your back on Market-
Sinfield, Squire. What's to become of me! _(crosses
her arms)_

{Kate.} The poor servant's fortune always falls
with the house, Christie. You're young and strong,
and better off than your mistress.

{Chris.} _(uncrosses and uses her arms)_ Ah, I see;
it's the baby face and baby tongue of old Gunnion's
daughter that pleases you now! And why? Because
the child can talk to you of the barracks at Pagley,
and the jests they make, and the stories they tell
about young Thorndyke's lady-love!

{Kate.} _(raising her head)_ You are an insolent
woman!

{Chris.} Insolent I may be, but I'm not worse!
_(goes a little to R.)_

{Kate.} What do you mean?

{Chris.} That your precious love-secret is known
to my brother and me. That we can spell the name
of the man who is the most welcome guest here, in
broad daylight when doors are open, and in the dead
of night when doors are locked!

{Kate.} _(rising and seizing Christie's wrist)_
Christie!

{Chris.} _(throwing her off--placing her hands
behind her defiantly)_ Don't you touch me, because I'm
your servant no longer! don't touch me, because
you're not fit to lay your hand upon a decent woman!

{Kate.} All the ills of the world at one poor
woman's door! _(sits on sofa)_ What is it you want?

{Izod.} _(aside to Chris.)_ Coin!

{Chris.} This: I've got gipsy blood in me, and that
means "all or none." Will you promise to turn old
Gunnion's child away, never to have her near you
again?

{Kate.} If I refuse, what will you do?

{Chris.} Tell the parson that there's a lady in
Market-Sinfield who needs as much praying for as
she can get from him on Sundays--tell him what
Izod saw last night and what I heard--give him a
new text to preach to the poor folks who call you
their saint.

{Kate.} You'll do this? _(rises)_ Then I promise to
be a friend to little Felicity as long as she loves me
and clings to me. Say the worst you can.

_(Izod goes up towards L., D. and remains. Chris.
makes a movement as if going. Kate stops her.)_

{Kate.} _(rises)_ Christiana! _(Chris. stands
before Kate with her hands behind her back)_ I'll
give you this thought to help you. I stand here, the
last of my name, in our old hous