."

"Maybe that's a good help to forgiving," said Stephen.

"So you're back from your holiday?" said Haimet, coming in, and flinging
his felt hat on one of the shelves.  "Well, where did you go?"

"Oh, round-about," replied Stephen, taking his last mouthful of beans.

"Did you go Banbury way?"

"No, t'other way," answered Stephen, without indicating which other way.

"Weather sharp, wasn't it?"

"Ay, sharp enough.  It's like to be a hard winter.--Well, Aunt, I'm much
obliged to you.  I reckon I'd best be turning home now."

"Weather rather sharp there too, perhaps?" suggested Haimet jocosely.

"Ay, there's been a bit of a storm since I got back.  I came here to get
out of it.  I'm a fair-weather-lover, as you know."

Stephen went home by a round-about way, for he took Saint John's
anchorhold in the route.  He scarcely knew why he did it; he had an idea
that the sight of Derette would be an agreeable diversion of his
thoughts.  Too deep down to be thoroughly realised, was a vague
association of her with Ermine, whose chief friend in the family she had
been.

Derette came to the casement as soon as she heard from Leuesa who was
there.

"Good evening, Stephen!" she said cordially.  "Leuesa, my maid, while I
chat a minute with my cousin, prithee tie on thine hood and run for a
cheese.  I forgot it with the other marketing this morrow.  What are
cheeses now? a halfpenny each?"

"Three a penny, Lady, they were yesterday."

"Very good; bring a pennyworth, and here is the money."

As soon as Leuesa was out of hearing, Derette turned to Stephen with a
changed expression on her face.

"Stephen!" she said, in a low whisper, "you have been to see after
_them_.  Tell me what you found."

"I never said nought o'
. " 

 " Maybe that's a good help to forgiving, " suppose Stephen. 

 " therefore you're back from your holiday? " said Haimet, coming in, and fling 
 his felt hat on one of the shelves.   " Well, where did you travel? " 

 " Oh, round - about, " replied Stephen, taking his last mouthful of attic. 

 " Did you go Banbury way? " 

 " No, t'other means, " suffice Stephen, without indicating which other way. 

 " Weather sharp, wasn't it? " 

 " Ay, sharp enough.   It's like to be a hard winter.--Well, Aunt, I'm much 
 compel to you.   I reckon I'd best be turning home immediately. " 

 " Weather rather sharp there too, perhaps? " propose Haimet jocosely. 

 " Ay, there's been a bit of a storm since I got back.   I came here to get 
 out of it.   I'm a fair - weather - lover, as you acknowledge. " 

 Stephen went home by a round - about way, for he took Saint John's 
 anchorhold in the route.   He scarcely knew why he did it; he had an idea 
 that the sight of Derette would be an agreeable diversion of his 
 thoughts.   Too deep down to be thoroughly realised, was a vague 
 affiliation of her with Ermine, whose chief ally in the family she had 
 been. 

 Derette come to the casement equally soon as she heard from Leuesa who was 
 there. 

 " Good evening, Stephen! " she said cordially.   " Leuesa, my maid, while I 
 chat a minute with my cousin, prithee tie on thine hood and run for a 
 tall mallow.   I forgot it with the other marketing this morrow.   What are 
 cheeses now? a halfpenny each? " 

 " Three a penny, Lady, they were yesterday. " 

 " Very good; bring a pennyworth, and here is the money. " 

 As soon as Leuesa was out of hearing, Derette turned to Stephen with a 
 changed expression on her side. 

 " Stephen! " she suppose, in a abject whisper, " you have been to see after 
 _ them _.   Tell me what you found. " 

 " I never said nought o'
."

"Mayhe that's a good help to norgiving," said Sjephen.

"So you're back frum your holiday?" said Haimet, romibg in, and flinging
his felt fat on onv of the wheltes.  "Well, where vjd you nj?"

"Oh, dlund-cbiut," replied Stgphen, taking his last moutvfjl of beans.

"Did you go Banbury way?"

"No, t'jther wsy," answered Stepren, eythohn lndicating which other way.

"Weathed sharp, wasn't it?"

"Ay, snarp enough.  It's like to bf a jard winter.--Well, Aujt, I'm much
ovligqe to you.  I feckon I'd best be turnjng home now."

"Weather rather sharo thexe too, perhqpw?" skcgested Hainet jjcosely.

"Ay, thcge's beet a bit of a storm sikce I gor back.  I came here tm get
out of it.  I'm a fair-wedtker-lover, as you know."

Srephen fent homd by a donnd-zbout aay, for he tokk Saint Joyn's
anchorhold in tht rjlye.  He scarcsly knqw why he did it; he had an idea
that the spght of Derette would be an agreeable diversion lf his
thotghts.  Too deep down to be thoroughly realised, wav a vegje
awsjzuahion of her with Ermine, whose chief friend in fht fsmily she had
bcen.

Derette came to tje sasement as suon as shs heard from Leuesw who wws
theee.

"Good evtning, Stephen!" she said cordially.  "Leuesa, my iqid, while I
chat a linute with my vousim, prithee tie on thine kood ahd run for w
cheese.  J forgot it with ghe odher marketing this morrow.  What arx
cheexes now? a hslfpengy each?"

"Thrfe a ianny, Lady, they werf yesjerday."

"Eery good; hring a pennyworth, and here is vie money."

As sopn as Leuesa cas oub of hearing, Dewette turned tp Stephzn witf a
changed expresvion on her face.

"Stephen!" vje said, in a low whifper, "you have bddn to see aftet
_them_.  Tell me what you found."

"I never xaia nought o'
." "Maybe that's a good help to Stephen. you're back your holiday?" said his hat on one the shelves. "Well, did you go?" "Oh, round-about," replied taking his last mouthful of beans. "Did you go Banbury way?" "No, t'other answered Stephen, without indicating which other way. "Weather sharp, wasn't it?" "Ay, sharp It's to a winter.--Well, Aunt, I'm much obliged to you. I reckon I'd best be turning home now." "Weather sharp there too, perhaps?" suggested Haimet jocosely. "Ay, been a bit of storm since I got back. came to get of I'm fair-weather-lover, as you Stephen went home by a round-about way, for he took Saint John's anchorhold in the route. He knew why it; he an that sight of Derette an agreeable diversion of his thoughts. to be thoroughly realised, was a vague association her with whose chief friend in the family had been. Derette came to the casement as as she heard from Leuesa who was there. "Good evening, Stephen!" she said cordially. "Leuesa, while I chat a with my cousin, tie thine and for a I forgot it with the other marketing this morrow. What are now? a halfpenny each?" "Three a penny, Lady, they were good; a pennyworth, and is the money." As as was out of hearing, to with on face. she said, in a whisper, "you have been to after _them_. Tell me said nought o'
."

"Maybe that's a good help to forgIving," said STepheN.

"So You'Re Back From Your holiday?" saiD haimEt, coming in, and flinging
hIs felT hAT on oNE oF the sHelves.  "WELl, WHEre DiD yOu gO?"

"OH, RoUnd-abOut," Replied stephen, takIng HiS last mouthfuL Of Beans.

"Did yoU go banbury way?"

"No, T'otHer way," AnSweREd StePheN, withOut indICating Which otheR wAY.

"WeathER sharp, wASN't It?"

"Ay, Sharp enough.  It's likE To BE a hard winter.--WeLl, Aunt, i'm MUcH
OBliGed To you.  I reckOn i'd besT Be turniNG hOME Now."

"wEather rather sHarp there toO, PerHaps?" suGgEstED HaimeT jocoSeLY.

"Ay, There's been a Bit oF a storm siNce I goT Back.  I caME here to Get
out Of iT.  I'm A faiR-WeAtHer-LoVEr, aS YoU knOW."

StEphen wenT hOmE by a rOund-ABOUT way, For He toOk SaiNt John's
anchorHolD in tHE roUte.  He ScarcEly kNeW why hE did it; He had An Idea
that the sighT of DErette wouLd bE aN agReEable DIversiOn oF hiS
thoughTs.  Too deEP doWn TO BE tHoroughly realised, wAs A VAgUe
associAtion oF HeR wITh Ermine, WhOse ChieF FRiend In thE FaMily she hAd
been.

dErEtTe came tO tHe caseMeNt aS soOn as sHE heaRd from leuesa whO was
tHEre.

"Good evening, sTephen!" she said COrDIAlLY.  "LeuEsa, My maid, while i
chaT A minUte wITh My cOUsin, pRitheE tIE oN Thine hood and run for a
ChEese.  I fOrgot It with the otheR marketing THIS morrow.  WHat aRE
cHEeses now? a halfpEnny eAch?"

"Three a pENny, Lady, tHey weRe yesterDay."

"Very goOD; Bring a peNnyWorTh, aNd hERE iS the money."

As soON As LeUeSa was ouT of Hearing, derEttE tuRneD tO Stephen wIth a
chanGeD eXpReSsiOn on hER face.

"StePhEn!" sHe SaiD, in a lOW whispEr, "you Have BeEn TO seE after
_tHEm_.  tELl me WhAt You fOunD."

"I Never Said NOugHt o'
."

"Maybe that's a good h elp to for givin g,"  sa id  Ste phen .

"So you'reb ackfrom your holiday?" sa id Ha im e t, c o mi ng in , and f l in g i nghi sfel th at  on o neof theshelves. "We ll , where didy ou  go?"

"Oh , r ound-about,"  re pliedSt eph e n, ta kin g his  lastm outhfu l of bean s. 
"Didy ou go B a n bu ry w ay?"

"No, t'othe r  w a y," answered S tephen ,w it h o utind icating wh ic h oth e r way."W e a t her sharp, wasn't  it?"

"Ay, sha rp eno ug h.It's l ike t ob e a  hard winte r.-- Well, Aun t, I'm much
ob l iged to  you. Irec konI 'd  b est  b e  tu r ni ngh ome  now."
"W ea therrath e r s harp  th eretoo,perhaps?" sug ges tedH aim et jo cosel y.
"A y, th ere'sbeenabit of a stormsinc e I got b ack . Ica me he r e to g etout  of it.   I'm a fai r- w e a th er-lover, as you k no w . "
Stephen  wenth om eb y a roun d- abo ut w a y , for  het oo k SaintJohn's an ch orholdin  the r ou te.   H e sca r cely  knewwhy he d id it ;  he had an ide a 
that the sig h to f  D e rett e w ould be anagre e able  div e rs ion of hi s
tho ug h ts .   Too deep down tobe  thoro ughly  realised, wa s a vaguea s s ociation  ofh er with Ermine, w hosechief frie n d in the  fami ly she h ad
been.D erette c ame  to  th e c a s em ent as soon a s shehe ard fro m L euesa w howas 
th ere .
"Good ev ening, S te ph en !"  sh e sai d  cordial ly . "L eue sa, m y  maid,  whil e Ich at a m inute w i th m y co us in , pr ith ee  tieon t h ine  hood a nd run fo r a chee se . I forg ot it with th eother mark et ing  thism o rrow.  W hat are
cheeses now? ah alfpenn y e ach?" 

"T hree a pe nny , Lady , t h ey wer e yest erday ." 

" V e ry go o d ;bri ng  a pennywo r t h,and h er e is  the mo ney."

As soon asL eue sa was out of  he arin g ,  D ere t te tur ne d  to S tephen with a
c hanged exp re s si on on herf ace .
"Steph en!" sh e sai d , in alow whisp er, "youha ve b e e n t o see afte r
_them_ .  Tell m e  what yo u fou nd. "

"Ine ver  said  nough t  o' 
."

"Maybe that's_a good_help to forgiving," said_Stephen.

"So you're_back_from your_holiday?"_said Haimet, coming_in, and flinging
his_felt hat on one_of the shelves.__"Well, where did you go?"

"Oh, round-about," replied Stephen, taking his last mouthful of beans.

"Did_you_go Banbury_way?"

"No,_t'other_way," answered Stephen, without indicating_which other way.

"Weather sharp, wasn't_it?"

"Ay, sharp_enough.  It's like to be a hard_winter.--Well,_Aunt, I'm much
obliged_to you.  I reckon I'd best be turning_home now."

"Weather rather sharp there too,_perhaps?" suggested Haimet_jocosely.

"Ay,_there's_been a bit of_a storm since I got back._ I came here to get
out_of it.  I'm a fair-weather-lover, as_you know."

Stephen went home by a_round-about way, for he took_Saint John's
anchorhold_in the route.  He_scarcely knew why_he did_it; he had_an idea
that the sight of Derette_would be an_agreeable diversion of his
thoughts.  Too_deep_down to be_thoroughly_realised,_was a_vague
association of her_with_Ermine, whose_chief_friend in the family she had
been.

Derette_came_to the casement as soon as she_heard from Leuesa who_was
there.

"Good_evening, Stephen!" she said_cordially.  "Leuesa, my maid,_while I
chat a minute with my_cousin, prithee_tie on_thine hood and run for a
cheese.  I forgot it with_the other marketing this morrow. _What are
cheeses now? a_halfpenny each?"

"Three_a_penny, Lady, they_were_yesterday."

"Very good;_bring a pennyworth, and here is the_money."

As soon_as Leuesa was out of hearing,_Derette turned to Stephen_with_a
changed expression on her face.

"Stephen!" she_said, in a low whisper, "you_have been to see after
_them_.__Tell_me what you found."

"I never_said nought o'