'rim SEA

By JAMES HANLEY

HE didn't notice anything at first, he being a little deaf ; and then she cried so quietly. Her was always one like that. Rut now asT she put down his plate of hot-pot he noticed it. Red-eyed with crying. He put down his knife and fork.

"Aye! lass, ast summat appened bad ? Tell thee, faither." So into that granite-like face flushed feeling for her. " Ah I "he. said. She stood erect, her pale face. drawn, hands clenched, but he did not see these, being hidden by the table. Eyes to eyes they faced each other across the table.

"Speak lass, what be afraid of ? Thee own faither ? " Now she raised her eyes, looking above his head, out through the back window, like her fortitude had given - way under his steady glance- Very quietly, dragging her , words, she said under her breath " ! "

With much looking at her his dinner was going cold, - but he had forgotten about it, seeing her so quiet, tensed, like she might explode any minute.

" Who ? D'you mean Samuel ? "

" Yes."

"I telt yer, didn't I? Didn't I telt yer what'd - happen ? " So the flood of feeling broke in her at last.

"Aye lass, lass ! " he said. " Doan't, doan't. It's fair awful. Tell me about it. Tell thee faither."

She turned her back on him, as though her very thoughts had determined the action. She was thinking of" 'inn" now. She was thinking how only ten hours ago- he had run away from her. Codded her. Sneaked off like- a thief. Left her stranded in that little street. Why had he gone ? What had she done ? She loved him. And now he had sneaked off.

"Aye! I teit yer long ago, soon's I set eyes on- 'im. Didn't I telt yer he wouldn't stay. 'Int Samuel I No_ They never do. Summat pulls harder than women, lass."

He pushed his plate away and got up from the table., Ile went to her and put his hands on. her shoulder. She- lowered her head. She could not look at him now- Alt feeling was gone. She was like stone.

" Summat pulls harder than love, love," he said: "Don't fret theeself lass. Maybe it were all for the best. But I telt yer, an' doan't say I didn't. But come, love, you mustn't take on so. Forget about 'in. 'E were no good. Them seafarire folk never are, bein"ere today and gone tomorrow. But I telt yer, now didna ? "

Gently he stroked her arm. Was much feeling in him now, seeing her all broke up. But he'd known all along. Those kind never stayed, because they couldn't ; never kept promises because they can't. And there she was, the only lass he had left, a real mother to him too, since Sarah died.

" Ah lass," he said, "forget about it. In a few weeks you'll 'ardly remember. 'is mug. An' he'll have forgot about thee too. Them kind are like that." She pushed his hard hands away and went out of the kitchen. He watched her go. Heard her climbing the stairs. Ah I3ut what could 'e do ? Nowt. She'd gone up there to cry her 'eart out. That was it. She was always one like that. 'Idin' things. He followed her up the stairs, making no noise. He stood on the landing out-Side her door. " Aye ! The poor lass ! Fair breakin' her 'cart about 'im." He went in to her.

4"Ow'd it all happen, lass ? " he said.

" Oh ! " she said, hiding her face from him. " Oh ! don't ask me. 'E promised, 'e promised me on 'is knees. I'll chuck it tomorrow for you, Anne,' he said.

'E promised most faithful. I won't go,' e said. 'I .do promise thee, lass. I'll chuck it all up. Any'ow I've had enough of it. I don't want no more sea.'" "An' you believed 'im, lass. Aye ! I telt yer all along 'e was a cod. They can't 'elp it. The sea pulls 'em away all the time. No. They just won't give it up. Come, lass, thee'll get ower that. 'Ast had owt to eat the day ?

"We were just walkin' along, 'im sayin"ow he'd took an oath on it. Then 'e bunked. Down a dark jigger. Couldn't say straight what 'e 'ad in his mind." Between sobs she continued her story. He knelt by the chair, stroking her hair.

"Aid lass" he said. " Thee'll never leave owd faither now." So what was real tenderness in him was like poison to her, she thinking how as Samuel had gone there was no other for her.

" Lonely ! " she cried in her mind. "Lonely."

" Come ! " he said, and lifted her up. He took her downstairs again. "Yon 'ot-pot's cowld now," he said. She was silent. " 'Ot-pot," she thought. It was like a pin-prick against her vain dreamings. . "It's no more'n warm," he said, "but it'll do." He ate in silence. She poured out his tea, sugared it. •She kept walking about the kitchen. He stirred the tea. "A bloody caution," he said in his mind. "Seem' how hers put on all the time." 'E -couldn't stand it 'imself. Again he got up from the table and went to her, taking her in his arms, holding her tight.

Ali I Her 'cart was fair thumpin' again' his. Poor lass. Blast 'Im, any'ow.

"Love isn't every-thin', love," he said, " doan't, doan't take on so." He crushed her tight, so her face was hidden from him, but still he could hear her sobs, her heart.

Ah ! If 'e'd kep' his word, where'd I be ? Nowhere. So in his heart he was glad. No. 'E knew. 'E knew them sort never came back, least, Samuel wouldn't. So he wanted to say to her, " 'E'll never come back here, lass, it's the blinkin'end." But he could not dothis. No. CrueL "Lass, when a man bunks 'is way down a jigger 'es no good." He took a red handkerchief from his pocket and wiped her eyes.

"There now ! " he said, "there now." She was quieter now like all her thoughts of" 'im" had cooled.

"Smile, lass," he said. "Wouldn't bunk off on owd faither, would thee ? " She was smiling through her tears. That was better.

'E knew. She'd forget 'um, 'e was no good any'om, an' heed be with him still, an' of course luiowin' sailors like 'e did, well, it was endo. Never see Samuel again.

"There now," he said, and let her go. Then he went back to the table and finished his supper.