the master or mistress of the establishment. He succeeded at
length, however, in breaking away from the embraces of the fair cook,
while two huge dogs which lay by the kitchen fire watched them solemnly.
Presently the door opened, and Ikey and Tryphena stood together outside.
They were quite close to me, so that I could hear their every word.

"You wa'ant be long afore you come again, Ikey?" asked Tryphena.

"Not long, my buty. P'raps you c'n git a bit a pigin pie next time."

"That I will, Ikey. But doan't 'ee think, Ikey, 'tes time for 'ee to be
puttin' in th' baans? We've bin a-courtin' like this now for more'n vive
yer."

"Well, tha's nothin', Tryphena. Jim Jory ded court Mary Hicks thirteen
yer afore they wur spliced."

"Iss; but I ca'ant kip comp'ny weth 'ee like other maids. An' ted'n
vitty fur we to be mittin' every week like this 'ere."

"Well, Tryphena, my buty, you do knaw I do love 'ee deerly. An' you be a
clain off cook, too. I niver taasted sich a vowl pie in my life, ther
now. An' yer zay 't shell be a pigin pie next week."

"Iss, Ikey; but 'twud be purty to 'ave a 'ome of our oan."

"Mawther wa'ant 'eer of et it, nor Cap'n Jack nuther. 'Nother yer or
two, Tryphena, and then I'll go to the passen. Ther, I mus' be goin'."

Another sounding kiss, and Ikey crept away very quietly, while Tryphena
began to put away the supper things. In a minute my mind was made up. I
had heard enough to settle me on my plan of action. I thought I saw the
means whereby I could see Naomi.

I waited until Tryphena had cleared away the remains of Ikey's repast,
and was evidently preparing to go to her room, and then I gave the
kitchen door a slight knock, and, imitating Ikey's voice as well as I
could, I said, "Tryphena, my buty, laive me in a minait."

She came and opened the door quickly.

"'Ave 'ee forgot summin', Ikey, deear?" she said; and then before she
recognised me I slipped in.

The dogs rose up with a low, suppressed growl, as though they were in
doubt what to do; but Tryphena, who was as anxious as I that the
household might not be disturbed, quieted them.

"Maaster Jasper Pennington!" she gasped as she looked into my face.

"That's right, Tryphena," I said. "Sit down, I want to talk with you,
and I want you to do something for me."

"No, I mustn't, I daren't. They do oal hate 'ee 'ere, Maaster Jasper. Ef
they wos to knaw you was 'ere, I dunnaw wot wud 'appen."

For a moment a great bitterness came