?--no better?"

"Supper! I durstn't go in for no supper. I likes hunger better nor a
fray. Happen El'nor 'll steal out to me with a crust after dark. She
does, sometimes."

"And how long does it take thy wife to cool down?"

Dan rubbed his forehead with his blackened hand.

"I was wed to her," said he, "th' year afore the great frost, if you
know when that were--and I'd better have been fruz, a deal. I've had it
mortal hot ever since. She's had that time to cool down in, and she's
no cooler nor she were then. Rather, if either, t'other way on, I
reckon."

Before Father Thomas could reply, the shrillest scream that had ever met
his ears came out of the window of the smithy.

"Ankaret!" it said. "Ankaret! An-ka-ret!"

"Ha! That's Her!" whispered Dan, as if he were awed by the sound.

An answering scream, as shrill, but scarcely so loud, came from the
neighbouring cottage.

"Whatever do you want now?" said the second shriek.

"What dost thou yonder, thou slatternly minx?" returned the first.
"I'll mash every bone of thee, if thou doesn't come in this minute!"

"Then I sha'n't!" shrieked the second voice. "Two can play at that."

"Who is Ankaret?" asked Father Thomas of the smith.

"She's th' eldest o' th' dragons--that's our Ank'ret," said Dan in the
same half-frightened whisper. "If you mun face Her, you'd best do it
while Ank'ret's next door: both on 'em's too much for any man. Th'
Angel Gabriel couldn't match the pair on 'em: leastwise, if he comes
down to axe me, _I_ sha'n't send him forward. And don't you go and say
I sent you, now. For pity's sake, don't!"

Father Thomas walked off, and knocked at the house door. He was
beginning to think that if the former part of his task had been easier
than he expected, the latter was going to prove more difficult. The
door was opened by a young woman.

"Good day, my daughter. Is thy mother within?"

"She's here, Father. Pray you, come in."

The priest stepped inside, and sat down on a bench. For those times,
the house was comfortable, and it was very clean. The young woman
disappeared, and presently a pair of heavy boots came clattering down
the stairs, and Father Thomas felt pretty sure that the sweet Filomena
herself stood before him.

"Now then, what do _you_ want?" quoth she, in a tone which did not sound
as if she were delighted to see her visitor.

"My daughter, I am a priest," said Father Thomas gently; "and I am come
to see th