"Go away, and don't dare to speak to me, sir!"
"But I will speak to you!" he retorted defiantly. "You see, with all your fine talk, the very first girl I asked took me, and was glad of the chance!"
Helen merely lifted her eyes again and looked at him with frank disgust.
"I'm going to live here; the old fellow agrees. Katie is his favourite daughter, and any way, it is high time to take the money out of his hands, and that there was some sane person over the property! I shall give Darby Chute the sack," he grinned at Helen, and she read in his eyes that she would undoubtedly "get the sack" also.
"Of course you'll say nothing to them about yesterday," dropping his tone of authority for one of querulous entreaty, as his eyes fell on Dido and Katie, hurrying across the lawn. "You keep what I said to you to yourself?"
"Need you ask?" she returned scornfully.
"Come away from under the tree, and sit upon these shawls!" cried Katie. "That bench is so unsociable. Here," spreading it as she spoke, "is one for you and me, Barry, and you may smoke, to keep away the midges."
"I don't want your leave to do that," was the gallant reply as he flung himself heavily at the feet of his lady-love, and commenced to blow clouds of tobacco into the air. Presently he said, "How much did the cow fetch, Dido?"
"Only sixteen pounds—I'm so disappointed; but Darby said he was glad to get it, as there were no buyers of dairy stock—only shippers——"
"Sixteen pounds!" echoed Helen. "Are you sure?"