she feared his getting on dangerous ground; and placing the bowl of
porridge on the rough table, she added, 'Say the Benedicite, lad, and
fall to.' Then, as he uttered the blessing, she asked the guest
whether she preferred ewes' milk or cows' milk, a luxury no one else
was allowed, all eating their porridge contentedly with a pinch of
salt, Hob showing scant courtesy, the less since his guest's rank had
been made known.

By the time they had finished, snowflakes--an early autumn storm--
were drifting against the shutter, and a black cloud was lowering
over the hills. Hob foretold a heavy fall of snow, and called on Hal
to help him and Piers fold the flock more securely, sleepy Watch and
his old long-haired collie mother rising at the same call. Lady Anne
sprang up at the same time, insisting that she must go and help to
feed the poor sheep, but she was withheld, much against her will, by
Mother Dolly, though she persisted that snow was nothing to her, and
it was a fine jest to be out of the reach of the Sisters, who mewed
her up in a cell, like a messan dog. However, she was much amused by
watching, and thinking she assisted in, Mother Dolly's preparations
for ewe milk cheese-making; and by-and-by Hal came in, shaking the
snow off the sheepskin he had worn over his leathern coat. Hob had
sent him in, as the weather was too bad for him, and he and Anne
crouched on opposite sides of the wide hearth as he dried and warmed
himself, and cosseted the cat which Anne had tried to caress, but
which showed a decided preference for the older friend.

'Our Baudrons at Greystone loves me better than that,' said Anne.
'She will come to me sooner than even to Sister Scholastica!'

'My Tib came with us when we came here. Ay, Tib! purr thy best!' as