milk the cows, or flay the pigs, or drive the young bullocks to
the pasture?"

He looked at her with astonishingly blue eyes--the only dry
things he had about him. He could not see into her: she would
have puzzled an older and clever man. He may have seen round her.

"A thing of beauty you are not. But I sometimes think you are a
joy for ever."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Oh, you understand right enough," she exclaimed irritably, and
then smiled, for he was conceited, and did not like being told
that he was not a thing of beauty. "Large and steady feet," she
continued, "have this disadvantage--you can knock down a man, but
you will never knock down a woman."

"I don't know what you mean. I'm not likely--"

"Oh, never mind--never, never mind. I was being funny. I repent.
Tell me about the sheep. Why did you go with them?"

"I did tell you. I had to."

"But why?"

"He had to see his girl."

"But why?"