Jane he did not see.
Her maid said she had been ill all night and had fallen asleep at the
dawning, and John left her a written message and went earlier to the
mill than usual. But Greenwood was there, busily examining bales of
cotton and singing and scolding alternately as he worked. John joined
him and they had a hard morning's work together, throughout which only
one subject occupied both minds--the mill and cotton to feed its looms.
In the afternoon Greenwood took up the more human phase of the question.
He told John that six of their unmarried men had gone to America. "They
think mebbe they'll be a bit better off there, sir. I don't think they
will."
"Not a bit."
"And while you were away Jeremiah Stokes left his loom forever. It
didn't put him out any. It was a stormy night for the flitting--thunder
and lightning and wind and rain--but he went smiling and whispering,
"There is a land of pure delight!"
"The woman, poor soul, had a harder journey."
"Who was she?"
"Susanna Dobson.
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