more the merrier!" She paused for an instant,
with a close glance at him. Then dropping her eyes again, and saying
nothing, she took up the child and followed him as he made towards the
door. On reaching it, she turned, and pulling off her wedding-ring,
flung it across the booth in the hay-trusser's face.

"Mike," she said, "I've lived with thee a couple of years, and had
nothing but temper! Now I'm no more to 'ee; I'll try my luck elsewhere.
'Twill be better for me and Elizabeth-Jane, both. So good-bye!"

Seizing the sailor's arm with her right hand, and mounting the little
girl on her left, she went out of the tent sobbing bitterly.

A stolid look of concern filled the husband's face, as if, after all, he
had not quite anticipated this ending; and some of the guests laughed.

"Is she gone?" he said.

"Faith, ay! she's gone clane enough," said some rustics near the door.

He rose and walked to the entrance with the careful tread of one
conscious of his alcoholic load. Some others followed, and they stood
looking into the twilight. The difference between the peacefulness of
inferior nature and the wilful hostilities of mankind was very apparent
at this place. In contrast with the harshness of the act just ended
within the tent was the sight of several horses crossing their necks and
rubbing each other lovingly as they waited in patience to be harnessed
for the homeward journey. Outside the fair, in the valleys and woods,
all was quiet. The sun had recently set, and the west heaven was hung
with rosy cloud, which seemed permanent, yet slowly changed. To watch
it was like looking at some grand feat of stagery from a darkened
auditorium. In presence of this scene after the other there was a
natural instinct to abjure man as the blot on an otherwise kindly
universe; till it was remembered that all terrestrial conditions were
intermittent, and that mankind might some night be innocently sleeping
when these quiet objects were raging loud.

"Where do the sailor live?" asked a spectator, when they had vainly
gazed around.

"God knows that," replied the man who had seen high life. "He's without
doubt a stranger here."

"He came in about five minutes ago," said the furmity woman, joining the
rest with her hands on her hips. "And then 'a stepped back, and then 'a
looked in again. I'm not a penny the better for him."

"Serves the husband well be-right," said the staylace vendor. "A comely
respectable body like her--what