had been regretfully obliged to give notice, owing to her meddling--that
all the hands at Ansdore were leaving on account of her temper.

"He'll never get another pläace agäun, will pore old Fuller--he'll end
in the Union and be an everlasting shame to her."

There was almost a feeling of disappointment when it became known that
Fuller--who was only forty-two, having started his career at an early
age--had been given a most satisfactory job at Arpinge Farm inland, and
something like consternation when it was further said and confirmed by
Fuller himself that Joanna had given him an excellent character.

"She'll never get another looker," became the changed burden of the
Marsh.

But here again prophecy failed, for hardly had Joanna's advertisement
appeared simultaneously in the _Rye Observer_ and the _Kentish Express_
than she had half a dozen applications from likely men. Martha Tilden
brought the news to Godfrey's Stores, the general shop in Brodnyx.

"There she is, setting in her chair, talking to a young chap what's come
from Botolph's Bridge, and there's three more waiting in the
passage--she told Grace to give them each a cup of cocoa when she was
making it. And what d'you think? Their looker's come over from Old
Honeychild, asking for the place, though he was sitting in the Crown at
Lydd only yesterday, as Sam Broadhurst told me, saying as it was a shame
to get shut of Fuller like that, and as how Joanna deserved never to see
another looker again in her life."

"Which of the lot d'you think she'll take?" asked Godfrey.