My Lady. 23

 

sight as a camel would have been crossing the
furzy common.

I forgot to finish my game when I came back ;
the encounter with the lady was enough to fill my
thoughts for the rest of the afternoon ; and, by dint
of thinking it over, I somehow ended in persuading
myself that I had acted an almost heroic part in the
adventure. I was eager to get home, that I might
be able to teli somebody the wonderful tale ; and
when at last we came inside our gate, I cut short
my usual farewell caresses to Monna, and ran into
the cottage.

Nance was preparing to bake—she was fond of

doing things at unusual times—and I found her

 

standing at the oven door moving the blazing sticks
to and fro with an old broom-handle. I was fond
of baking days. I liked to gaze into the depths of
the red-hot glowing cavern, quivering with heat like
the mouth of the burning fiery furnace. Not that,
indeed, I knew anything about that as yet; I only
thought what a beautiful glow it was, and how good
the barley loaves would smell when they came out,
and how good they would taste, too, to-morrow at
breakfast. But on that day I hardly glanced at the
oven, but ran straight to pull at Nance’s apron,
crying, “Nance, Nance, I saw a lady to-day !”

“Get out from among my feet wi’ ye,” returned