wanted
to talk, and even Suneva was welcome. He suddenly determined "to have
it out with her," and without ceremony he called to her.

"Let me speak to thee, Suneva; I have something to say."

She turned and faced him: "Well then, say it."

"What have I done to get so much of thy ill-will? I, that have been
friends with thee since I used to lift thee over the counter and give
thee a sweet lozenger?"

"Thou did treat poor Jan Vedder so badly."

"And what is Jan Vedder to thee, that thou must lift his quarrel?"

"He was my friend, then."

"And thy lover, perhaps. I have heard that he loved thee before he
ever saw my Margaret when she was at school in Edinburgh."

"Thou hast heard lies then; but if he had loved me and if I had been
his wife, Jan had been a good man this day; good and loving. Yes,
indeed!"

"Art thou sure he is dead?"

"Peter Fae, if any one can answer that question, thou can; thou and
thy daughter Margaret."

"I have heard thou hast said this before now."

"Ay, I have said it often, and I think it."

"Now, then, listen to me, and see how thou hast done me wrong."

Then Peter pleaded his own cause, and he pleaded it with such
cleverness and eloquence that Suneva quite acquitted him.

"I believe now thou art innocent," she answered calmly. "The
minister told me so long ago. I see now that he was right." Then she
offered Peter her hand, and he felt so pleased and grateful that
he walked with her all the way to the town. For Suneva had a great
deal of influence over the men who visited Torr's, and most of them
did visit Torr's. They believed all she said. They knew her warm,
straightforward nature, and her great beauty gave a kind of royal
assurance to her words.

Peter was therefore well pleased that he had secured her good will,
and especially that he had convinced her of his entire innocence
regarding Jan's life. If the subject ever came up over the fishers'
glasses, she was a partisan worth having. He went home well satisfied
with himself for the politic stroke he had made, and with the success
which had attended it.

Margaret had seen her father talking and walking with Suneva, and she
was very much offended at the circumstance. In her anger she made a
most imprudent remark--"My mother not a year dead yet! Suneva is a
bold, bad woman!"

"What art thou thinking of? Let me tell thee it was of Jan Vedder, and
Jan Vedder only, that we spoke."

Not until that moment had it struck Pet