"

"So that's the time o' day, is it?" The speaker gave a prolonged whistle
and turned a suggestive glance into the faces of his companions. "Well,
I allus says to my old woman, 'Bide quiet,' I says, 'and it'll leak
out,' and sure enough, so it has."

The landlady fired up.

"And I allus says to your missus, 'Mistress Sturgis,' I says, 'it do
make me that wexed to see a man a-prying into other people's business
and a-talking and a-scandalizing, which it is bad in a woman, where you
expects no better, as the saying is, but it ain't no ways bearsome in a
man--and I wish you'd keep him,' I says, 'from poking his nose, as you
might say, into other people's pewters.' There--that's what I allus says
to your missis."

"And very perwerse of you, too," said the worthy addressed, speaking
with the easy good-nature of one who could afford to be rated. "And
wot's to prevent me having a screw of twist on the strength of it,"
putting a penny on the counter.

The landlady threw down the paper of tobacco, picked up the penny, and
cast it into the till.

"On'y, as I say, there's no use denying now as Mister Paul Drayton has a
finger in the young missy's pie."

"There, that's enough o' that. I told you afore she never set eyes on
him till a fortnight come Sunday."

Two women came into the bar with jugs.

"And how is the young missy?" asked the elder of the two, catching up
the conversation as the landlady served her.

"She's there," said the landlady, rather indefinitely, indicating with a
sidelong nod the room to the left with the closed door.

At that moment the laughter of the children could be heard from within.

"She's merry over it, at any rate, though I did hear a whisper," said
the woman, "as she feeds two when she eats her wittals, as the saying
is."

The men laughed.

"That's being overcur'ous, mistress," said one, as the woman passed out
sniggering.

"Such baggage oughtn't to be taken in to live with respectable people,"
said the other woman, the younger one, who wore a showy bonnet and a
little gay ribbon at her neck.

"And that's being overcharitable," said another voice. "It's the women
for charity, especially to one of themselves."

"It's cur'osity as is the mischief i' this world," said the drowsy-eyed
countryman. "People talk o' the root o' all evil, and some says drink,
and some says money, and some says rheumatis, but I says cur'osity. Show
me the man as ain't cur'ous, and he don't go a-poking hi