"
For Stead, like everyone else at Elmwood, kept his accounts by tally
and in his head, and the mysteries of the nine Arabic figures were
perfectly unknown to him. However, Emlyn stuck to the hope, and he
was so far inspired by it that he ceased to insist on giving up the
pledges of the betrothal, and he lay on the settle in quiet enjoyment
of Emlyn's castle building, as she sat on a stool by his side, his
hand on her shoulder, somewhat as it was wont to lie on Growler's
head. And in spite of Master Willis's opinion, he rode home to the
gulley a new man, assuring Patience, on the donkey by his side, that
there was more staunchness and kindness in little Emlyn than ever
they had thought for. Even the ferryman who put them over the river
declared that the doctor must have done Master Kenton a power of
good, and Stead smiled and did not contradict him.
Stead actually consulted Mr. Woodley how to learn cyphering beyond
what Ben had acquired at school; and the minister lent him a
treatise, over which he pored with a board and a burnt stick for many
an hour when he was out on the common with the cattle, or on the
darkening evenings in the hut.
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