It was a shame, perhaps, to have thought on it iver, when he niver thought o' me; but I niver believed as any one could ha' found it out.

I'm just fit to sink into t' ground, what wi' my sorrow and my shame.' Hester was stopped by her own rising sobs, immediately she was in Sylvia's arms.

Sylvia was sitting on the ground holding her, and soothing her with caresses and broken words.
'I'm allays saying t' wrong things,' said she.

'It seems as if I were all upset to-day; and indeed I am;' she added, alluding to the news of Kinraid's marriage she had yet to think upon.
'But it wasn't yo', Hester: it were nothing yo' iver said, or did, or looked, for that matter.

It were yo'r mother as let it out.' 'Oh, mother! mother!' wailed out Hester; 'I niver thought as any one but God would ha' known that I had iver for a day thought on his being more to me than a brother.' Sylvia made no reply, only went on stroking Hester's smooth brown hair, off which her cap had fallen.