Page:Between Two Loves.djvu/176

Rh life, he's a good lad in a way, and yet he can do good to nobody, not even to himsen. But for that matter, there has been a mistake in thy life. And happen thou aren't doing a bit better with it than he is. Wandering about t' woods and wolds won't put wrong right. I niver heard tell or found out yet of any salvation coming that way. A spoiled life will hev to look a bit higher than Nature."

"Steve says you are the best of good masters to him. He says, 'Master Burley pays me all I earn, and he niver casts up my faults to me.'"

"Happen I hev a good reason for being patient with t' poor lad. I hev a Master, too, Eleanor, and I hev tried his patience above a bit these last three years or more."

"I know, father. I have brought sorrow and care and loss without end on you."

"Ay, thou hes! That is t' truth, and there's no use covering it up with a lie or a compliment. But I think a deal worse of mysen than I do of thee. I hev spoiled thee to begin wi'. I was nearly forty years older than thou wert. I knew t' world and thou didn't. I'll go deep down to t' bottom o' my heart, and say, I was a bit jealous o' Aske mysen, and t' quarrel was