162 THE SILVER FOX 



tea in her hand ; she had on her black best 

 dress, and her boots creaked loudly. She 

 said nothing to those whom she passed, but 

 took the cup of tea to her mother, placing 

 it in the reluctant hand that twisted the 

 apron corner. 



" Take it, asthore, take it now," chorussed 

 the sympathizers. 



" Lave her alone. Don't be lookiu' at 

 her," said her daughter, in the hard voice 

 that had remained unshaken through the 

 morning. She closed the door in their 

 faces, and when she presently came out 

 again with the empty cup, smeared with the 

 stain of the poisonous stuff it had contained, 

 all recognized that the first step in the con- 

 solation of the Widow Quin had been 

 accomplished. 



Maria turned away. Her head ached 

 wildly, and instead of returning to the 

 house, she passed round the end of the shed, 

 and into the field at the back, that the damp 

 wind of the hillside might blow upon her 

 hot forehead. Her face was quite white 



