give me some'at there, I know."

"Anania, don't be such a goose!" said Osbert.

"Don't you meddle, or you'll get what you mayn't like!" was the conjugal
answer.

Osbert rose and took down a switch from its hook on the wall.

"You'll get it first, my lady!" said he: and Stephen, who never had any
fancy for quarrelling, and was wont to leave the house when such not
unfrequent scenes occurred, shut the door on the ill-matched pair, and
went off to Kepeharme Lane.

"Stephen, is it? Good even, lad. I'm fain to see thee back. Art only
just come?"

"Long enough to eat half a supper, and for Anania to get into more than
half a temper," said Stephen, laughing. "I'm come to see, Aunt, if
you'll give me another half."

"That I will, lad, and kindly welcome. What will thou have? I've a fat
fish pie and some cold pork and beans."

"Let's have the pork and beans, for I've been eating pie up yonder."

"Good, and I'll put some apples down to roast. Hast thou enjoyed thy
holiday?"

"Ay, middling, thank you, if it hadn't been so cold."

"It's a desperate cold winter!" said Isel, with a sigh, which Stephen
felt certain was breathed to the memory of the Germans. "I never
remember a worse."

"I'm afraid you feel lonely, Aunt."

"Ay, lonely enough, the saints know!"

"Why doesn't Haimet wed, and bring you a daughter to help you? Mabel's
a bit too grand, I reckon."

"Mabel thinks a deal of herself, that's true. Well. I don't know.
One's not another, Stephen."

"I'll not gainsay you, Aunt Isel. But mayn't `another' be better than
none? Leastwise, some others,"--as a recollection of his amiable
sister-in-law crossed his mind.

"I don't know, Stephen. Sometimes that hangs on the `one.' You'll
think it unnatural in me, lad, but I don't miss Flemild nor Derette as I
do Ermine."

"Bless you, dear old thing!" said Stephen in his heart.

"O Stephen, lad, I believe you've a kind heart; you've shown it in a
many little ways. Do let me speak to you of them now and again! Your
uncle won't have me say a word, and sometimes I feel as if I should
burst. I don't believe you'd tell on me, if I did, and it would relieve
me like, if I could let it out to somebody."

"Catch me at it!" said Stephen significantly. "You say what you've a
mind, Aunt Isel: I'm as safe as the King's Treasury."

"Well, lad, do you think they're all gone--every one?"

"I'm afraid there's no hope for the most of them, Aunt," said Stephen i