eel that there had been a great
deal of harm done.

"Well, what I say is," her grandmother cried shrilly, "your cats were
nearly the death of me, and I'll trouble you to keep them in your own
place."

"And what I say is," cried her neighbour, "my cats were never near your
faggot rick. They didn't go into your place at all last night; they were
both asleep by my kitchen fire from three in the afternoon till after we'd
had our supper. Me and my husband both saw them. You can ask him
yourself if you like."

"I shan't ask him. I wouldn't stoop to bandy words about it. I know, and
I've a right to my own opinion."

"Do you mean to say you don't believe what I say?" cried Mrs. Lane
indignantly. "Do you mean to tell me I'm telling an untruth?
Well, Mrs. Barnes, if you won't speak to my husband, and won't believe me,
perhaps you'll ask your Mona! I daresay she can tell you how the faggots
got scattered. She was out there, I saw her from----"

"That's right! Try and put it off on the poor child! Do you expect me to
believe that my Mona would have left those faggots----"

"Ask her, that's all," said Mrs. Lane, meaningly. "And now I've done.
I ain't going to have anything more to say. You're too vi'lent and
onreasonable, Mrs. Barnes, and I'll trouble you not to address me again
till you've 'pologised."

Granny laughed, a short sarcastic laugh. "'Pologise!" she cried shrilly,
"and me in the right too! No, not if I lived next door to you for fifty
years, I wouldn't 'pologise. When you've 'pologised to me, Mrs. Lane,
I'll begin to think about speaking to you again."

Mona, standing shivering by the window, listened to it all with a sick
feeling of shame and dismay. "Oh, why does granny say such dreadful
things! Oh, I wish I'd spoken out at once! Now, when granny asks me,
I shall have to tell her, and oh," miserably, "won't she be angry?"

But Mona escaped that ordeal. Her grandmother did not mention the
subject, for one reason; she felt too unwell; an outburst of anger always
made her ill; and for another, she was already ashamed of herself and of
what she had said. Altogether, she was so uncomfortable about the whole
matter, and so ashamed, and vexed, she wanted to try to forget all about
it.

CHAPTER II.

John Darbie and his one-horse van journeyed from Milbrook to Seacombe
every Tuesday and Friday, passing Mrs. Barnes' cottage on their way;
and on Wednesdays and Saturdays he journeyed home agai