d away again.

As he had foreseen, David found Maggie alone. But in the heat of his
indignation against his father he seemed to have forgotten his
original intent, and instead poured his latest troubles into the girl's
sympathetic ear.

"There's but one mon in the world he wishes worse nor me," he was
saying. It was late in the afternoon, and he was still inveighing
against his father and his fate. Maggie sat in her father's chair by the
fire, knitting; while he lounged on the kitchen table, swinging his long
legs.

"And who may that be?" the girl asked.

"Why, Mr. Moore, to be sure, and Th' Owd Un, too. He'd do either o' them
a mischief if he could."

"But why, David?" she asked anxiously. "I'm sure dad niver hurt him, or
ony ither mon for the matter o' that."

David nodded toward the Dale Cup which rested on the mantelpiece in
silvery majesty.

"It's yon done it," he said. "And if Th' Owd Un wins agin, as win he
will, bless him! why, look out for 'me and ma Wullie'; that's all."

Maggie shuddered, and thought of the face at the window.

"'Me and ma Wullie,'" David continued; "I've had about as much of them
as I can swaller. It's aye the same--'Me and ma Wullie,' and 'Wullie and
me,' as if I never put ma hand to a stroke! Ugh!"--he made a gesture of
passionate disgust--"the two on 'em fair madden me. I could strike the
one and throttle t'other," and he rattled his heels angrily together.

"Hush, David," interposed the girl; "yo' munna speak so o' your dad;
it's agin the commandments."

"'Tain't agin human nature," he snapped in answer. "Why, 'twas nob'but
yester' morn' he says in his nasty way, 'David, ma gran' fellow, hoo ye
work! ye 'stonish me!' And on ma word, Maggie"--there were tears in the
great boy's eyes--"ma back was nigh broke wi' toilin'. And the Terror,
he stands by and shows his teeth, and looks at me as much as to say,
'Some day, by the grace o' goodness, I'll ha' my teeth in your throat,
young mon.'"

Maggie's knitting dropped into her lap and she looked up, her soft eyes
for once flashing.

"It's cruel, David; so 'tis!" she cried. "I wonder yo' bide wi' him. If
he treated me so, I'd no stay anither minute. If it meant the House for
me I'd go," and she looked as if she meant it.

David jumped off the table.

"Han' yo' niver guessed why I stop, lass, and me so happy at home?" he
asked eagerly.

Maggie's eyes dropped again.

"Hoo should I know?" she asked innocently.

"Nor care, n