[Illustration:  THE MAY QUEEN.]

“Weel, sister Alizon, ye may a farrently May Queen, ey mun say” she observed, spitefully, “but to my mind other Suky Worseley, or Nancy Holt, here, would ha’ looked prottier.”

“Nah, nah, that we shouldna,” rejoined one of the damsels referred to; “there is na a lass i’ Lonkyshiar to hold a condle near Alizon Device.”

“Fie upon ye, for an ill-favort minx, Jennet,” cried Nancy Holt; “yo’re jealous o’ your protty sister.”

“Ey jealous,” cried Jennet, reddening, “an whoy the firrups should ey be jealous, ey, thou saucy jade!  Whon ey grow older ey’st may a prottier May Queen than onny on you, an so the lads aw tell me.”

“And so you will, Jennet,” said Alizon Device, checking, by a gentle look, the jeering laugh in which Nancy seemed disposed to indulge—­“so you will, my pretty little sister,” she added, kissing her; “and I will ’tire you as well and as carefully as Susan and Nancy have just ’tired me.”

“Mayhap ey shanna live till then,” rejoined Jennet, peevishly, “and when ey’m dead an’ gone, an’ laid i’ t’ cowld churchyard, yo an they win be sorry fo having werreted me so.”

“I have never intentionally vexed you, Jennet, love,” said Alizon, “and I am sure these two girls love you dearly.”

“Eigh, we may allowance fo her feaw tempers,” observed Susan Worseley; “fo we knoa that ailments an deformities are sure to may folk fretful.”

“Eigh, there it is,” cried Jennet, sharply.  “My high shoulthers an sma size are always thrown i’ my feace.  Boh ey’st grow tall i’ time, an get straight—­eigh straighter than yo, Suky, wi’ your broad back an short neck—­boh if ey dunna, whot matters it?  Ey shall be feared at onny rate—­ay, feared, wenches, by ye both.”

“Nah doubt on’t, theaw little good-fo’-nothin piece o’ mischief,” muttered Susan.

“Whot’s that yo sayn, Suky?” cried Jennet, whose quick ears had caught the words, “Tak care whot ye do to offend me, lass,” she added, shaking her thin fingers, armed with talon-like claws, threateningly at her, “or ey’ll ask my granddame, Mother Demdike, to quieten ye.”

At the mention of this name a sudden shade came over Susan’s countenance.  Changing colour, and slightly trembling, she turned away from the child, who, noticing the effect of her threat, could not repress her triumph.  But again Alizon interposed.

“Do not be alarmed, Susan,” she said, “my grandmother will never harm you, I am sure; indeed, she will never harm any one; and do not heed what little Jennet says, for she is not aware of the effect of her own words, or of the injury they might do our grandmother, if repeated.”

“Ey dunna wish to repeat them, or to think of em,” sobbed Susan.

“That’s good, that’s kind of you, Susan,” replied Alizon, taking her hand.  “Do not be cross any more, Jennet.  You see you have made her weep.”

“Ey’m glad on it,” rejoined the little girl, laughing; “let her cry on.  It’ll do her good, an teach her to mend her manners, and nah offend me again.”