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Miss Spraggs asked presently; she had found the peas to be as succulent as she had wished. "To earn my own living," replied Mavis, who had seen that it was she to whom the agreeable rattle had spoken. "But, surely, that doesn't satisfy the young women of today!" continued Miss Spraggs. "I fear it does me; but then I don't know any young women to be influenced by," answered Mavis.
Mavis rubbed her eyes; she expected every moment to find herself again in the street, clinging to the railings for support, at which moment of returning sense she would know that what she was now witnessing would prove to be an effect of her disordered imagination. If what she saw were the result of a sick brain, it was a convincing, consistent picture which fascinated her attention.
But when peace came, this fact did not save the lad from taunt and suspicion from the children of the Honeycutt tribe, and being a favorite with his Grandfather Hawn down on the river, and harshly treated by his Honeycutt mother, his life on the other side in the other cove was a hard one; so his heart had gone back to his own people and, having no companions, he had made a playmate of his little cousin, Mavis, over the spur.
He looked at her for some moments in amazement before saying: "Say that again." "I shan't." "If I were other than I am, I should compel you." "How could you?" "With my lips. As it is " "Yes tell me." "My infirmity stops me from saying and doing what I would." "Why let it?" asked Mavis in a low voice, while her eyes sought the ground.
Upon Mavis interviewing Mrs Scatchard on the matter, the latter declared that her niece had suggested the subject to her directly after Mavis had left in the morning, a statement which Miss Meakin did not appear to overhear. Mrs Scatchard showed Mavis a clean, homely little room.
It seemed as if her life were departing, leaving behind the cold shell of the Mavis she knew, who was now dead to everything but pain. His consideration for her helplessness illumined her suffering. The next moment, she was on her knees, her heart welling with love, gratitude, concern for the man who had left her. "Bless him! Bless him, oh God! He's good; he's good; he's good!
I'm glad you be coming zoon; the colour of the young grass be wonderful." "Indeed!" remarked Mavis, as she looked at him, surprised. "That's the advantage of varming," continued Trivett: "you zee natur in zo many colours and zo many moods." Thus talking, they reached the churchyard gates, where Mavis released Jill, who was delighted at being set at liberty.
The feeble match flame intensified the gloom and emphasised the deep, black quietude of the place. This hamlet of the dead was amazingly remote from all suggestions of life. It appeared to hug itself for its complete detachment from human interests. It seemed desolate, alone, forgotten by the world. As Mavis left its stillness, she thought: "At least he's found a great peace."
Mavis had no time to ask her landlady what she had done with the broker's man, as the doctor came into the room directly after he had been announced. He was quite a young doctor, on whom the manners of an elderly man sat incongruously. He glanced keenly at Mavis as he bowed to her; then, without saying a word, he fell to examining the child's throat.
Once, when Mrs Gowler was considerate enough to wipe away the beads of sweat, which had gathered on the suffering girl's forehead, Mavis gasped: "Is it nearly over?" "What! Over!" laughed Mrs Gowler mirthlessly. "I call that the preliminary canter." "Will it be much worse?" "You're bound to be worse before you're better." "I can't I can't bear it!"
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