ng about her, and would not let go, and she saith,

"Oh, cousin, cousin, cousin, doth it not show thee in what straits I am,
that I come to thee for succor? Rather had I died, one week agone, than
ask thee for thy hand though I were drowning. And sure 'tis less than
thy hand for which I ask thee now, sith it be for a man who is less to
thee than the littlest finger on that hand, but who is more to me than
the heart in my wretched body! And a had vowed to wed me; and 'twas next
month we were to be wed; and all so happy--my father and my mother so
pleased, and his folks do like me well; and my wedding-gown all sewn and
lain away, and the ribbons for my shoes, and some kickshaws for th' new
house; and all we so glad, and all going so smooth, and we twain so
loving; for, oh, he did love me the once! he did love me the once! And
now--now--now--" And here did she fall a-weeping in such wise that never
another word could she say. And she sate down on the kitchen floor, and
hid all her pretty head (for pretty 'twas, though I liked her not)--hid
it all in the skirt o' her kirtle.

Then stood my lass quite still, and her face like the milk in her pan,
and she looks down on th' hussy, as a horse might look down on a kitten
which it hath unwitting trampled on, and she saith,

"I would I knew whether or no thou speakest the truth!"

Then saith the wench, a-reaching up her clasped hands to heaven--saith
she, "May God forever curse me an I do not!"

"Take not God's name in vain," saith my lass, sharply, and went and set
down her pan o' milk on the cupboard. And again she stands, slowly
wiping her hands on her apron, and looking down at th' girl, who hath
once more covered all her face in her petticoat; and by-and-by she saith
to her,

"What is 't thou wouldst have me do?"

"Give me back my Robin! give me back my Robin!" saith the maid.

"Thou art welcome to him for me," saith Keren.

Then fell the maid a-weeping more bitterly than ever, and she huddled
herself on the hard floor, like a young bird that hath fallen out o' its
nest, and sobbed piteously. And presently gets she to her feet without a
word, still a-hiding of her face in her kirtle, and turns to go,
a-feeling her way with one o' her little hands. But when she hath
reached th' door, and hath got one foot on the threshold, up strides
that lass o' mine, and, taking her by the arm, swings her back into th'
room; and she makes her sit down on a settle and take down her k