up her
satchel, and toddled off, leaving Tamsin and Mr. Fogo face to face.

"Why did you frighten her?" the girl asked severely. There was an
angry flush on her cheek.

"I did not intentionally. It was the alarum. First of all I was
chased by a bull, and then--" Mr. Fogo told his story incoherently.
The angry red left Tamsin's cheek, and a look of disdain succeeded.

"And you," she said very slowly, when he had finished, "think you are
able to despise womankind."

It was Mr. Fogo's turn to grow red.

"And to put up a board," she continued, "with that silly Notice upon
it--you and that great baby Caleb Trotter--setting all women at
naught, when you never ought to be beyond tether of their
apron-strings. Why, only this morning you'd have caught a sun-stroke
if I hadn't spread your umbrella over you."

"Did you do that?"

"And who else do you suppose? A man, perhaps? Why, there isn't a
man in the world would have had the sense--'less it was Peter or
Paul," she added, with a sudden softening of voice, "and they're
women in everything but strength. And now," she went on, "as I am
going that way, I suppose you'll want me to see you home. Will you
walk in front or behind, for doubtless you're above walking beside a
woman?"

"I think you are treating me very hardly."

"Maybe I am, and maybe I meant to. Maybe you didn't know that that
Notice of yours might hurt people's feelings. Don't think I mean
mine," she explained quickly and defiantly, "but Peter's and Paul's."

There was a pause as they walked along together.

"The board shall come down," said he; "and now may I carry your
basket?"

"My basket? Do you think I'd trust a man to carry eggs?"
She laughed, but with a trace of forgiveness.

He did not answer, but seemed to have fallen into a fit of troubled
contemplation. They walked on in silence.

Presently she halted.

"I doubt you've had trouble in your time, and I've hurt your feelings
and spoken as I oughtn't to have spoken to my betters; but I've seen
that Peter and Paul were hurt in mind, and that made me say more than
I meant. Yonder's your way down to Kit's House. Good-night, sir."

Mr. Fogo would have held out his hand, but she was gone quickly down
the road. He stood for a minute looking after her; then turned and
walked quickly down the path to Kit's House.

Caleb met him at the door.

"So you'm back, an' I hopes you enj'yed your walk, as Sal said when
her man comed home fr