"Asleep," answered Susannah. "It's nigh on morning." Without more ado he turned, leaving the women together, and mounted the stair outside the kitchen door. The elder of the two pushed forward a chair with grudging hospitality and motioned to the unexpected guest to take it. Catherine drew near to what warmth there was left; she had been meek enough through all Heber's vagaries, but there was something in her companion's manner that stirred her blood, and her spirit was rising. Susannah threw some wood upon the red embers in the grate and raked the bottom bar. Then she stood with one hand on her hip, regarding Catherine, until the silence became so irksome that the girl felt herself forced to speak. "I'll stay here by the fire," she said. "I don't need a bed." The other had made no offer of sharing her own with the stranger, but the bare idea of being alone with Susannah in the dark frightened Catherine. The tacit antagonism between them was stronger with each breath they drew. For a few minutes the sound of voices continued overhead and was heard through the ceiling, and then the shepherd came down again. He went up to Catherine and took her hand. "You'll stay here," said he, "an' I'll go home wi' the horse. I'll settle wi' them at the farm and be back in a day or two, an' the minister 'll do the rest. Give me a kiss, Catherine." Had she wished to refuse him, the intuitive knowledge that the other woman would gladly have disputed her claim on Heber made her consent. He kissed her heartily. "What did uncle say?" demanded Susannah, watching the pair with her defiant eyes. Heber laughed. "Never you mind, my dear. You take care o' my girl, and I'll tell you when I come back." He went out, followed by Susannah, and mounted the horse. Susannah shut the house door and locked it behind him. Then she stole upstairs without returning to the kitchen and leaned out of her window till long after he had turned the corner of the bylane. She did not want to sleep when at last she lay down; but it was no concern for the chilled and lonely guest at the hearth below that kept her waking.