asculine features and pleasant brown eyes.
She supposed him to be about forty.

'Mornin'!' he said again, as she stopped and looked at him.

'Well, yer needn't look as if I was goin' ter eat yer up, 'cause I
ain't,' he said.

''Oo are you? I'm not afeard of yer.'

'Wot are yer so bloomin' red abaht?' he asked pointedly.

'Well, I'm 'ot.'

'You ain't shirty 'cause I kissed yer last night?'

'I'm not shirty; but it was pretty cool, considerin' like as I didn't
know yer.'

'Well, you run into my arms.'

'Thet I didn't; you run aht and caught me.'

'An' kissed yer before you could say "Jack Robinson".' He laughed at
the thought. 'Well, Liza,' he went on, 'seein' as 'ow I kissed yer
against yer will, the best thing you can do ter make it up is to kiss
me not against yer will.'

'Me?' said Liza, looking at him, open-mouthed. 'Well you are a pill!'

The children began to clamour for the riding, which had been
discontinued on Liza's approach.

'Are them your kids?' she asked.

'Yus; them's two on 'em.'

''Ow many 'ave yer got?'

'Five; the eldest gal's fifteen, and the next one 'oo's a boy's
twelve, and then there are these two and baby.'

'Well, you've got enough for your money.'

'Too many for me--and more comin'.'

'Ah well,' said Liza, laughing, 'thet's your fault, ain't it?'

Then she bade him good morning, and strolled off.

He watched her as she went, and saw half a dozen little boys surround
her and beg her to join them in their game of cricket. They caught
hold of her arms and skirts, and pulled her to their pitch.

'No, I can't,' she said trying to disengage herself. 'I've got the
dinner ter cook.'

'Dinner ter cook?' shouted one small boy. 'Why, they always cooks the
cats' meat at the shop.'

'You little so-and-so!' said Liza, somewhat inelegantly, making a dash
at him.

He dodged her and gave a whoop; then turning he caught her round the
legs, and another boy catching hold of her round the neck they dragged
her down, and all three struggled on the ground, rolling over and
over; the other boys threw themselves on the top, so that there was a
great heap of legs and arms and heads waving and bobbing up and down.

Liza extricated herself with some difficulty, and taking off her hat
she began cuffing the boys with it, using all the time the most lively
expressions. Then, having cleared the field, she retired victorious
into her own house and began cooking the dinner.

4

Ban