UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 55 



could not. In reply to his inquiries she made 

 him understand that, having travelled two days 

 with little rest or food, suffering much from grief, 

 along with fatigue, she had grown so ill that she 

 was obliged to stop there. Not seeing any cot- 

 tage near, in which she could beg a lodging, and 

 feeling totally unable to walk farther, she had 

 lain there many hours, but had not seen any one 

 pass, and fearing that the child would be starved, 

 she had sent him in search of some kind-hearted 

 person. She added that she was sure her ill- 

 ness was a fever ; and as there was, therefore, 

 little, chance of her being admitted into any 

 house, all she wished for was a shed to cover 

 her, some water to drink, and some bread for 

 her little boy. 



My cousins, promising assistance, rode home 

 instantly, in hopes of finding my uncle, but 

 we were all at Farmer Moreland's. They tried 

 then to find some one who could erect a shed 

 over the poor woman, but it was a holyday no 

 labourers were at work ; and the steward, who 

 was the only person they found, had received 

 orders not to leave the yards all day, be- 

 cause many idle people might be about. He 

 told Wentworth he could easily supply materials 

 for a shed, if there was any one to build it. 

 Wentworth and Frederick looked at each other 

 for a moment, and then both said together 

 " Let us do it ourselves, and give up the ride," 



