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 again closing both the doors behind her. She approached Elisabeth, and laid her hand not unkindly upon the young woman's shoulder.

"Your jacket's damp, my lass," said she. "Off wi' it, and hang it up ower th' hearth-stone. You shall hev' a drop o' tea, scaldin' hot, to tak' the cowd out o' you."

Elisabeth protested that she had already had tea at Sicaster, but she hastened to follow Mally's advice as to the jacket.

"A drop o' good tea, made as I mak' it," said Mally, "weern't hurt nobody. Down wi' it, lass, while it's hot. If you've hed your tea at Sicaster, you weern't be wantin' owt to ate just now, but happen you'll do wi' a bit o' supper later on. There's no stint in this house for onnybody."

Elisabeth drank the tea which Mally gave her. It was strong and good, and of an infinitely superior taste and quality to that which she had tasted in the Sicaster eating-house. She said as much to Mally, who sat