"Thou dost not know that I'm larning to do without food," said he.
Mary looked at him to see if he spoke jestingly. No! he looked
savagely grave.
She finished her bit of ironing, and began preparing the food she
was sure her father needed; for by this time her experience in the
degrees of hunger had taught her that his present irritability was
increased, if not caused by want of food.
He had had a sovereign given him to pay his expenses as delegate to
Glasgow, and out of this he had given Mary a few shillings in the
morning; so she had been able to buy a sufficient meal, and now her
care was to cook it so as to tempt him.
"If thou'rt doing that for me, Mary, thou mayst spare thy labour. I
telled thee I were not for eating."
"Just a little bit, father, before starting," coaxed Mary
perseveringly.
At that instant who should come in but Job Legh. It was not often
he came, but when he did pay visits, Mary knew from past experience
they were anything but short. Her father's countenance fell back
into the deep gloom from which it was but just emerging at the sound
of Mary's sweet voice, and pretty pleading.
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