he other good things, not even placing a
chair for herself at the table,--and apparently not expected to do so,
for no one invited her. 'Is it to be spirits or ale, Mr Crumb?' she
said, when the other two men had helped themselves. He turned round
and gave her a look of love that might have softened the heart of an
Amazon; but instead of speaking he held up his tumbler, and bobbed his
head at the beer jug. Then she filled it to the brim, frothing it in
the manner in which he loved to have it frothed. He raised it to his
mouth slowly, and poured the liquor in as though to a vat. Then she
filled it again. He had been her lover, and she would be as kind to
him as she knew how,--short of love.

There was a good deal of eating done, for more ham came in, and
another mountain of cabbage; but very little or nothing was said. John
Crumb ate whatever was given to him of the fowl, sedulously picking
the bones, and almost swallowing them; and then finished the second
dish of ham, and after that the second instalment of cabbage. He did
not ask for more beer, but took it as often as Ruby replenished his
glass. When the eating was done, Ruby retired into the back kitchen,
and there regaled herself with some bone or merry-thought of the fowl,
which she had with prudence reserved, sharing her spoils however with
the other maiden. This she did standing, and then went to work,
cleaning the dishes. The men lit their pipes and smoked in silence,
while Ruby went through her domestic duties. So matters went on for
half an hour; during which Ruby escaped by the back door, went round
into the house, got into her own room, and formed the grand resolution
of going to bed. She began her operations in fear and trembling, not
being sure that her grandfather would bring the man upstairs to her.
As she thought of this she stayed her hand, and looked to the door.
She knew well that there was no bolt there. It would be terrible to
her to be invaded by John Crumb after his fifth or sixth glass of
beer. And, she declared to herself, that should he come he would be
sure to bring Joe Mixet with him to speak his mind for him. So she
paused and listened.

When they had smoked for some half hour the old man called for his
granddaughter, but called of course in vain. 'Where the mischief is
the jade gone?' he said, slowly making his way into the back kitchen.
The maid, as soon as she heard her master moving, escaped into the
yard and made no response, while t