FORE:"But I owe you a grudge, Mr. Backfield, for you have entirely spoilt one of the finest commons in Sussex. The records of Boarzell go back to the twelfth century, and in the Visitations of Sussex it is referred to as a fine piece of moorland three hundred acres in extent and grown over with heather and gorse. I went to see it yesterday, and found only a tuft of gorse and firs at the top."The thresher purred and panted under the window"Urrr-umUrrr-um." Now and then Reuben would call out sharply, "Now then! mind them genuinesthey're mixing wud the seconds!" or "Kip them sacks closed, Beatup." But for most of the afternoon the stillness was broken only by the hum of the machine which sometimes almost seemed a part of it.
FORE:"Yes, but d?an't m?ake him angryhe might beat you."
FORE:Rose could calm the silly jumps of her heart only by telling herself that this was quite an accidental meeting. She made an effort to be commonplace.
THREE:Towards evening uneasiness sprang up again, with the old questionwould he return? She told herself that if he did, she would not hold back, she would not let her inexperience and timidity rob her or him of their love. She would let him kiss her as he pleasedlove was too good a thing to risk for a few qualms. But would he come?would he give her the chance of reparation? The sun dipped behind Castweasel, the hot sky cooled into a limpid greenstars specked it in the north, and the moon came up behind Iden Woods, huge and dim.He drove through Peasmarsh and turned into the Totease lane. The fields on both sides of it were his now. He sniffed delightedly the savour of their sun-baked earth, of the crumpling leaves in their hedges,[Pg 448] of the roots, round and portly, that they nourished in their soiland the west wind brought him the scent of the gorse on Boarzell, very faintly, for now only the thickets of the top were left.
THREE:Jane had been delivered of a dead child about two hours previous to the arrival of her mother, and lay, trembling and exhausted, in a January evening, without light or fire. A fever, with violent periodical shiverings, was the consequence. She slowly recovered; but the two little children, fondling over their sick mother, (as they called the unfortunate woman), caught the fever, and in a few days, probably through want of care, expired."Well, they w?an't wark fur me of their free will. Lard knows I've tried to interest 'em...."
