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Having refilled the petrol tank and assured themselves that the Ford was in sound running order against the morrow's needs they entered the inn. "We'll get a snack now," said Harrison Smith, "and after that take a look round and make a few enquiries." The schooners of ale provided by mine host to wash down the simple country fare were entirely agreeable to Freddie Dirk's parched palate.
Could she possibly get a little influence over them by following up the injured young man, and giving what help was needful? She had hardly meant to call, though trying to find the house. Her method of reasoning had been something like this: "The policeman said he lived about two blocks from my poor Dirk's home.
"I dare not insist," said the nurse. "She is too ill. Perhaps in a day or two she may change her mind." "Is there anyone else she wants to see?" asked Dirk, in a voice so low it was almost a whisper. "She says she only wants to be left in peace." Dirk's hands moved strangely, as though they had nothing to do with his body, with a movement of their own.
Dirk's apartment consisted of two rooms situated upon the first floor of an old house in a street that had ceased to be fashionable. Once, however, it had been a fine house, and, according to the ideas of the time, the rooms themselves were fine, especially the sitting chamber, which was oak-panelled, low, and spacious, with a handsome fireplace carrying the arms of its builder.
"Who are you? I don't know you," said Flora. "We're friends of your master's, of course." "That's it," said Dirk, huskily. "Pals of 'is, see!" The tone was hardly convincing. "My master is away, and has been away for some weeks." "Yes, yes, yes, to be sure. But he's come back." "No," said Flora. "Look 'ere, girl," Dirk's fat, short-fingered paw fell on her shoulders "we ain't soft do you get me?
"But the child," she murmured, "it lives, and it is mine and the man's." Dirk's face hardened a little, but he only answered: "We must bear our burdens; you have borne yours, I must bear mine," and he seized her hands and kissed them, yes, and the hem of her garment and kissed it also. So these two plighted their troth. Afterwards Lysbeth heard all the story.
Ned sat down on the wharf and watched his friend and the fisherman. They were sufficiently near for him to note the expressions upon their faces, and when he saw the blank look of wonder and incredulity that suddenly came over Dirk's coarse features, he suspected that Noll was disclosing his project. "Oh, but Noll is a queer fellow," he said to himself.
Noll's homeward walk seemed somewhat brighter to him, even though he left the child dead behind him. Dirk's gratitude, a small matter though it may have been, gave him a thrill of pleasure. It was pleasant to think that he had one friend among the fish-folk, rough and ignorant though they were.
Roberts would not mar by making any mention of the neat one which she had brought in a box that day. The black bonnet had been like a mask, hiding Mart's beauty. The bonnet that she wore now was not of that character. It told a wonderful story to Dirk's astonished gaze.
"You needn't be scared at him, mum; that's only old Jock; he's as ugly as old Nick himself, but he knows better than to be very ugly to me. I can throw him in the gutter as easy as I could them young ones, and he knows it. That's Dirk's father, that is! Ain't he a beauty?" And again Mrs.
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