A Winters Tale 229 



herself snugly in the arm-chair in the corner, she 

 plainly said, by look and movement, ' Come, woo me.' 

 Though Aleck was in the mood to respond, he pos- 

 sessed none of that spirit of gallantry which ought to 

 have made him quick to take the hint. Kitty's eyes 

 were beginning to twinkle with amusement at her and 

 his own embarrassment, when luckily Adam looked in 

 with the hare, but he forgot all about Jack's perform- 

 ance in his pleasure at seeing the cousins so friendly. 



' Ah ! ' he cried, ' but you are two sly ones court- 

 in' like that whenever the old man's back is turned,' 

 and in great glee he went away and left them. 



' What do you think of that, now ? ' said Kitty, 

 laughing. 



' I wish it was true,' said Aleck. 



' That is because you're a fool,' said Kitty. ' What 

 on earth should we be sweetheartin' for ? What kind 

 o' life would you live here if you were married, Sandy ? 

 As long as Adam Black's here and that may be 

 twenty years yet Adam Black will be master. And 

 as for you, you'll toil and moil and mourn till the grey 

 hairs come, and you'll get his money when you're past 

 enjoying it. That's the look-out for a woman with a 

 notion of you, my lad.' 



' I'll not deny you've hit it, Kitty. It's a poor spec 

 at the best, keeping a country public ; the hinds haven't 

 the money to spend. If I had father's savings now, I 

 wouldn't bide here past the term. I'd get a place 

 nearer the pits ; them's the lads to spend ! ' 



