as worth," she remarked trenchantly.
"Think 'o th' litter alone he'd mak' coomin' in an' out o' th' house.
It's bad enough to be cleanin' up arter th' cats an' the dog--poor
dumb things, they knows no better! But a mon stumpin' in an' out wi's
dirty boots, an' clooes as 'ud allus want mendin', an' stockin's
weerin' at th' 'eel! Eh, theer'd be no end to 't! An' then th' doin' for;
gettin's mate an' that--turnin' up 's nose very like--ill-satisfied wi'
a washin'-day dinner! Nay, nay, I'd sooner bide as I am wi' nobbut mysel'
to look to."

Ted threw back his head and coughed behind his hand, nonplussed for
the moment; presently, noting that the practical side of the case was
the only one likely to meet with favour, he resumed artfully--"Think
how coomfortable it 'ud be of a rainy day, i'stead o' startin' out i'
th' wet to feed pig an' do for chickens, to say to your gaffer,
'Sitha, thou mun see to they things afore thou goes to thy wark'--an'
of an evening, when he' coom awhoam, ye could set him to get th'
'taters, an' chop wood an' that."

Margaret crossed her arms and appeared to reflect.

"An' of a Saturday--pay day, ye know--ye'd jest say: 'Hand o'er,
wilto?' An' he'd hand o'er."

A faint smile began to play about the lady's lips; she leaned back in
her chair and looked attentively at Ted.

"'Tisn't everybody as 'ud be willin' to do that," she remarked after a
pause; "theer's a mony as 'ud sooner spend their brass at th'
Thornleigh Arms."

Ted privately thought this extremely likely, but he assumed an air of
virtuous indignation.

"Theer's chaps an' chaps! I reckon if onybody was to ax to wed _you_,
Miss Heptonstall, he'd be a steady-goin' sort o' fellow as wouldn't be
up to they mak' o' games."

Margaret smiled outright. Ted thought he would follow up his advantage
and clinch the point at once.

"Now, Miss Heptonstall," said he, "for instance, if _I_ was to coom
coortin' ye, I wouldn't be thinkin' of onything but makkin' ye
coomfortable. I reckon ye'd mak' _me_ coomfortable"--(with an air of
great fairness and impartiality)--"that's wheer 'tis; it 'ud be 'give
an' take, give an' take.' I feel dreadful lonely of an evenin', an'
it's a sad thing when a man allus has to do for hissel'. I'd be
thankful if ye'd have me--"

"I reckon ye would," interrupted Margaret with disconcerting
frankness; "I've a good bit o' brass saved."

This was news to Ted, and he looked at her with genuine interest.

"Have ye?" s