He had not proceeded far along his path, when the heavy tread of a man on the rustling leaves, caused him to raise his eyes, and he saw a short, thickset figure, in grey woollen hose, and a vest of coarse medley cloth reaching no higher than the collar-bone, hastening onward. A gleam of hope lighted Calverley's face as he observed this man.
"Yes, yes, you shall have money, Oakley, and I tell you, that if you could manage to send me intimation, from time to time, of the plots they are forming, you shall have as much as you desire.""To Hailes.But when all is ready, I must go up the lane yonder," pointing to the right"'tis but a step, and fetch Stephen Holgraveand the poor fellow shall go with us to see his mother buried as she ought to be.""But I haven't got a pennycleaned myself out for my railway ticket. I've walked all the way from the station, and my lungs are bad."At last matters reached a climax. It was late in March; Albert was much worse, and even the doctor looked solemn. "He won't last till the summer," he[Pg 367] said in answer to one of Pete's questions, and unluckily the sick man heard him.
