An' I even took the sacrament; but I felt as though I were eating and drinking to my own damnation all th' time.

So I went home, sorely troubled.
'But next day, afore I'd gotten fettled up--for indeed, Miss, I'd no heart to sweeping an' fettling, an' washing pots; so I sat me down i' th' muck--who should come in but Maister Weston! I started siding stuff then, an' sweeping an' doing; and I expected he'd begin a-calling me for my idle ways, as Maister Hatfield would a' done; but I was mista'en: he only bid me good-mornin' like, in a quiet dacent way.

So I dusted him a chair, an' fettled up th' fireplace a bit; but I hadn't forgotten th' Rector's words, so says I, "I wonder, sir, you should give yourself that trouble, to come so far to see a 'canting old fool,' such as me." 'He seemed taken aback at that; but he would fain persuade me 'at the Rector was only in jest; and when that wouldn't do, he says, "Well, Nancy, you shouldn't think so much about it: Mr.Hatfield was a little out of humour just then: you know we're none of us perfect--even Moses spoke unadvisedly with his lips.

But now sit down a minute, if you can spare the time, and tell me all your doubts and fears; and I'll try to remove them." 'So I sat me down anent him.

He was quite a stranger, you know, Miss Grey, and even _younger_ nor Maister Hatfield, I believe; and I had thought him not so pleasant-looking as him, and rather a bit crossish, at first, to look at; but he spake so civil like--and when th' cat, poor thing, jumped on to his knee, he only stroked her, and gave a bit of a smile: so I thought that was a good sign; for once, when she did so to th' Rector, he knocked her off, like as it might be in scorn and anger, poor thing.