Page:My people stories of the peasantry of West Wales.djvu/151

 the place hurt her. She gave a cry; and with that cry there arose in her heart something of the old spirit of the woman who flaunted herself in fine vain garments on a Sabbath morning, and who laughed in the faces of the men of the Big Seat.

“Joshua,” she cried, “you’ve stolen Lancoch from me. Dear, dear, what an old Satan you are, man! Bad you are, Joshua! Look you, so long as there’s a roof over Lancoch, I will stop in the house.” “You talk like an awful woman,” said Joshua. “Do you not know how you are tempting the Big Man? Be calm, you wicked spider.” Joshua knelt by his bedside that night and asked the Almighty to bring into subjection the spirit of this most stubborn of His creatures.

Betti locked the door of her house and covered the windows with boards. At the