in sich times as these; but he knows I would rather go without
meat than without tea, so he lets me have it. Bill comes in for a cup
sometimes, for he likes it better than beer, and it's a deal better for
him to be sitting taking a cup of tea with me than getting into the way
of going down to the 'Spotted Dog,' and drinking beer there. So we will
all have a cup together. No one will disturb us. Feyther is down at the
'Brown Cow,' and when I told the children I had to go out on special
business they all promised to be good, and Jarge said he would see them
all safely into bed. I told him I should be back in an hour."

While Polly was speaking she was bustling about the room, putting
things straight; with a wisp of heather she swept up the dust which had
accumulated on the floor, in a semicircle in front of the fire, and
laid down the rugs and blankets to form seats. Three cups and saucers,
a little jag of milk, a teapot, and basin of sugar were placed in the
center, and a pile of slices of bread and butter beside them, while from
a paper bag she produced a cake which she had bought at the village shop
on her way up.

Ned watched her preparations listlessly.

"You are very good, Polly," he said, "and I shall be very glad of the
cup of tea, but I cannot eat anything."

"Never mind," she said cheerfully. "Bill and I can do the eating, and
perhaps after you have had a cup of tea you will be able to, for Bill
tells me you have had nothing to eat since breakfast."

Ned felt cheered by the warm blaze of the fire and by the cheerful sound
of the kettle, and after taking a cup of tea found that his appetite
was coming, and was soon able to eat his share. Mary Powlett kept up a
cheerful talk while the meal was going on, and no allusion was made to
the circumstances which had brought Ned there. After it was done she sat
and chatted for an hour. Then she said:

"I must be off now, and I think, Bill, you'd best be going soon too, and
let Maister Ned have a good night of it. I will make him up his bed on
the rugs; and I will warrant, after all the trouble he has gone through,
he will sleep like a top."

CHAPTER IX: A PAINFUL TIME

When Ned was left alone he rolled himself up in the blankets, placed a
pillow which Polly had brought him under his head, and lay and looked
at the fire; but it was not until the flames had died down, and the last
red glow had faded into blackness that he fell off to sleep.

His thoughts w