d little Nan also, instead of looking out for him as
usual, was waiting eagerly to be helped; for, as soon as Stephen was seen
over the brow of the hill, Martha poured her dainty stew into a large
brown dish, and she had already portioned out a plateful for the
grandfather. Few words were uttered, for Martha was hot, and rather
testy; and Stephen felt a sullen weight hanging upon his spirits. Only
every now and then the old grandfather, chuckling and mumbling over the
uncommon delicacy, would call Stephen by his father's name of James, and
thank him for his rare supper.

'Good evening,' said Miss Anne's voice, and as the light from the doorway
was darkened, all the party looked up quickly, and Stephen felt himself
growing hot and cold by turns. 'Your supper smells very nice, Martha;
there has been some good cooking done to-day.'

'Oh, Miss Anne,' cried Martha, colouring up with excitement and fear, 'it
is a young leveret Mrs. Jones, the gamekeeper's wife, gave me for some
knitting I'd done for her; she said it 'ud be a treat for grandfather.
I've been cooking it all evening, ma'am, and it's very toothsome. If
you'd only just taste a mouthful, it 'ud make me ever so proud.'

'Thank you, Martha,' said Miss Anne, smiling; 'I am quite hungry with
climbing the hill, and if it is as good as the bread you gave me the
other day, I shall enjoy having my supper with you.'

Stephen scarcely heard what Miss Anne said to him, while he watched
Martha bustling about to reach out a grand china plate, which was one of
the great treasures of their possessions; and he looked on silently as
she chose the daintiest morsels of the stew; but when she moved the
little table nearer to the door, and laid the plate and knife and fork
upon it, before Miss Anne, he started to his feet, unable to sit still
and see her partake of the food which he had procured in such a manner.

'Don't touch it! don't taste it, Miss Anne!' he cried excitedly. 'Oh,
please to come out with me to the bent of the hill, and I'll tell you
why. But don't eat any of it!'

He darted out at the door before Martha could stop him, and ran down the
green path to a place where he was out of sight and hearing of his home,
waiting breathlessly for Miss Anne to overtake him. It was some minutes
before she came, and her face was overcast and troubled; but she listened
in silence, while, without concealment, but with many bitter and
passionate words against the gamekeeper, and exc