“And that means another murder! Oh, Frale, Frale!” She covered her face with her hands and moaned. Then they sat silent awhile.

After a little she lifted her head. “Frale, I’ll go over to Teasleys’ and beg for them to leave you be. I’ll beg Giles Teasley on my knees, I will. Then when you have bided your year and kept your promise like you swore before God, I’ll marry you like I promised, and we’ll live here and keep the old place like it ought to be kept. You hear, Frale? Good night, now. It’s only fair you should give heed to me, Frale, if I do that for you. Good night.”

She glided past him into the house like a wraith, and he rose without a word of reply and stretched himself on the half-made bed in the loom shed, as he was.