outine. He did so, and at
about three o'clock in the afternoon (which was bright and sunny) he
reached the small gate of Rilla, to be aware of 'Bias striding up the
pathway ahead of him.

He gave chase in no small choler.

"Look here," he protested, panting; "haven't you made some mistake?
This is Friday."

"Christmas Day," answered 'Bias, wheeling about.

"I can't help that. 'Tis Friday."

"An' next year 'twill be Saturday," retorted 'Bias with a sour grin;
"it that'll content you, when it comes. None of us can't help it.
Th' almanack says 'tis Christmas Day, and ord'nary days o' the week
don't count. Besides, 'tis quarter-day, and I've brought my rent."

"I've brought mine, too," replied Cai. "Well, we'll leave it to Mrs
Bosenna to settle."

They walked up to the house in silence. Dinah, who answered the bell,
appeared to be somewhat upset at sight of the two on the doorstep
together. (Yet we know that Dinah never opened the front door without a
precautionary survey.) She admitted them to the front parlour, and
opining that her mistress was somewhere's about the premises, departed
in search of her.

'Bias took up a position with his back to the fire and his legs
a-straddle. Cai stuck his hands in his pockets and stared gloomily out
of window. For some three minutes neither spoke, then Cai, of a sudden,
gave a start.

"There's that Middlecoat!" he exclaimed.

"Hey?" 'Bias hurried to the window, but the young farmer had already
passed out of sight.

"Look here," suggested Cai, "it's just an well we turned up, one or
both. That man's a perfect bully, so she tells me."

"She've told me the same, more than once."

"Always pickin' some excuse for a quarrel. It ain't right for a woman
to live alongside such a neighbour unprotected."

"So I've told her."

"Well, he's in the devil of a rage just now,--to judge by the look of
him, an' the way he was smackin' his leg with an ash-plant as he went
by."

"Was he now?" 'Bias considered for a moment. "You may depend he took
advantage, not expectin' either of us to turn up to-day. . . .
I shouldn't wonder if the maid properly scared him with news we were
here."

Sure enough Dinah returned in a moment to report that her mistress was
in her rose-garden; and following her thither, they found Mrs Bosenna,
flushed of face and evidently mastering an extreme discomposure.

"I,--I hardly expected you," she began.

"It's Friday," said Cai.

"It's Chri