e in soon."

The cobbler waited for some mention of Lilac, but as none came he
proceeded to make polite enquiries about other matters, such as the
crops and the live stock, and the chances of good weather for the hay.
He would not ask for her yet, he thought, because it might look as
though he had no other reason for coming.

"And how did you do with your ducks this season, Mrs Greenways, ma'am?"
he said.

"Why, badly," replied Mrs Greenways in a mortified tone; "I never knew
such onlucky broods. A cow got into the orchard and trampled down one.
Fifteen as likely ducklings as you'd wish to see. And the rats scared
off a hen just as she'd hatched out; and we lost a whole lot more with
the cramp."

"H'm, h'm, h'm," said the cobbler sympathisingly, "that was bad, that
was. And you ought to do well with your poultry in a fine place like
this too."

"Well, we don't," said Mrs Greenways, rather shortly; "and that's all
about it."

"They want a lot of care, poultry does," said Joshua reflectively; "a
lot of care. I know a little what belongs to the work of a farm. Years
afore I came to these parts I used to live on one."

"Then p'r'aps you know what a heart-breaking, back-breaking, wearing-out
life it is," burst out poor Mrs Greenways. "All plague an' no profit,
that's what it is. It's drive, drive, drive, morning, noon, and night,
and all to be done over again the next day. You're never through with
it."

"Ah! I dessay," said Joshua soothingly; "but there's your daughters
now. They take summat off your hands, I s'pose? And that reminds me.
There's little White Lilac, as we used to call her,--you find her a
handy sort of lass, don't you?"

"She's well enough in her way," said Mrs Greenways. "I don't never
regret giving her a home, and I know my duty to Greenways' niece; but as
for use--she's a child, Mr Snell, and a weakly little thing too, as
looks hardly fit to hold a broom."

"Well, well, well," said Joshua, "every little helps, and I expect
you'll find her more use than you think for. Even a child is known by
its doings, as Solomon says."

Mrs Greenways interposed hastily, for she feared the beginning of what
she called Joshua's "preachments."

"You'd like to have seen her, maybe; but she's gone with Agnetta to the
Vicarage to take some eggs. Mrs Leigh likes to see the gals now and
then."

Joshua made his visit as long as he could in the hope of Lilac's return,
but she did not appear, and a