"But you've the longer purse, ma'am, as I understand," suggested 'Bias. "Talkin' o' which--" He fumbled in his breast-pocket and produced an envelope. "My rent, ma'am." "Ay, to be sure: and mine, ma'am," Cai likewise produced his rent. "You are the most punctual of tenants!" laughed Mrs Bosenna, taking the two envelopes. "But after all, they say, short reckonin's make long friends." She divided a glance between them, to be shared as they would. "But as I was suggestin' ma'am--why not attend the sale and outbid the fellow?" "So I can, of course: and so I will, perhaps. Still it's not pleasant to live by a neighbour who thinks he can walk in and hector you, just because you're a woman." "You want protection: that's what you want," observed 'Bias fatuously. "In your place," said Cai with more tact, "I should forbid him the premises." For some reason Mrs Bosenna omitted to invite them to stay and drink tea: and after a while they took their leave together. At the foot of the descent, as they gained the highroad, Cai faced about and asked, "Which way?" "I was thinkin' to stretch my legs around Four Turnin's," answered 'Bias, although as a matter of fact the intention had that instant occurred to him. "Well, so long!" Cai nodded and turned towards the town. "Compliments of the season," he added. "Same to you." They walked off in opposite directions. On his way home through the town Cai took occasion to study the Bill of Auction on one of the hoardings. It advertised the property in separate small lots, of which Barton's Orchard figured as No. 9. The bill gave its measurement as 1 acre, 1 rood, 15 perches. The sale would take place at the Ship Hotel, Troy, on Monday, January 4,1897, at 2.30 P.M. Messrs Dewy and Moss, Auctioneers. In the course of the next week he made one or two attempts to sound Mrs Bosenna and assure himself that she meant to attend the sale and secure Lot 9; but she spoke of it with an irritating carelessness. Almost it might have persuaded him--had he been less practised in her wayward moods--that she had dismissed the affair from her mind. But on Friday (New Year's Day) as he took leave of her, she recurred to it. "Dear me," said she meditatively, "I shall not be seeing you for several days, shall I?" "Eh? Why not?" "To-morrow's Saturday; then Sunday's our day of rest, as Dinah calls it. On Monday's the auction--" "Ah, to be sure!" Cai had forgotten this consequence of it, and was dashed in spirits for the moment. "But I shall see you there?" "Perhaps," she answered negligently. "Shall you be attendin'? Really, now!" With an accent of reproach he asked how she could imagine that a business so nearly concerning her could find him other than watchful. On leaving he repeated his good wishes for the twelvemonth to come, and with a warmth of intention which she perversely chose to ignore.