"Yes, I am," said the young lady. "I want to see if the remission of the tax has had no effect on him. Perhaps he will have a little more English now."
There was no time to be lost—the horses were turning. She stepped across from the road.
"May I interrupt you for a moment? I want to ask you—"
Well, the grey-bearded man with the shaggy eyebrows did check the horses—perhaps he had meant to give them a rest at the end of the drill.
"Oh, thank you," said Mary, in her most gracious and friendly way. "I only wished to ask you whether Mr. Purdie had told you that there was to be no more tax for the dyke, and that there was to be fifteen years’ of it given back."
The Russian-looking crofter regarded the shafts of the plough without removing his hands; and then he said—
Not a word of thanks; but perhaps—she generously thought—his English did not go so far.
"It is good dry weather for ploughing, is it not?" she remarked at a venture.
"That very old man," she asked, "who is he—is he your father?"
"It seems a pity he should be working at his age," she went on, wishing to show sympathy. "He ought to be sitting at the cottage door, smoking his pipe."
"Every one will have to work," said the elderly crofter, in a morose sort of way; and then he looked at his horses.
"Oh well," said Mary, blithely, "I hope to be able to make it a little easier for you all. This land, now, how much do you pay for it? What is your rent?"
"Thirty shillings an acre? That is too much," said she, without a moment’s hesitation. "Surely thirty shillings an acre is too much for indifferent land like that!"
The small, suspicious eyes glanced at her furtively.
"I not saying it too mich," he made answer, slowly.
"Oh, but I will consult Mr. Purdie about it," said she, in her pleasantest way. "My own impression is that thirty shillings an acre is only asked for good land. But I will inquire; and see what can be done. Well, good morning!—I mustn’t take up your time."
She was coming away when he looked after her.
"I not saying—it—too mich rent," said he; and then he turned to his plough; and his laborious task was resumed.
"Isn’t that odd?" said Mary, as they were going along the highway again. "None of them seem anxious to have their rents reduced. All day yesterday—not a single complaint!"