'Hollo! you--how came you here? Dost 'eer?'

And he drew near panting, and sometimes tugging angrily in his haste at his
wooden leg, which sunk now and then deeper than was convenient in the sod.
This exertion helped to anger him, and when he halted before me, his dark
face smirched with smoke and dust, and the nostrils of his flat drooping
nose expanded and quivered as he panted, like the gills of a fish; an
angrier or uglier face it would not be easy to fancy.

'Ye'll all come when ye like, will ye? and do nout but what pleases
yourselves, won't you? And who'rt thou? Dost 'eer--who _are_ ye, I say; and
what the deil seek ye in the woods here? Come, bestir thee!'

If his wide mouth and great tobacco-stained teeth, his scowl, and loud
discordant tones were intimidating, they were also extremely irritating.
The moment my spirit was roused, my courage came.

'I am Miss Ruthyn of Knowl, and Mr. Silas Ruthyn, your master, is my
uncle.'

'Hoo!' he exclaimed more gently, 'an' if Silas be thy uncle thou'lt be come
to live wi' him, and thou'rt she as come overnight--eh?'

I made no answer, but I believe I looked both angrily and disdainfully.

'And what make ye alone here? and how was I to know't, an' Milly not wi'
ye, nor no one? But Maud or no Maud, I wouldn't let the Dooke hisself set
foot inside the palin' without Silas said let him. And you may tell Silas
them's the words o' Dickon Hawkes, and I'll stick to'm--and what's more
I'll tell him _myself_--I will; I'll tell him there be no use o' my