She raised her hands to her face and sobbed out like a little child.
Skelton stood by her, feeling his own feebleness.

'I know you are in great trouble,' he said.
Her sobs did not last long; she soon mastered them, not by any art of concealment but by rude force.

Then standing shame-faced, with half-averted head, she wiped her eyes with her apron.
'Yes, sir, I'm in great trouble, greater ner ye can know, fur death's neither here nor there--it's living that's hard.

Parson, he speaks out about preparing to die, but to my mind it takes a sight more preparing to know how to go on living.' 'I know that you have greater trouble than your mother's death.

I know that you love a young man who loves you, and also what it is that you think keeps you apart from him.' 'And how do you know that, sir ?' she asked, still with averted face.
Then he confessed, humbly enough, just how he did know it, and all that he knew, and told her about his visit to Yarm.