her.'

'Old Pegtop. Well, _that's_ summat to laugh at, it is--our servant
a-shutting us out of our own grounds.'

'No servant o' yourn!'

'Come, lass, what do you mean?'

'He be old Silas's miller, and what's that to thee?'

With these words the girl made a spring on the hasp of the padlock, and
then got easily over the gate.

'Can't you do that, cousin?' whispered Milly to me, with an impatient
nudge. 'I _wish_ you'd try.'

'No, dear--come away, Milly,' and I began to withdraw.

'Lookee, lass, 'twill be an ill day's work for thee when I tell the
Governor,' said Milly, addressing the girl, who stood on a log of timber at
the other side, regarding us with a sullen composure.

'We'll be over in spite o' you,' cried Milly.

'You lie!' answered she.

'And why not, huzzy?' demanded my cousin, who was less incensed at the
affront than I expected. All this time I was urging Milly in vain to come
away.

'Yon lass is no wild cat, like thee--that's why,' said the sturdy portress.

'If I cross, I'll give you a knock,' said Milly.

'And I'll gi' thee another,' she answered, with a vicious wag of the head.

'Come, Milly, _I'll_ go if _you_ don't,' I said.

'But we must not be beat,' whispered she, vehemently, catching my arm; 'and
ye _shall_ get over, and _see_ what I will gi' her!'

'I'll _not_ get over.'

'Then I'll break the door, for ye _shall_ come through,' exclaimed Milly,
kicking the stout paling with her ponderous boot.

'Purr it, purr it, purr it!' cried the lass in the red petticoat with a
grin.

'Do you know who this lady is?' cried Milly, suddenly.

'She is a prettier lass than thou,' answered Beauty.

'She's _my_ cousin Maud--Miss Ruthyn of Knowl--and she's a deal richer than
the Queen; and the Governor's taking care of her; and he'll make old Pegtop
bring you to reason.'

The girl eyed me with a sulky listlessness, a little inquisitively, I
thought.

'See if he don't,' threatened Milly.

'You positively _must_ come,' I said, drawing her away with me.

'Well, shall we come in?' cried Milly, trying a last summons.

'You'll not come in that much,' she answered, surlily, measuring an
infinitesimal distance on her finger with her thumb, which she pinched
against it, the gesture ending with a snap of defiance, and a smile that
showed her fine teeth.

'I've a mind to shy a stone at you,' shouted Milly.

'Faire away; I'll shy wi' ye as long as ye like, lass; take heed o'
yerself;' and Bea