moved the horse from the fire and placed a round-backed chair
for the visitor in a position which would have answered tolerably had
she meant to roast him.

'He's in the sulks, that's what he is,' she continued, returning to the
subject of Luke. 'I suppose you know all about it, Mr. Grail?'

Gilbert seated himself, and Mrs. Poole, pretending to arrange the
linen, stood just before him, with a sly smile.

'I'm not sure that I do,' he replied, avoiding her look.

She lowered her voice.

'The idea of a great lad going on like he does! Why, it's the young
lady that lives in your house--Miss Trent, you know, I don't know her
myself; no doubt she's wonderful pretty and all the rest of it, but I'm
that sick and tired of hearing about her! My husband's out a great deal
at night, of course, and Luke comes and sits here hours by the clock,
just where you are, right in my way. I don't mean _you're_ in my way;
I'm talking of times when I'm busy. Well, there he sits; and sometimes
he'll be that low it's enough to make a body strangle herself with her
apron-string. Other times he'll talk, talk, talk and it's all Thyrza
Trent, Thyrza Trent, till the name makes my ears jingle. This afternoon
I couldn't put up with it, so I told him he was a great big baby to go
on as he does. Then we had some snappy words, and he went off to his
bedroom and wouldn't have any tea. But really and truly, I don't know
what'll come to him. He says he'll take to drinking, and he does a deal
too much o' that as it is. And to think of him losing days from his
work! Now do just tell him not to be a fool, Mr. Grail.'

With difficulty Gilbert found an opportunity to put in a word.

'But is there something wrong between them?' he asked with a forced
smile.

'Wrong? Why, doesn't he talk about it to you?'

'No. I used to hear just a word or two, but there's been no mention of
her for a long time.'

'You may think yourself lucky then, that's all _I_ can say. Why, she
wouldn't have anything to say to him. And I don't see what he's got to
complain of; he admits she told him from the first she didn't care a
bit for him. As if there wasn't plenty of other lasses! Luke was always
such a softy about 'em; but I never knew him have such a turn as this.
I'll just go and tell him you're here.'

'Perhaps he's gone to bed.'

'Not he. He sits in the cold half the night, just to make people sorry
for him. He doesn't get much pity from me, the silly fellow.'

She ra