"How did'ee know 'em then?" asked the constable.

"'Cause thine be aal zettin' crass-legged," said Simon, with a
chuckle. "Thee medst cum and pick 'em all out if thee'st a mind
to 't."

Simon was mollified by his own joke, and broke into a short, dry
cachinnation, half laugh, half cough; while the constable, who
was pleased and astonished to find his neighbour in such a good
humour, hastened to get an empty hive and a pair of hedger's
gloves--fortified with which he left his cottage and made the
best of his way up street towards the Rectory gate, hard by which
stood Simon's cottage.

The old gardener was of an impatient nature, and the effect of
the joke had almost time to evaporate, and Simon was fast
relapsing into his usual state of mind towards his neighbour
before the latter made his appearance.

"Wher' hast been so long?" he exclaimed, when the constable
joined him.

"I seed the young missus and t'other young lady a standin'
talkin' afore the door," said David; "so I stopped back, so as
not to dlsturve 'em."

"Be 'em gone in? Who was 'em talkin' to?"

"To thy missus, and thy daarter too, I b'lieve 'twas. Thaay be
both at whoam, bean't 'em?"

"Like enough. But what was 'em zayin'?"

"I couldn't heer nothin' partic'lar, but I judged as 'twas summat
about Sunday and the fire."

"'Tis na use for thaay to go on fillin' our place wi' bottles. I
dwon't mean to take no mwore doctor's stuff."

Simon, it may be said, by the way, had obstinately refused to
take any medicine since his fall, and had maintained a constant
war on the subject, both with his own women and Miss Winter, whom
he had impressed more than ever with a belief in his
wrongheadedness.

"Ah! and how be'ee, tho', Maester Simon?" said David, "I didn't
mind to ax afore'. You dwon't feel no wus for your fall, I
hopes?"

"I feels a bit stiffish like, and as if summat wur cuttin' m' at
times, when I lifts up my arms."

"'Tis a mercy 'tis no wus," said David; "we bean't so young nor
lissom as we was; Maester Simon."

To which remark Simon replied by a grunt. He disliked allusions
to his age--a rare dislike amongst his class in that part of the
country. Most of the people are fond of making themselves out
older than they are, and love to dwell on their experiences, and
believe, as firmly as the rest of us, that everything has altered
for the worse in the parish and district since their youth.

But Simon, though short of words and temper,