“I am one who won’t see the good squire wronged.  Aren’t ye ashamed?  What, eat his bread, and take his wage, and then steal his butter!”

“If ye call me a thief, I’ll law ye.  Thief yourself! you don’t belong to the house; whose gown have you got on your back?  Here, James!  Tom! here’s a strange woman making off with the squire’s lady’s clothes, and two pounds of butter to boot.”

Jael was taken aback for a moment by this audacious attack, and surveyed her borrowed habiliments with a blush of confusion.  Several servants came about at the noise, and her situation bade fair to be a very unpleasant one:  but Mr. Raby put in his word; “Hold your tongues, all of ye.  Now, Jael Dence, what is the matter?”

Instantly all eyes were turned up to the window with a start, and Jael told her tale:  “Sir,” said she, “I did see this young woman take out something from under her apron and give it to a little girl.  I thought there was something amiss, and I stopped the girl at the gate, and questioned her what she was carrying off so sly.  She gives a squeak and drops it directly, and takes to her heels.  I took it up and brought it in, and here it is, two beautiful pounds of butter, fresh churned; look else!”—­here she undid a linen wrap, and displayed the butter—­“so I challenged the dairymaid here.  She says I’m a thief—­and that I leave to you, Squire; you know whether I come of thieves or honest folk; but what I want to know from her is, why her lass dropped the butter and took to her heels at a word?”

“Now, my good Jael,” said the Squire, “if you are going to interfere every time you catch my servants pilfering, you will have a hard time of it.  However, zeal is too rare a thing for me to discourage it.  I must make an example.  Hy, you young woman:  I dare say you are no worse than the rest, but you are the one that is found out; so you must pack up your clothes and begone.”

“Not without a month’s warning, or a month’s wage, sir, it you please,” said the dairymaid, pertly.

“If I catch you in the house when I come down, I’ll send you to prison on my own warrant, with the butter tied round your neck.”

At this direful threat the offender began to blubber, and speedily disappeared to pack her box.

Mr. Raby then told the other servants that Jael Dence was the new housekeeper, and that a person of her character was evidently required in the house; they must all treat her with respect, or leave his service.  Thereupon two gave warning, and Mr. Raby, who never kept a servant a day after that servant had given him warning, had them up to his room, and paid them a month’s wages.  “And now,” said he, “for the honor of the house, don’t leave us fasting, but eat a good breakfast, and then go to the devil.”