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266 be impolitic for him to be the one to propose the lad's exile. He might be accused of selfish motives, and if Steve were unsuccessful he was sure that Sarah would only cling the closer to him. Still, it made him happy to see her at her loom with such a cheerful face, and as the weeks went by, and it grew brighter and brighter, he began to look into the eyes he loved with that hopeful lift of the eyelids which asked her as plainly as words could have done, "When?" And though he was so busy that he hardly took time for sleep, he was always conscious of a joy far below the restless tides of daily labor and daily care.

After the wonderful reconciliation between Aske and himself he went at once to see his his uncle. Jonas Shuttleworth had been shrewd enough to anticipate the effect of that Christmas eve upon his nephew's business. He was not astonished when he heard there would be no lawsuit, and yet, in spite of a sensible satisfaction, he was a bit disappointed.

"I hope I am Christian enough to be glad thou hes made it up with thy son-in-law," he said to Jonathan; "but, my word, it was as nice a case as iver I could wish to see! I hed t'