ct on it, but I'm afraid I've got to put his things out, you
know. Now, where are you all going; that's the point?"

"I shall go home, I suppose; but Tryst and the children--we don't know."

The agent tapped his leggings with a riding-cane. "So you've been
expecting it!" he said with relief. "That's right." And, staring down
at the mother-child, he added: "Well, what d'you say, my dear; you look
full of sense, you do!"

Biddy answered: "I'll go and tell Mr. Freeland, sir."

"Ah! You're a bright maid. He'll know where to put you for the time
bein'. Have you had your dinner?"

"No, sir; it's just ready."

"Better have it--better have it first. No hurry. What've you got in the
pot that smells so good?"

"Bubble and squeak, sir."

"Bubble and squeak! Ah!" And with those words the agent withdrew to
where, in a farm wagon drawn up by the side of the road, three men were
solemnly pulling at their pipes. He moved away from them a little, for,
as he expressed it to his wife afterward: "Look bad, you know, look
bad--anybody seeing me! Those three little children--that's where it
is! If our friends at the Hall had to do these jobs for themselves,
there wouldn't be any to do!"

Presently, from his discreet distance, he saw the mother-child going down
the road toward Tod's, in her blue 'pinny' and corn-colored hair. Nice
little thing! Pretty little thing, too! Pity, great pity! And he went
back to the cottage. On his way a thought struck him so that he
well-nigh shivered. Suppose the little thing brought back that Mrs.
Freeland, the lady who always went about in blue, without a hat! Phew!
Mr. Freeland--he was another sort; a bit off, certainly--harmless, quite
harmless! But that lady! And he entered the cottage. The woman was
washing up; seemed a sensible body. When the two kids cleared off to
school he could go to work and get it over; the sooner the better, before
people came hanging round. A job of this kind sometimes made nasty
blood! His yellowish eyes took in the nature of the task before him.
Funny jam-up they did get about them, to be sure! Every blessed little
thing they'd ever bought, and more, too! Have to take precious good care
nothing got smashed, or the law would be on the other leg! And he said
to the woman:

"Now, miss, can I begin?"

"I can't stop you, sir."

'No,' he thought, 'you can't stop me, and I blamed well wish you could!'
But he said: "Got an old wagon out here.