Her cousin came close up to her on tip-toe, and looked anxiously at what he could see of her averted face; then he passed his hand so slightly over her hair that he could scarcely be said to touch it, and murmured-- 'Poor lassie! it's a pity she came to-day, for it's a long walk in this heat!' But Sylvia started to her feet, almost pushing him along.

Her quickened senses heard an approaching step through the courtyard before any of the others were aware of the sound.

In a minute afterwards, the glass-door at one corner of the parlour was opened from the outside, and Mr.John stood looking in with some surprise at the group collected in his usually empty parlour.
'It's my cousin,' said Philip, reddening a little; 'she came wi' her friend in to market, and to make purchases; and she's got a turn wi' seeing the press-gang go past carrying some of the crew of the whaler to the Randyvowse.
'Ay, ay,' said Mr.John, quickly passing on into the shop on tip-toe, as if he were afraid he were intruding in his own premises, and beckoning Philip to follow him there.

'Out of strife cometh strife.
I guessed something of the sort was up from what I heard on t' bridge as I came across fra' brother Jeremiah's.' Here he softly shut the door between the parlour and the shop.

'It beareth hard on th' expectant women and childer; nor is it to be wondered at that they, being unconverted, rage together (poor creatures!) like the very heathen.