Mrs. R. Ah! she’s been that for some time. Her be thinking more about getting a man now. (_Purtwee crosses to l. c. laughing._) Deb. Oh, aunt! Mrs. R. Did ’ee see the lad up town? Mr. P. What, Allen? Mrs. R. Ah, that be the only lad in the world I know. Did ’ee see un? (_Goes up l._) Mr. P. Yes, I met him, and I wanted to have a chat with him. (_Mrs. Rollitt is up l. near linen press._) But, Lord! There he was off to Lucott’s Hill, and there was no holding him. (_Taking off his coat._) Deb. (_Who has been engaged in her cooking, at this suddenly stops, and looks up._) What was he going up there for? Mr. P. (_Stopping and facing round._) What for? Deb. (_Excitedly, but quietly._) Who was he going to see up there? Mr. P. (_Laughing and folding coat._) Ah! who is it he always goes to see up there? (_Deborah turns a little sick at this confirmation of her fears. Purtwee, who is a sharp old fellow, notices the expression of her face and the whole truth flashes across him. He pauses suddenly, looks hard at her, then assuming an ordinary laughing tone, continues--Mrs. Rollitt (up l.) is engaged with the linen, and does not notice this._) Mr. P. Why, the Walleys, of course. He and Jim seem to be inseparable of late. Deb. Oh, yes, I know. I asked him to try and see if the Walleys would part with one of their short-horns. Mr. P. Ah! that was it, then--yes, I remember that was it. (_Turns away and looks back at Deborah, who has resumed her cooking--aside._) Poor child! There’s trouble for her I fear. (_Throws coat over chair l._) Mrs. R. (_Comes c._) Well, what be going on up at Minehead? Mr. P. The same that is going on everywhere, Mrs. Rollitt--people lying and slandering and evil-speaking; everybody thieving and cheating and quarreling. (_Sits on table l._) Mrs. R. Well, I guess I could have told thee that. Haven’t thee any real news to gie us. Tell us what one person’s be a-doing. Never mind “everybody,” I don’t know him. Mr. P. Well, you see, Susan, a lawyer mustn’t gossip. (_Shakes finger._) (_Deborah crosses to linen press L., sets tablecloth and lays table r. c. for meal._) Mrs. R. (_c._) Oh, hoity, toity! What be the use of being a lawyer and knowing things if ’ee never tells a body a bit o’ news? And now I come to think of it, I’ve got a bone to pick wi’ thee about that very thing. Thee never told me old Hanningford wur agoing to die without leaving my boy so much as a brass farthing. Do you think as how I’d ’a’ gone on sending the old skinflint the best turkey in the yard every Christmas, and the best goose come every Michaelmas, if I’d known as how he’d hadn’t given us so much as the price as a suit o’ black, and Allen his own cousin’s child. (_Crossing R._) A cousin is a cousin, even if it be a distant one. (_Sits l. of table r._) Mr. P. Now, my dear Mrs. Rollitt, how could I tell he was going to die?