Kit stopped abruptly as he crossed the floor and his heart beat.  “Ah!” he said.  “Miss Osborn?”

Grace smiled as she got up and gave him her hand.  “Well done!  Have you brought them all?  But of course you have!”

“They’re in the pen,” Kit answered, with some embarrassment.

Then Railton stood up, leaning awkwardly on his stick.

“I’ve misdoubted your new-fashioned plans, and ken that I was wrang.  There’s nea ither lad in aw t’ dale could ha’ browt Herdwicks doon Bleatarn ghyll last neet.  Weel, t’ oad ways for t’ oad men, but I’se niver deny again that the young and new are good.”

He sat down and while Mrs. Railton began to bustle about the table Grace stole away.  She knew she ought not to have come, and had done so with a feeling of rebellion against her father’s harshness, although she tried to persuade herself that Hayes was most to blame.  Now she was glad the note made a pretext for the visit; she had shown the Railtons her sympathy and had thanked Kit.  After all, he had perhaps gone to look for the sheep because she told him; she rather hoped he had, and rejoiced with the others at his success.

Grace admitted that she liked Kit Askew.  He was resolute but modest, and had just done a bold deed by which he had nothing to gain.  Railton’s praise had moved her, because she knew the dalesfolk’s reserve and that the farmer would not, without good grounds, have spoken as he did.  Moreover, she knew the fells, and it was something of an exploit to bring the sheep from Swinset in the storm.  Kit was, of course, a farmer’s son, but he was plucky and generous; besides, she approved his steady look, well-balanced, muscular figure, and clean brown skin.  Then she blushed and began to wonder what she would say about her visit to Mireside when she went home.

In the meantime, Kit ate his breakfast, and soon afterwards Peter Askew came in and began to talk to Railton.  Until the valuation was agreed upon there was nothing for them to do, and it was some time before the men returned from the pens.  They were plain farmers with rather hard, brown faces, and stood about the fire in half-embarrassed silence while Hayes sat down at the table and opened his pocket-book.

“We have made up the tally,” he began, and Railton interrupted.

“Counting in the lambs and ewes fra Swinset?”

“They are counted,” Hayes replied.  “I’ll give you particulars of the different lots.”

He read out some figures and then turned to the group by the fire.  “I think we are all agreed?”

“Aw, yis,” said one.  “It’s as near as yan can mak’ it, withoot sending flock to auction.”

Hayes turned to Railton.  “Are you satisfied?”

“We willunt fratch.  Mayhappen two or three lots would fetch anither pound or two, but we’ll ca’ it fair.”

“Then we must thank these gentlemen,” said Hayes, who shut his pocket-book and took out a document.  “As there is some other business and they have given us some time, we need not keep them.”