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Updated: May 25, 2025
He had thought about changing the time he went to the post, but felt it would be cowardly. Besides, he was occupied all day and letters could not be written until the outside work was done, while a postman called at Allerby early in the morning. There was, however, nobody about and for a minute or two Kit went on at a quick pace.
I don't ask you to mend the dyke for Osborn's sake but yours. If the beck breaks through and runs down to Allerby, it will spoil all the hay and fill the mill-lead with rubbish." "Then we'll get compensation. Landlord's bound to keep dyke in order." Kit smiled. "You'll get nothing, unless you go to law and I don't know if you'll get much then. Hayes is clever and the dispute would be expensive.
"That's too much to expect; it's your business to help yourselves. Mr. Osborn takes the highest rent that's offered, and you missed your chance when you let Bell get Allerby mill." "Neabody else had t' money," another grumbled. "Two or three of us could have clubbed together and made a profit after selling feeding stuff at a moderate price."
They were independent and suspicious about new plans, but it was obvious that the best defense against a monopoly was a combine. In fact, they began to see it was the only defense they had. Then one turned to Peter. "If you're for stopping Bell robbing us and starving poor folk at Allerby, I'm with you."
"Are they grumbling much at Allerby about burning peat?" he asked. "T' women grumble," Tom said dryly. "But they willunt stop, for aw the dirt peat maks an' they canna get ovens hot. I reckon Bell has mair coal coming in than he can get shut of. When I was at station last t' yards was nearly full." "I rather think Bell has been too greedy.
It was long since the water had flowed that way, but his father had told him that in heavy floods it had some times spread across the fields and joined the other stream at Allerby. If this happened again, the bottom of the dale would be covered and the crops ruined. When he was going away, three or four men with picks and spades came up. "Are you going to mend the dyke?" he asked.
It was a relief when Kit laughed and declared that he did not mean to leave Ashness yet. When he passed Allerby mill Kit looked about. Icicles covered the idle wheel, a snow cornice hung over the flagged roof, and water splashed softly in the half-frozen race. Farther on, the snowy road was checkered by the shadows of hedges and bare trees.
"We're gan to try," said one. "I reckon we'll not can hoad her up if beck rises much." "She'll rise three or four feet," said Kit. "Is nobody else coming?" "Neabody we ken aboot. Mr. Osborn sent to Allerby first thing, but miller wadn't let him have a man." Kit thought hard. Bell had given up the mill and his successor had a dispute with Hayes.
Osborn had spent some money here, for Allerby mill, with its seed and chemical manure stores, paid him a higher rent than the best of his small farms. It was obviously well managed by the tenant, and Kit approved. Modern machines and methods, although expensive, were good and were needed in the dale. The trouble was, they sometimes gave the man who could use them power to rob his poorer neighbors.
An elderly woman with a sack upon her back followed them slowly, and it was obvious that cottagers from Allerby were gathering fuel. "Confound them! This is too much!" he exclaimed and beckoned his gamekeeper. "If that is Mrs. Forsyth, tell her to come up." The woman advanced and rested her sack upon the hedge. Her wrinkled face was wet with sweat, but she did not look alarmed.
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