Her instantaneous resumption of the serving-maid's relation to him jarred on Willan at that second indescribably, and shut down like a floodgate on the words he was about to speak.

With an angry oath, he sprung forward from the porch, and began to upbraid Willan in no measured tones.

"Sweet child!" thought Willan to himself, "she doth not know the speech of lovers.