"
"Don't leave me, Tamsin--don't leave me!"
The sick man's voice rose to a scream. Caleb bent forward and tried
to soothe him. The mahogany faces of the Twins were blanched.
They whispered apart--
"You was right, Peter."
"Aye, more's the pity. I thought the lass misliked 'un--the bigger
fool I. 'Twas on'y yestiddy I guessed more was troublin' her than
her soiled gown, an' tax'd her wi' et. We used to pride oursel' on
knawin' her wants afore her spoke--an' now--"
Peter weakly concluded with a sigh.
"Bring Tamsin down an' help me here," said Caleb, from across the
room.
The pair started.
"That es," he went on, "ef she'll come. You heerd maaster? Well, he
said purty much the same to her yestiddy; so her won't be frightened.
Leastways, go an' say you'm comin' yoursel' to help nuss; 'cos ef you
won't I'll nuss 'un alone, an' ef that's the case, you'm a queer pair
o' Christians, as the Devil said to the two black pigs."
"Fact es," hesitated Peter, "I'd a-larnt so much las' evenin' from
Tamsin, though she were main loth to tell; an' Paul agreed as we'd
call this mornin' an' tell Mr. Fogo as 'twarn't right for 'n to set
hes thoughts 'pon Tamsin, who isn' a leddy, nor to put notions in her
head as'll gi'e her pain hereafter. An' that's all 'bout et; an' us
brought a whack o' vegetable produce 'long wi' us, jes' to show there
was no ill-feelin's.
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