much or may be a trifle more at the bottom of the decanter. "Ladies
don't like to be kept waitin' too long."

Cai swallowed the wine and stood up, swallowing down also an inward
mirth to which his anger had given way. During the last minute or two
he had been recalling many things,--his first meeting with Mrs Bosenna;
his first call at Rilla; her remarks on that occasion, upon the grace of
a cultivated manner in men; some subsequent glances, intimate almost;
above all, the clutch upon his protective arm. . . . He felt sorry for
'Bias. Under the rosy influence of Mrs Bosenna's wine he felt genuinely
sorry for 'Bias, while enjoying the humorous aspect of 'Bias's delusion.
'Bias--for whose lack of polish he had from the first made Excuse--'Bias
laying down the law on what ladies liked and disliked!

They arose heavily and strolled forth to view the livestock. It was
wonderful with what ease these two retired seamen, without instruction,
dropped into the farm-master's routine. So (if in other words) Dinah
remarked, glancing out of the mullioned window of the kitchen as she
fetched a fresh faggot for the hearth on which her mistress had already
begun to set out the heavy-cake and potato-cake in preparation for
tea-time.

"--the _afternoon_ habits, I mean," explained Dinah. "Just glimpsy out
o' window, mistress, an' see the pair o' men down there--along studyin'
the pigs. Wouldn' know a pig's starn from his stem, I b'lieve, if th'
Almighty hadn' clapped on a twiddling tail, same as they put in books to
show where a question ends. When they come to that, they're safe. . . .
But from their backs, mistress--do 'ee but take a look now, do--you
wouldn' guess they weren't just as knowledgeable as th' old master
himself, as used to judge pigs for the Royal Cornwall--the poor old
angel! I can see him now, after the best part of a bottle o' sherry,
strollin' out to the styes."

"Don't, Dinah!" entreated Mrs Bosenna, stealing a glance nevertheless:
which Dinah demurely noted. "It's--it's all so _recent!_"

"Ay," agreed Dinah, and mused, standing boldly before the window,
knuckles on hips. "You couldn' say now, takin' 'em separate, what it is
that puts me more in mind of th' old master."

"Go about your work, you foolish woman."

"I suppose," said Dinah, withdrawing her gaze reluctantly and obeying,
"there's always a _something_ about a man!"

Mrs Bosenna stood by the kitchen-table, patting up another barm-cake.
She