The two speakers had by this time come to the hearth, and it was possible to distinguish most of their words. Tom was displeased with her reception of himself. “Well, Ann, ’twas no such easy matter for me to get up the hill to tell thee, and I reckoned for sure on a word of thanks. ’Tis well to be prepared when visitors come so late; and, as I tell thee, he’ll be here in a few minutes.” “’Tis but the parson, maybe, called out to see some one that’s ill or dying.” “Ay, maybe ’tis he, for ’tis a horse that may be his by the look of him. But it may be the lieutenant, come to see what’s toward; and, in that case, you’d do well to put those kegs out of sight, and give warning to the lads to keep close till he’s gone.” There was a pause. Ann made no answer. By the angry tone in which Tom presently went on speaking, Tregenna guessed that she had smiled, or made some gesture which aroused the lover’s suspicions. “Well, why dost thou not answer me? Art so sure ’tis not the lieutenant? Hast seen him thyself? Hast——” “Nay, nay, Tom, are they not all out yonder looking for him?” “Ay, and maybe thou knowest where he is all the toime! Thou canst not always be trusted, Ann, e’en by thy own friends. And I’d not trust thee with a pretty fellow like yon lieutenant. Maybe you got rid of us all that you moight have it out with him by yourself. Eh, lass, eh?” And Tregenna could tell, by the sound of moving feet, that Tom was searching round the room. Ann, who was standing on the trap-door, laughed easily. “Jealous, eh, Tom? ’Tis late in the day, with me! First ’tis Ben the Blast, and now a king’s man! Hast no better opinion of thyself, Tom, than to think thou wouldst be ousted so easy?” “Oons, lass, I’ve a better opinion of myself than I have of thee, for such a thing as constancy! And for being ousted, as thou calls it, plague on me if I know I was ever in!” “Come, now, Tom, han’t I always been kind to thee?” “Ay, when you wanted to get summat from me. Other toimes, I’ve to take thy kindness turn and turn about with Ben!” “Fie on you, Tom, fie on you! Get you gone, and learn better manners than to speak to a woman so!” She gave him a push in the direction of the door; but Tom was firm. Lame as he was, he managed to escape her, and came back to the trap-door over the hearth, where a slight noise, made by Tregenna in his endeavors to keep his footing on the bales in the dark, had caught his trained ears. He stooped quickly, and tried to raise the door. There was the sound of a scuffle, of a fall, and then Tom growled out— “Now, by the Lord, Mistress Innocence, I’ve got you! You’ve got some one in hiding below there, and ’tis the lieutenant, I’ll stake my loife!” “And what if ’twere?” retorted Ann, coolly. “Dost think I want a lesson from thee how to treat folks? Canst not thou trust me to do the best for us all?”