'Eh, but he will!' A wonderful tender smile broke on Hazel's face. 'He'll come to the front door and pull me in and say, "Come in little Hazel, and get a cup of tea." And it'll be all the same as it was used to be.' 'Well, he must be a fool! But so much the better for you. If I was you, I'd go right back to-neet. Now what's you say to a cup o' tea? I'm thinking it's high time I took a bite and sup in this parlour!' They got tea; and Vessons, hovering in the yard, was in despair. He could not appear, for Hazel must not know his part in the affair. 'Laws! If they've begun on tea, it's all up with Andrew,' he remarked to the swan in passing. Dusk came on and still no Sally appeared. The two chimneys smoked hospitably, and he wanted his tea. He was a very miserable old man. He repaired to the farthest corner of the domain and began to cut a hedge, watching the field track. Soon Reddin appeared, and Vessons was unable to repress a chuckle. 'Rather 'im than me!' he said. Reddin, having fruitlessly shouted for Vessons, took the cob round to the yard himself. Then he went in. As he entered the parlour, aware of a comfortable scent of tea and toast, he met the solemn gaze of seven pairs of eyes, and for a moment he was, for all his tough skin, really staggered. Then he advanced upon Sally with his stock firmly grasped in his hand. 'Get out of this!' he said. The baby set up a yell. Sally rose and stood with her arm raised to fend off the blow. 'Jack,' said Hazel, 'she'm got the best right to be at Undern. Leave her stay! She'm a right nice 'ooman.' Reddin gasped. Why would Hazel always do and say exactly the opposite to what he expected? 'But you're the last person--' he began. 'You're thinking she'd ought to be jealous of me, Jack Reddin,' said Sally. 'But we'm neither of us jealous! I tell you straight! She's too good for you. You've lied to me; I'm used to it. Now you'm lied to her--the poor innicent little thing!' 'What for did you tell me lies, Jack?' asked Hazel. What with the unfaltering gaze of the two women, and the unceasing howls of the baby, Reddin was completely routed. 'Oh, damn you all!' he said, and went hot-foot in a towering passion to look for Vessons. A man to rage at would be a very great luxury. Having at last found Vessons, harmlessly hedge-brushing, he was rather at a loss. 'How dare you let Sally in?' he began. 'Sally?' 'Yes. Why the h-- did you come away here and leave the house?' 'The 'edge wanted doing.' His tone was so innocent that Reddin was suspicious. 'You didn't bring her yourself, did you?' 'Now, _is_ it me,' said Vessons, reasonable but hurt, 'as generally brings these packs of unruly women to Undern?' 'I believe you're lying, Vessons.' Vessons opened his mouth to say, 'Notice is giv''; but seeing that in his master's present mood it might be accepted, he closed it again.