."

Here the miller scratched his head, and Herbert made a slight remark, to encourage him to proceed.

""Twas about the time when Mr. Lloyd, your grandfather-honoured gentlemanwas distressed for Jones, the Innkeeper's rent, and when Madam Llewellen was in trouble too."

"When what ?" asked Herbert, who, though he had heard of his grandfather's affair with Mr. Grant, did not know that Lady Llewellen had been also concerned.

"Oh! never mind; that's nothing to do

with it," replied the miller, whose natural good feeling forbade him introducing Lady Llewellen's difficulties, because he had relieved them; although, be it said here, he had been repaid his generous lone. "But about the time when Mr. Lloyd was distressed for Jones's rent, I see Miss Llewellen go over to Glanheathyn in the morning, and knowing that she was timerous or so, I thought it might be but perlite in me to look after her when she came back, as the evenings were very dark. So about dusk, I set off across the cliff, just as if I was taking an evening's walk, upon the chance of meeting her; for between ourselves, Master Herbert, it is'nt right for such a young lady as her, to be out alone at them hours, in November; and I knew. that they were all busy enough at the Parsonage. I walked on pretty quietly, looking about me carefully, to see there was nothing wrong; for I can't say I'm fond of being out myself after dusk; till I. came within a stone's throw of the

church. Now 'tisn't always pleasant to pass by a churchyard, when it is darkish, and I must say I had a feeling about me when I saw the shadows of the white graves; for everybody knows there is many a sight to be seen in the churchyard at night. But I was struck all of a sudden by a spirit as I thought at first, gliding along under the churchyard wall. My legs quite shook under me, and I must confess, that for once in my life, I was rayther afraid. But I soon heard footsteps, and as ghosts don't make a noise, I took heart, and thought it might be a man. But then one is'nt always sure of what kind of men one may meet, so I made up my mind, ghost or man, to hide till he had passed me by, and crept softly up into the church porch, where nobody could see me, though I could see anybody; as well, at least, as the night would let me.

All of a sudden on comes Miss Llewellen, poor thing, and I was debating in my mind whether 'twould be best for her, for

me to go out and bear her company, or for me to stop where I was, when, indeed to goodness, the man or the ghost, or whatever he was spoke to her, and called her by name. I stood ready to defend her, in case of insult, but kept out of sight-because, you see, I thought I had no call to interfere between them when matters went smooth. I could'nt help hearing what passed, for 'twas a pretty calm night, and in a little time I found out that my ghost was the squire, Mr. Grant, for whom, between ourselves, I had never much liking. They began to talk about Mr. Lloyd, and the distress; and Miss spoke bolder and warmer than she ever spoke before, in my hearing. The squire didn't seem to say so much, but he declared that he knew nothing about the matter, but that Williams must be at the bottom of it. Then Miss begged him to go at once and put an end to it all: and sure I never heard any one use more finer language than she did. But the squire wanted to