"You are right not to be impatient," he said to her, after a pause,
as he held her hand before he went. "Quite right. I only wish I
could school myself to be as easy about it."

"I did not say I was easy," said Anastasia. "People are seldom easy
in this world, I take it. I said I could be patient. Do not look
in that way, as though you pretended that you were dissatisfied with
me. You know that I am true to you, and you ought to be very proud
of me."

"I am proud of you, Anastasia--" on hearing which she got up and
courtesied to him. "I am proud of you; so proud of you that I feel
you should not be left here all alone, with no one to help you if
you were in trouble."

"Women don't get into trouble as men do, and do not want any one to
help them. If you were alone in the house you would have to go to
bed without your supper, because you could not make a basin of
boiled milk ready for your own meal. Now, when your reverence has
gone, I shall go to work and have my tea comfortably." And then he
did go, bidding God bless her as he left her. Three hours after
that he was disturbed in his own lodgings by one of the negro girls
from the cottage rushing to his door, and begging him in Heaven's
name to come down to the assistance of her mistress.

When Morton left her, Anastasia did not proceed to do as she had
said, and seemed to have forgotten her evening meal. She had been
working sedulously with her needle during all that last
conversation; but when her lover was gone, she allowed the work to
fall from her hands, and sat motionless for awhile, gazing at the