Alf shivered.
A young woman coming from Billing's Corner crossed the road to him.
"Well, Alf," she said gaily, "you're getting em all against you!"
Alf raised his eyes to hers, and they were the eyes of the rabbit in the burrow with the stoat hard upon its heels.
"Yes," he said more to himself than her. "Reckon I'm done."
*****
THE COMFORTER
Ruth passed down the lane towards the golf links, the laughter sparkling in her brown eyes.
She was merry, malicious, mischievously prim. Then suddenly, as at the shutting of a door, her mood changed. Something warm and large and tremulous surged up unbidden out of the ocean-deeps of her.