"'Poor little soul!' "'Well now'--Mrs. Carkeek rubbed my candlestick with the edge of her apron--'I'm so glad you take it like this. For there isn't really nothing to be afraid of--is there?' She eyed me wistfully. 'It's my belief she loves you, miss. But only to think what a time she must have had with the others!' "'The others?' I echoed. "'The other tenants, miss: the ones afore you.' "'Were they bad?' "'They was awful. Didn't Farmer Hosking tell you? They carried on fearful--one after another, and each one worse than the last." "'What was the matter with them? Drink?' "'Drink, miss, with some of 'em. There was the Major--he used to go mad with it, and run about the coombe in his nightshirt. Oh, scandalous! And his wife drank too--that is, if she ever _was_ his wife. Just think of that tender child washing Up after their nasty doings!' "I shivered. "'But that wasn't the worst, miss--not by a long way. There was a pair here--from the colonies, or so they gave out--with two children, a boy and gel, the eldest scarce six. Poor mites!' "'Why, what happened?' "'They beat those children, miss--your blood would boil!--_and_ starved, _and_ tortured 'em, it's my belief. You could hear their screams, I've been told, away back in the high-road, and that's the best part of half a mile. Sometimes they was locked up without food for days together. But it's my belief that little Miss Margaret managed to feed them somehow. Oh, I can see her, creeping to the door and comforting!' "'But perhaps she never showed herself when these awful people were here, but took to flight until they left.' "'You didn't never know her, miss. The brave she was! She'd have stood up to lions. She've been here all the while: and only to think what her innocent eyes and ears must have took in! There was another couple--' Mrs. Carkeek sunk her voice. "'Oh, hush!' said I, 'if I'm to have any peace of mind in this house!' "'But you won't go, miss? She loves you, I know she do. And think what you might be leaving her to--what sort of tenant might come next. For she can't go. She've been here ever since her father sold the place. He died soon after. You musn't go!' "Now I had resolved to go, but all of a sudden I felt how mean this resolution was. "'After all,' said I, 'there's nothing to be afraid of.' "'That's it, miss; nothing at all. I don't even believe it's so very uncommon. Why, I've heard my mother tell of farmhouses where the rooms were swept every night as regular as clockwork, and the floors sanded, and the pots and pans scoured, and all while the maids slept. They put it down to the piskies; but we know better, miss, and now we've got the secret between us we can lie easy in our beds, and if we hear anything, say "God bless the child!" and go to sleep.' "'Mrs. Carkeek,' said I, 'there's only one condition I have to make.' "'What's that?' "'Why, that you let me kiss you.'