t
Black Bess. She was not at all satisfied in her own mind that she was
doing right; but Bess had met her at a neighbour's house, where she was
boasting of her skill in making pikelets, and she had been drawn out by
her sneers and mocking to give her a kind of challenge to come and taste
them. She wanted now to make herself and Stephen believe that she was
doing it out of love and forgiveness towards poor Bess; but she could not
succeed in the deception. All the Sunday morning she was bustling about,
and sadly chafing the grandfather by making him move hither and thither
out of the way. It was quite a new experience to have any one coming to
tea; and all her hospitable and housekeeping feelings were greatly
excited by the approaching event.

When Stephen, with tired little Nan riding on his shoulder, returned from
church in the afternoon, they found Bess had arrived, and was sitting in
the warmest corner, close to a very large and blazing fire, which filled
the cabin with light and heat. Bess had dressed herself up in her best
attire, in a bright red stuff gown, and with yellow ribbons tied in her
hair, which had been brought to a degree of smoothness wonderful to
Stephen, who saw her daily on the pit-bank. She had washed her face and
hands with so much care as to leave broad stripes of grime round her neck
and wrists, partly concealed by a necklace and bracelets of glass beads;
and her green apron was marvellously braided in a large pattern. Martha,
in her clean print dress, and white handkerchief pinned round her throat,
was a pleasant contrast to the tawdry girl, who looked wildly at Stephen
as he entered, as if she scarcely knew what to do.

'Good evening, Bess,' he said, as pleasantly as he could. 'Martha told me
thee was coming to eat some pikelets with her, so I asked Tim to come
too; and after tea we'll have some rare singing. I often hear thee on the
bank, Bess, and thee has a good voice.'

Bess coloured with pleasure, and evidently tried her best to be amiable
and well-mannered, sitting up nearer and nearer to the fire until her
face shone as red as her dress with the heat. Martha moved triumphantly
about the house, setting the tea-table, upon which she placed the three
china cups, with a gratified glance at the undisguised admiration of
Bess; though three common ones had to be laid beside them, for, as Tim
was coming, Stephen must fare like grandfather and little Nan. As soon as
Tim arrived, she was very bu