."

"I meet Miss Osborn now and then and sometimes she stops and speaks. That
is all," Kit said sternly.

"I imagine it's enough," Janet remarked. "Well, I don't want to see you
made to look a fool; you're rather a good sort, Kit, if you're not very
clever. Be careful and remember you have been warned."

She gave him a friendly nod and went off, but after a few moments turned
and looked back. Kit was walking down the road with swift angry strides.
Janet smiled, but when she entered the mill-house kitchen her face was
flushed. Soon after she sat down by the fire, Bell came in and leaned
against the table with an angry frown.

"There's two mair trucks o' coal, and I canna find room for t' stuff," he
said. "Yards is full and I only sold three or four car loads last week."

Janet knew silence was prudent when her father was disturbed, but he had
given her a lead. Kit was a fool, and although she doubted if he were as
dull as he pretended, she was angry with him. Anyhow, it might be
possible to stop his ridiculous infatuation for Miss Osborn.

"You can't sell coal when the Askews are giving peat away," she said.

"Looks like that," Bell agreed. "I'd ha' broke the others before noo if I
hadn't had Peter and Kit against me. Hooiver, if I canna sell coal, I
canna pay the rent and landlord will have to do something. Mayhappen it
will be easier for him if he kens the Askews started the plot. Osborn's
none too fond of them."

"He wouldn't like them any better if he knew what I know," Janet remarked
with a malicious smile.

"What do you ken about them?" Bell asked scornfully.

"I don't imagine Osborn wants Kit for his son-in-law."

Bell started and then laughed harshly.

"Old wives' crack! Kit's not such a fool!"

"You know best," said Janet. "If you like, I'll tell you what I've seen."

She did so and Bell's mean face got thoughtful. On the whole, Janet did
not exaggerate much, although she now and then made a rather unwarranted
implication. She threw a fresh light on matters the gossips already
talked about; among others were Grace's visit to Mireside the morning
Railton's sheep were counted and her meeting with Kit before he went to
look for the Herdwicks. When she stopped Bell knitted his brows.

"If it was used right, I might mak' some use o' this," he
observed. "We'll see what Osborn says about coal yards and the
alterations at mill."

He went to his office and Janet sat quietly by the fire. Her plot would