Page:Arminell, a social romance (1896).djvu/238

230 about her, but there she would remain to the last.

Mr. Macduff entered the cottage, and received a scowl from Thomasine as he passed her. He endeavoured, but in vain, to persuade the woman to come outside.

"But," said Mr. Macduff, "they're about to pu' the roof down over your head."

Mrs. Kite made no answer.

Then he became angry, and ordered two masons to enter the ruin and remove the old woman; but this they were afraid to do. They pretended that the reason was lest she should bring an action against them; really, lest she should "overlook" them; that is, cast an evil eye upon them.

"I'll give half a sovereign to any who will bring her out," offered the agent.

The men shrugged their shoulders, and a miner who was lounging against a tree in the rear muttered, "If you're so anxious to get her out, you and his lordship had best drag her out yourselves."

"Begin with the demolition," ordered Macduff. The workmen scrambled on the roof, and commenced tearing off the old, thin and rotten thatch, beginning at the end furthest removed from that where the old woman sat.

A few groans and exclamations of "shame!" issued from the lookers-on.

As the thatch was being riven away, plaster from the rotten ceiling fell, and with it drifts of straw, into the cottage. Dust rose, thick and blinding, but Mrs. Kite refused to stir. She would stifle there rather than desert her hearth.

Again Macduff went to the door to expostulate. The woman answered with a snarl, as a wild beast worried in its lair.

"Go on," shouted Macduff to the men.

Then suddenly a tie-beam gave way, and fell through, with a crash, to the cottage floor.