Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III THE AXE WITH THE LONG HAFT The morrow dawned as if the light September mists, with a crisp breeze to stir them into fantastic shapes, held some happy augury of the day's well-being hidden under their frail cloak. The dawn grew full, and far-off Pendle Hill crept, big and fair to look upon, from out the scattered haze ; yet still Red Ratcliffe slept, nor did he turn and mutter restlessly, as men do who know, even in their sleep, that their wonted waking-time is past. The sun, a fiery red not long ago, was gold as buttercups in June, and made wide, level pathways through the lingering thickets of the mist; yet still the lad slept on ; it seemed he knew the length of the day's work to come, and would not stir till he had fed his strength with a full meal of sleep. At last the sun got round to the wide window-space, with its casement fastened back to let the moor-air fill the room perpetually. Its beams fell on the sleeper's eyelids, and in a moment he was wide awake and on his feet, just the one stretch he gave, then slipped into his clothes, and ran down the stair, calling for Joseph as he went. " Here, master, here ! " came the other's voice from the kitchen. " I was astir two hours agone. You'll be lateish for Colne market—if ye're not, ye may give me a Wayne name, and hang me from the nighest tree." " I shall be in time, Joseph," said the other, in the curious tone which marked his deeper moods. " Tis neither to sell a cow nor to buy one that I ride to Colne to-day." Joseph came out into the hall, though from the distant mistals he could hear Bathsheba calling him. " I ride with you to-day," he said ; " the Dog was baying all last night, and, though I don't hold with such matters, 'tis well to be on the safe side." " I ride alone," Red Ratcliff...