e,
though Jason came to Lague but rarely. So with hint and innuendo she
set herself to see how Greeba stood towards the future she had
planned for her. And Greeba was not slow to see her mother's serious
drift under many a playful speech. She had spent cheerful hours at
Lague since the sad surprise that brought her back. Little loth for
the life of the farm, notwithstanding Ross's judgment, she had seemed
to fall into its ways with content. Her mother's hints touched her
not at all, for she only laughed at them with a little of her old
gayety; but one day within the first weeks she met Jason, and then
she felt troubled. He was very serious, and spoke only of what he was
doing, but before his grave face her gay friendliness broke down in
an instant.

Hurrying home she sat down and wrote a letter to Michael Sunlocks.
Never a word had she heard from him since he left the island four
years ago, so she made excuse of her father's going away to cover her
unmaidenly act, and asked him to let her know if her father had
arrived, and how he was and where, with some particulars of himself
also, and whether he meant to come back to the Isle of Man, or had
quite made his home in Iceland; with many a sly glance, too, at her
own condition, such as her modesty could not forbear, but never a
syllable about Jason, for a double danger held her silent on that
head. This she despatched to him, realizing at length that she loved
him, and that she must hear from him soon, or be lost to him forever.

And waiting for Michael's answer she avoided Jason. If she saw him on
the road she cut across the fields, and if he came to the house she
found something to take her out of the kitchen. He saw her purpose
quickly, and his calm eyes saddened, and his strong face twitched,
but he did not flinch; he went on with his work, steadily, earnestly,
only with something less of heart, something less of cheer. Her
mother saw it, too, and then the playful hints changed to angry
threats.

"What has he done?" said Mrs. Fairbrother.

"Nothing," said Greeba.

"Have you anything against him?"

"No."

"Then why are you driving him from the house?"

Greeba could make no answer.

"Are you thinking of someone else?"

Again Greeba was silent.

"I'll beg of you to mend your manners," cried Mrs. Fairbrother. "It's
full time you were wedded and gone."

"But perhaps I don't wish to leave home," said Greeba.

"Tush!" said Mrs. Fairbrother. "The lad is well