Salome's Burden by Eleanora H. Stooke

IT was about half-past nine o'clock that same night, that the Vicar of Yelton opened the Pethericks' garden gate, and stepping determinedly up the path, rapped at the door of the cottage.

Returning from an evening's fishing an hour previously, he had been stopped in the village, on his way home, by Silas Moyle, who had poured into his ears an excited tale about Josiah, whom Silas had taken upon himself to remonstrate with upon his cruel conduct to his daughter on the previous night, with the result that Josiah, inflamed with drink, had struck him, and had received in return a black eye and an injured cheek.