s the Southdown is a smaller sheep than ours, and I don't see
any sense in bringing down our fine big sheep that can stand all waters
and weathers. If I was to cross 'em, I'd sooner cross 'em with rams
bigger than themselves. I know they say that small joints of mutton are
all the style nowadays, but I like a fine big animal--besides, think of
the fleeces."

Socknersh apparently thought of them so profoundly that he was choked of
utterance, but Joanna could tell that he was going to speak by the
restless moving of his eyes under their strangely long dark lashes, and
by the little husky sounds he made in his throat. She stood watching him
with a smile on her face.

"Well, Socknersh--you were going to say ..."

"I wur going to say, missus, as my maeaster up at Garlinge Green, whur I
wur afore I took to the Marsh at Botolph's Bridge--my maeaster, Mus'
Pebsham, had a valiant set of Spanish ship, as big as liddle cattle; you
shud ought to have seen them."

"Did he do any crossing with 'em?"

"No, missus--leastways not whiles I wur up at the Green."

Joanna stared through the thick red sunset to the horizon. Marvellous
plans were forming in her head--part, they seemed, of the fiery shapes
that the clouds had raised in the west beyond Rye hill. Those clouds
walked forth as flocks of sheep--huge sheep under mountainous fleeces,
the wonder of the Marsh and the glory of Ansdore....

"Socknersh ..."

"Yes, missus."

She hesitated whether she should share with him her new inspiration. It
would be good to hear him say "Surelye, missus" in that admiring, husky
voice. He was the only one of her farm-hands who, she felt, had any
deference towards her--any real loyalty, though he was the last come.

"Socknersh, d'you think your master up at Garlinge would let me hire one
or two rams to cross with my ewes?--I might go up and have a look at
them. I don't know as I've ever seen a Spanish sheep.... Garlinge is up
by Court-at-Street, ain't it?"

"Yes, missus. 'Tis an unaccountable way from here."

"I'd write first. What d'you think of the notion, Socknersh? Don't you
think that a cross between a Spanish sheep and a Kent sheep ud be an
uncommon fine animal?"

"Surelye, missus."

That night Joanna dreamed that giant sheep as big as bullocks were being
herded on the Marsh by a giant shepherd.

Sec.10

Spring brought a blooming to Ansdore as well as to the Marsh. Joanna had
postponed, after all, her house-painting till