"  Yes,  you'd  better  speak  up  for  yourself,
you  old  trial !  Where  'd  she  tucked  herself
away  this  time,  Sylvy?"  Sylvia  kept  an
awed  silence  ;  she  knew  by  instinct  that  her
grandmother  did  not  comprehend  the  grav-
ity of  the  situation.  She  must  be  mistaking
the  stranger  for  one  of  the  farmer-lads  of
the  region.
The  young  man  stood  his  gun  beside  the
door,  and  dropped  a  heavy  game-bag  beside


144  A   WHITE  HERON.
it ;  then  he  bade  Mrs.  Tilley  good-evening,
and  repeated  his  wayfarer's  story,  and  asked
if  he  could  have  a  night's  lodging.
"  Put  me  anywhere  you  like,"  he  said.  "  I
must  be  off  early  in  the  morning,  before
day ;  but  I  am  very  hungry,  indeed.  You
can  give  me  some  milk  at  any  rate,  that 's
plain."

"  Dear  sakes,  yes,"  responded  the  hostess,
whose  long  slumbering  hospitality  seemed  to
be  easily  awakened.  "  You  might  fare  bet-
ter if  you  went  out  on  the  main  road  a  mile
or  so,  but  you  're  welcome  to  what  we  've
got.  I'll  milk  right  off,  and  you  make
yourself  at  home.  You  can  sleep  on  husks
or  feathers,"  she  proffered  graciously.  "  I
raised  them  all  myself.  There 's  good  pas-
turing for  geese  just  below  here  towards
the  ma'sh.  Now  step  round  and  set  a  plate
for  the  gentleman,  Sylvy ! "  And  Sylvia
promptly  stepped.  She  was  glad  to  have
something  to  do,  and  she  was  hungry  her-
self.
