It was on the border of the brook that Lieut. Knowlton made his fire. He was in a very jubilant sort of mood. The fire was made, and the fish were washed; and Diana stood by the column of smoke in the meadow and looked on, as still as a mouse. And Mrs. Starling stood in the door of the lean-to and looked on too, from a distance; and if she was still, it was because she had no one near just then to whom it was safe to open her mind. The beauty of the picture was all lost upon her: the shorn meadow, the soft column of ascending smoke coloured in dainty hues from the glowing western sky, the two figures moving about it. "Now, Miss Diana," said the young officer. "If we had a little salt, and a dish--I am afraid to go and ask Mrs. Starling for them!" Perhaps so was she; but Diana went, and got them without asking. She smiled at the dishing of the trout, it was so cleverly done; then she was requested to sprinkle salt on them herself; and then with a satisfied air, which somehow called up a flush in Diana's cheeks again, Mr. Knowlton marched off to the house with the dish in his hands. Mrs. Starling had given her farm labourers their supper, and was clearing away relics from the board. She made no move of welcome or hospitable invitation; but Diana hastened to remove the traces of disorder, and set clean plates and cups, and bring fresh butter, and bread, and make fresh tea. How very pleasant, and how extremely unpleasant, it was altogether! "Mother," she said, when all was ready, "won't you come and taste Mr. Knowlton's fish?" "I guess I know how fish taste. I haven't eaten the trout of that brook all my life, without." "But you don't know my cookery," said Mr. Knowlton; "_that's_ something new." "I don't see the sense of doing things in an outlandish way, when you have no need to. Nor I don't see why men should cook, as long as there's women about." "What _is_ outlandish?" inquired Mr. Knowlton. "What you've been doing, I should say." "Come and try my cookery, Mrs. Starling; you will never say anything against men in that capacity again." "I never say anything against men anyhow; only against men cooking; and that ain't natural." "It comes quite natural to me," said the young officer. "Only taste my trout, Mrs. Starling, and you will be quite reconciled to me again." "I ain't quarrelling with nobody--fur's I know," said Mrs. Starling; "but I've had my supper."