.]

MRS. BURLACOMBE. [Her eyes mechanically fixed on the twisted
bird-cage in his hands] 'Tis poor Sue Cremer, zurr, I didn't 'ardly
think she'd last thru the mornin'. An' zure enough she'm passed
away! [Seeing that he has not taken in her words] Mr. Strangway--
yu'm feelin' giddy?

STRANGWAY. No, no! What was it? You said----

MRS. BURLACOMBE. 'Tes Jack Cremer. His wife's gone. 'E'm in a
terrible way. 'Tes only yu, 'e ses, can du 'im any gude. He'm in
the kitchen.

STRANGWAY. Cremer? Yes! Of course. Let him----

MRS. BURLACOMBE. [Still staring at the twisted cage] Yu ain't
wantin' that--'tes all twizzled. [She takes it from him] Sure yu'm
not feelin' yer 'ead?

STRANGWAY. [With a resolute effort] No!

MRS. BURLACOMBE. [Doubtfully] I'll send 'im in, then. [She goes.
When she is gone, Strangway passes his handkerchief across his
forehead, and his lips move fast. He is standing motionless when
CREMER, a big man in labourer's clothes, with a thick, broad face,
and tragic, faithful eyes, comes in, and stands a little in from the
closed door, quite dumb.]

STRANGWAY. [After a moment's silence--going up to him and laying a
hand on his shoulder] Jack! Don't give way. If we give way--we're
done.

CREMER. Yes, zurr. [A quiver passes over his face.]

STRANGWAY. She didn't. Your wife was a brave woman. A dear woman.

CREMER. I never thought to luse 'er. She never told me 'ow bad she
was, afore she tuk to 'er bed. 'Tis a dreadful thing to luse a wife,
zurr.

STRANGWAY. [Tightening his lips, that tremble] Yes. But don't give
way! Bear up, Jack!

CREMER. Seems funny 'er goin' blue-bell time, an' the sun shinin' so
warm. I picked up an 'orse-shu yesterday. I can't never 'ave 'er
back, zurr.

[His face quivers again.]

STRANGWAY. Some day you'll join her. Think! Some lose their wives
for ever.

CREMER. I don't believe as there's a future life, zurr. I think we
goo to sleep like the beasts.

STRANGWAY. We're told otherwise. But come here! [Drawing him to
the window] Look! Listen! To sleep in that! Even if we do, it
won't be so bad, Jack, will it?

CREMER. She wer' a gude wife to me--no man didn't 'ave no better
wife.

STRANGWAY. [Putting his hand out] Take hold--hard--harder! I want
yours as much as you want mine. Pray for me, Jack, and I'll pray for
you. And we won't give way, will we?

CREMER. [To whom the strangeness of these words has