across the kitchen like a cat's in the dark. Now, if you were a man,
I should feel queer before those looks of yours; as it is, I rather
like them, because--"

"Because what?" asked she, looking up and perceiving that he had
stolen close up to her.

"Because I can make all right in this way," said he, kissing her
suddenly.

"Can you?" said she, wrenching herself out of his grasp and panting,
half with rage. "Take that, by way of proof that making right is
none so easy." And she boxed his ears pretty sharply. He went back
to his seat discomfited and out of temper. She could no longer see
to look, even if her face had not burnt and her eyes dazzled, but she
did not choose to move her seat, so she still preserved her stooping
attitude and pretended to go on sewing.

"Eleanor Hebthwaite may be milk-and-water," muttered he, "but--
Confound thee, lad! what art thou doing?" exclaimed Michael, as a
great piece of burning wood was cast into his face by an unlucky poke
of Will's. "Thou great lounging, clumsy chap, I'll teach thee
better!" and with one or two good round kicks he sent the lad
whimpering away into the back-kitchen. When he had a little
recovered himself from his passion, he saw Susan standing before him,
her face looking strange and almost ghastly by the reversed position
of the shadows, arising from the firelight shining upwards right
under it.

"I tell thee what, Michael," said she, "that lad's motherless, but