down, and rushed out of the kitchen, regardless of her grandfather's
repeated exclamations,--

'What are you about, you saucy baggage? And you, you lout, Jack, go and
wait on the Squire, and see to his horse. What ails you--eh? It is not
often a gentleman like that crosses our threshold and behaves so affable
like and friendly.'

'Curse him!' was all that Jack could reply. 'If you think he is a
gentleman, I say he is a villain. Good-night,' and then poor Jack, fuming
and helpless, went out into the snowy night.

CHAPTER XII

THE FINAL BLOW.

Betty found that to question Bryda as to the cause of her wrath against
Mr Bayfield was useless.

To Betty's simple soul a kiss under the mistletoe bough was of no
further significance. She had been kissed by Jack, and even her Aunt
Dorothy had received a kiss from a neighbouring farmer who had visited
them on Christmas day.

Betty pleaded that if the Squire was disposed to be kind and friendly to
the old grandfather it was a risk to anger him. If they could keep the
farm during his life times might improve, and there might be saving
instead of loss, and the debt paid back.

Both girls felt that the debt itself had a peculiar interest for them.
It had been originally incurred to save their father from death, for
death by hanging was then the punishment awarded to forgery. Bryda,
however, preserved silence as to the Squire, and when she had returned
to Bristol Betty found the necklace and the silver comb hidden away in a
deep drawer in a bureau.

Betty was suddenly struck with an idea.

'Perhaps the Squire is really in love with her, and if he is, why should
she be so angry? It would be a fine thing for Bryda, who sets such store
by pretty things, and is so much more of the lady than I am. Dear Bryda,
I should love to see her happy--but oh, poor Jack! what would he say?'
And as she recalled his fierce looks as he sprang upon Mr Bayfield she
added, 'And what might he not _do_?'

It is always difficult to realise how swiftly a certain period which we
fix for any great decision in our lives, or any event which is to
seriously affect us, will come. We look forward, especially in youth, to
six or nine months and think there is time yet, we need not determine
_yet_ on any particular course of action, or make any definite plan yet.
And then, even while we are thinking that there is yet delay, the days
and weeks and months, perhaps years, have passed, and we find ourse