L.)_

_(She goes into outhouse L., Izod looks round
towards door R., C., with an evil expression. He then
deliberately takes off the coloured handkerchief
which he wears round his neck, unfolds it and
produces a bunch of bright keys.)_

{Izod.} _(jingling the keys and looking towards
door R., C., )_ Keys! I wonder if keys are worth
anything. _(slips keys into side pocket, and crosses
to door L., meeting Chris., who comes out with a
mug of milk. Snatching it from her)_ There's a
dear! _(he puts mug to lips and takes it away quickly,
wiping his mouth with the back of his hand)_ Pah!
You're a good sort of a sister--milk!

{Chris.} I dursn't tap the ale without Squire's
orders--the new barrel isn't to be touched till the
Harvest Feast. Down with it--it's meat and drink.

{Izod.} Ugh! Here goes! Confound the Squire!
_(he drinks, gives back mug and holds out hand for
coin. She puts mug on table)_ Coin for tobacco.

{Chris.} Don't spend your money on tobacco, darling.
Have a meal.

{Izod.} I had a meal yesterday, mid-day. _(proudly)_
I earned two shillings in half-an-hour.

{Chris.} Good gracious! How?

{Izod.} _(walking R., and back)_ I and old Mrs.
Thorndyke's gardener carried a sick woman on a litter
from Pagley Railway Station to the White Lion,
at Market-Sinfield. Oh, she was a weight! _(sits R.
of L., table)_

{Chris.} Carried a sick woman on a litter? _(leans
against table L., of it)_

{Izod.} The railway journey had upset her, and the
doctor said she was too ill to be shook up on the
roadway.

{Chris.} A common woman or a lady?

{Izod.} A lady--jolly dark, jolly pretty, and
jolly ill.

{Chris.} _(curiously)_ What does she do at an inn in
Market-Sinfield? _(sits on table)_

{Izod.} She gave out that she was a stranger in
these parts, and wanted to see a clergyman. She
was a weight!

{Chris.} Well?

{Izod.} So I fetched Mr. Dormer, the mad parson.

{Chris.} Did he go to her?

{Izod.} I dunno. Coin for tobacco! _(rises)_

_(Izod goes up to arch.)_

{Chris.} I've only got a little money. I'll fetch
it, dear, _(she takes up mug reflectively)_ A pretty lady
in Market-Sinfield--very dark, very ill, and among
strangers, _(sighing)_ How unlucky