Laura shut her eyes an instant, imagining the goings to and fro--the rising on winter dawns to feed the stock; the shepherd on the fell-side, wrestling with sleet and tempest; the returns at night to food and fire. Her young fancy, already played on by the breath of the mountains, warmed to the farmhouse and its primitive life. Here surely was something more human--more poetic even--than the tattered splendour of Bannisdale. She opened her eyes wide again, as though in defiance, and saw Hubert Mason looking at her. Instinctively she sat up straight, and drew her foot primly under the shelter of her dress. "I was thinking of what it must be in winter," she said hurriedly. "I know I should like it." "What, this place?" He gave a rough laugh. "I don't see what for, then. It's bad enough in summer. In winter it's fit to make you cut your throat. I say, where are you staying?" "Why, at Bannisdale!" said Laura in surprise. "You knew my stepmother was still living, didn't you?" "Well, I didn't think aught about it," he said, falling into candour, because the beauty of her grey eyes, now that they were fixed fair and full upon him, startled him out of his presence of mind. "I wrote to you--to Cousin Elizabeth--when my father died," she said simply, rather proudly, and the eyes were removed from him. "Aye--of course you did," he said in haste. "But mother's never yan to talk aboot letters. And you haven't dropped us a line since, have you?" he added, almost with timidity. "No. I thought I'd surprise you. We've been a fortnight at Bannisdale." His face flushed and darkened. "Then you've been a fortnight in a queer place!" he said with a sudden, almost a violent change of tone. "I wonder you can bide so long under that man's roof!" She stared. "Do you mean because he disliked my father?" "Oh, I don't know nowt about that!" He paused. His young face was crimson, his eyes angry and sinister. "He's a _snake_--is Helbeck!" he said slowly, striking his hands together as they hung over his knees. Laura recoiled--instinctively straightening herself. "Mr. Helbeck is quite kind to me," she said sharply. "I don't know why you speak of him like that. I'm staying there till my stepmother gets strong." He stared at her, still red and obstinate. "Helbeck an his house together stick in folk's gizzards aboot here," he said. "Yo'll soon find that oot. And good reason too. Did you ever hear of Teddy Williams?" "Williams?" she said, frowning. "Was that the man that painted the chapel?" Mason laughed and slapped his knee.