Page:Arminell, a social romance (1896).djvu/359

Rh it was murder; but the worst of it all is, that it will drive my sweeping at two shillings out of the heads of my lady and Miss Arminell. They'll be so took up wi' ordering of mourning that they'll not think of me—which is a crying shame. If his lordship could but have lived another week till I was settled into my sweeping and victuals, he might have died and welcome, but to go interfering like between me and two shillings, is that provoking I could swear. Not that I say it was his lordship's fault, and I lay no blame on him, but folks do say, that——"

"There now, Samuel," interrupted Joan. "This is young Mr. Saltren you are speaking to and you are forgetting."

"I'm not forgetting," grumbled the old man; "don't you be always of a flurrying me. Why, if I had had my situation as was promised me, we might have married and reared a family. I reckon one can do that on two shillings a day, and broken victuals from the kitchen. I might take the case into court and sue Captain Saltren for damages."

"Hush, Samuel," interposed Joan nervously, looking at Giles.

"I ain't a-going to be hushed like a baby," said Samuel Ceely irritably; "I reckon if I don't get my place, we can't marry, and have a family, and where will my domestic happiness be? I tell you, them as chucked his lordship down the Cleave, chucked my family as was to be down with him, and if I can't bring 'em into court for murdering his lordship, I can for murdering my family, of as healthy and red-cheeked children as might have been—all gone," said the old man grimly. "All, head over heels down the Cleave, along of Lord Lamerton."

"How can you talk so?" said Joan reproachfully. "You know you have no children."

"I might have had—a dozen of 'em—seven girls and five boys, and I'd got the names for them all in my head. I might have had if I'd got the sweeping and the broken