"That's a nice way to speak to your own father, what give you your being," said Granger, in a puzzled, would-be indignant voice, for he could not understand Bet's speaking of all her trouble and rage in the past tense. "What's come to you, lass?" he continued. "You was in a rage--ain't you in a rage still?--the beat's gone for aye and aye, you knows." "No, I ain't in a rage now," said Bet. "It's over--seems as if there was a spring day in my heart, and I ha' no room to be in a rage. You meant it for bitter bad, father, but maybe 'twas God. I do think as it must have been Him--He meant it all contrariwise, and just because you sold my beat, as I were burning and mad with rage--I--I--never mind that part--only I'm the happiest lass in the whole of Liverpool to-day." "You air," said Granger with a great oath. "It's like your impidence to defy me more and more. What do you mean by words such as them, you bad disobedient girl? Don't you know as there's a curse on them as don't obey their parents?" "No, father; there's no curse on a girl who won't go your way; and though it ain't nothing to you, and I ain't nothing to you, yet I may as well tell you that I give myself to Will Scarlett last night, and I'm going to be his lawful wedded wife as soon as ever the law can tie us up." With that Bet turned on her heel, and walked rapidly away. She had said her say, and did not want to listen to any of Granger's ill-timed comments. Her quick steps soon took her out of the man's sight; he ground his teeth, and, choking with rage, went to find Dent. "I could prevent it," he said, as he concluded his story. "The gel's not of age, so I could put my spoke in, and make it rare and troublesome for her. I will, too, ef you'll only put me up to the straight tip, Dent." To Granger's surprise, Dent took all this information with wonderful equanimity. "I wouldn't try that on," he said. "Scarlett's of age, if the gel ain't, and you'd have to make a deal of statements, and maybe more 'ud come out than you'd like, and you mightn't gain your point in the end, for there's lots of ways of being married, and once the knot was tied you couldn't do nothing." "You takes it mighty cool for one who wants the gel yourself," said Granger, who felt ready to dance with vexation.