e inside there?"

Caroline took her arm and put her into the chair, then shut the door in
the side of the little wooden turret. They two seemed very close
together in the midst of the storm and wind.

"Why, whatever made you come out like this?" said Caroline, removing
the wet cloak. "You must have wanted a job, aunt."

Mrs. Creddle shook her head, her hand on her heart--for she was a stout
woman and upset by her tussle with the elements. "You may be sure that
it was something that wouldn't keep," she said at last. Then she burst
forth: "Carrie, your uncle has been to Mr. Wilson! He's been and told
him that if he ever catches you together again he'll break a stick over
his back. He lost a couple of hours this morning, and he went and told
him. Now he's gone to his work, and I come on here."

"What!" gasped Caroline, her eyes black in a face as white as death.
"Uncle's dared to insult me by doing a thing like that? What made him
do it?"

"He was at the Buffaloes last night, and when they came away he heard
one man say to another that you was Wilson's fancy lady----" She
paused and added in a low tone: "They said you'd been stopping out all
night."

"Uncle knows I didn't," said Caroline, beginning to tremble. "What
beasts men are! Didn't uncle tell them?"

"Oh yes; he told 'em right enough. But he come home in a fine rage, I
can tell you. He said he wasn't going to have no more of it: and I
believe he would have gone straight to Miss Temple--only she has always
behaved very decent to us, and he didn't like to make mischief, seeing
she is so set on the feller."

"Why didn't uncle come to me?" said Caroline. "Why didn't you make
him, aunt?"

Mrs. Creddle shook her head. "When you know as much about men as I
do----"

"But what was his reason?" asked Caroline.

"He said it was no good saying anything to you, because when a lass
gets feller-fond there's no doing nothing with her. He said he
couldn't use the strap to you now, but he wasn't going to have any lass
belonging to him talked about in that way."

There was a moment's silence. "Did uncle tell you what Mr. Wilson
said?" Then she threw up her head. "But I expect he threatened to go
for uncle."

"Go for him!" echoed Mrs. Creddle. "Not he. He only wanted to get
away and not have a scandal in the place."

"I don't believe that," said Caroline. "Uncle can say what he likes,
but I don't believe that."

"It's true, my lass," said Mrs.