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220 enough among Sykes's letters that afternoon there was one from Matthew Rhodes, directing him to annoy Burley no further until he received orders to do so.

Jonathan was at Leeds' Market that day, and perhaps Shuttleworth knew it. However, Ben Holden and the old man fraternized at once. They went through the mill together, and nothing in it escaped Shuttleworth's sharp eyes.

"It's a fine mill," he said, approvingly, "and it's well managed. It hesn't a fault but its bad neighbor. We'll hev either to own Sykes's mill or put a friend into it, Ben Holden."

"I would hev said two weeks ago that either plan was an impossibility."

"It's t' impossibilities thet always happen, Ben. If I am going to put money out I think little o' t' returns thet are probable. I'd rather risk t' improbable ones; nine times out o' ten they are t' surest. When I took hold o' Burley's affairs I thought they were in a bad fix; things hev happened since that alters them, if I'm not mistaken."

"I hear t' squire is varry low this morning."

"Poor young fellow! If he was t' worst enemy I iver hed I would be sorry for him. I