"We do well to be thankful, but I think humility becomes us too.

While we doubted the sun and the rain have been with us for a sign that, though men grow faint-hearted and spare their toil, seed-time and harvest shall not fail." It was the first time Colonel Barrington had spoken in quite that strain, and when he paused a moment there was a curious stillness, for those who heard him noticed an unusual tremor in his voice.

There was also a gravity that was not far removed from sadness in his face when he went on again, but the intentness of his retainers would have been greater had they known that two separate detachments of police troopers were then riding toward Silverdale.
"The year has brought its changes, and set its mark deeply on some of us," he said.

"We cannot recall it, or retrieve our blunders, but we can hope they will be forgiven us and endeavor to avoid them again.
This is not the fashion in which I had meant to speak to you tonight, but after the bounty showered upon us I feel my responsibility.

The law is unchangeable.