As they disappeared George entered the house, and observed to his aunt that the night was warm. Mrs. Drake felt cold towards her nephew, whose letter of appointment had not yet arrived, but she thawed sufficiently to inquire whether he knew anything about the Brocks. George became suspicious, and answered guardedly: "The old man is a marvel. He cooks the food and keeps the house tidy, and puts in a good day's work as well upon the worst farm in the parish. But the people don't like him much." "Why not?" demanded Mrs. Drake. "They think it's queer a man should do a woman's work; and some of them say it's not quite decent." His voice died away into a gasp of amazement, for that moment Kezia announced Sidney, and that young fellow appeared upon the carpet. George had been about to give him a remarkably good character, but was now disposed to reconsider his decision; especially when Mrs. Drake, after a few preliminary remarks, introduced the name of Nellie. George immediately withdrew to a back window and began to search for flies. "She is a very good girl, and my sister is wonderfully attached to her," Mrs. Drake resumed. "Same here," said Sidney promptly. "I don't know whether you are engaged to her," said Mrs. Drake. "Well, we don't exactly get engaged. We just walk together until we can get married, and then we do it," exclaimed Sidney. "I hope you won't ask her to marry you while my sister is alive." "Nellie wouldn't leave Miss Yard, and 'twould be no gude my asking her." "Do you think the farm will pay?" was Mrs. Drake's next question. "We'll get a living out of it, sure enough," replied Sidney cheerfully. "The last folk left it in a pretty bad state--they let the bog get into the best field, and the whole place is vull of verm--but there's plenty of gude soil. 'Twill take a year to get straight, and after that we shall go ahead. Grandfather's past seventy, but he's vor ten hours a day yet." "An example for some men," commented the lady, with a shrug of her shoulders towards the fly killer. "The finest man in the world--that's grandfather. There ain't hardly a job he can't do, whether 'tis man's work or woman's work." "How old are you?" "Past nineteen." "Would you marry a girl older than yourself?" "If her name wur Nellie Blisland, I would." "I hope you will get on," said Mrs. Drake in her kindliest fashion. "You may come in any evening for a cup of coffee with the others, and tell your grandfather to stay to supper with you on Sundays after church." "Thankye kindly," said Sidney. "That's what I call a man, though he is only nineteen," observed Mrs. Drake, when she and her nephew were alone again. "Oh yes, he's a nice boy, a clever boy. A bit mealy-mouthed, and all that sort of thing," said George indifferently. "Do you know anything against him?"