`And shall you go to Derby?' asked Paul.

`Yes.'

`It's no good.'

`I'll see for myself.'

`And why on earth don't you let him stop. It's just what he wants.'

`Of course,' cried the mother, `you know what he wants!'

She got ready and went by the first train to Derby, where she saw her son and the sergeant. It was, however, no good.

When Morel was having his dinner in the evening, she said suddenly:

`I've had to go to Derby to-day.'

The miner turned up his eyes, showing the whites in his black face.

`Has ter, lass. What took thee there?'

`That Arthur!'

`Oh--an' what's agate now?'

`He's only enlisted.'

Morel put down his knife and leaned back in his chair.

`Nay,' he said, `that he niver `as!'

`And is going down to Aldershot tomorrow.'

`Well!' exclaimed the miner. `That's a winder.' He considered it a moment, said `H'm!' and proceeded with his dinner. Suddenly his face contracted with wrath. `I hope he may never set foot i' my house again,' he said.

`The idea!' cried Mrs Morel. `Saying such a thing!'

`I do,' repeated Morel. `A fool as runs away for a soldier, let `im look after `issen; I s'll do no more for `im.'

`A fat sight you have done as it is,' she said.

And Morel was almost ashamed to go to his public-house that evening.

`Well, did you go?' said Paul to his mother when he came home.

`I did.'

`And could you see him?'

`Yes.'

`And what did he say?'

`He blubbered when I came away.'