Page:Between Two Loves.djvu/224

Rh to look at whatever hurts them, and Sykes, following out some internal impulse, walked down by the stream towards Burley's mill. It had already an unusual look of prosperity. Poverty and trouble have some impalpable atmosphere that their dwelling-place, even if it be a palace, cannot escape. From Burley's mill this atmosphere had suddenly vanished. Sykes was aware of a change, a change too subtle for him to understand, but he felt it. As he swaggered past the gates Jonas Shuttleworth turned the corner of the mill and came towards him.

Sykes would have passed on, but Jonas stopped him. "So it's thee, is it? Well, well! Aske hed to go down low to find a tool! He hed that!"

"Mr. Shuttleworth, I want nothing whatever to do with you."

"Varry likely thou doesn't. But I partic'larly want to hev something to do wi' thee. In t' first place, I'll give thee notice to look out for another job. I'm thinking o' shutting up t' mill thou is running now. I hev got my thumb on t' proper screw now, and thou will find it out when thy afternoon mail comes in. Thet is a' I hev to say to thee at present." And surely