"I only received permission to remain out one hour," answered Kate. "Is my cousin at home?"
"The young vagabond!" ejaculated the executioner, whose irritability this question had aroused in spite of the depression of spirits under which he laboured; for he could not forget the unwearied repugnance which Gibbet manifested towards the paternal avocations:—"the young vagabond! he is never at home now of an evening."
"Never at home of an evening!" exclaimed Kate, surprised at this information.
"No," continued the executioner; "and at first I thought he went to see you."
"He can only visit me on Sunday evenings," observed the young maiden.
"So he told me yesterday. Howsumever, he goes out regular at dusk, and never comes back till between nine and ten—sometimes later."
"Then I am not likely to see him this evening?" exclaimed Kate, in a tone of disappointment.
"That you are not," replied the executioner. "But I must put a stop to these rovings on his part."
"Oh! pray be kind to him, uncle," said Katherine, rising to depart.
"Kind indeed!" grumbled the man, some of his old surliness returning.