"Doan't knaw, 'zactly; but things might fall out if he got to like you,
being a bookish sort of man. Anyway, he's very willing to be friends,
for that he told me. Doan't bear yourself like Lucifer afore him; but
take the first chance to let him knaw your fortune's in need of
mendin'."

"You say that! D' you think self-respect is dead in me?" he asked, half
angry.

There was no visible life about them, so she put her arms round him.

"I ax for love of 'e, dearie, an' for want of 'e. Do 'e think waitin' 's
sweeter for me than for you?"

Then he calmed down again, sighed, returned the caress, touched her, and
stroked her breast and shoulder with sudden earthly light in his great
eyes.

"It 's hard to wait."

"That's why I say doan't lose chances that may mean a weddin' for us,
Clem. Theer 's so much hid in 'e, if awnly the way to bring it out could
be found."

"A mine that won't pay working," he said bitterly, the passion fading
out of eyes and voice. "I know there 's something hidden; I feel there
's a twist of brain that ought to rise above keeping bees and take me
higher than honey-combs. Yet look at hard truth. The clods round me get
enough by their sweat to keep wives and feed children. I'm only a