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"Noos?" said the cobbler, "Oh? Ah! Well go and tell your noos to

someone else as ain't so 'andsome,--Mrs Snummitt, say, as lives

next door,--a widder,--respectable, but with only one heye,--try

Mrs Snummitt"

"Ah,--perhaps she's in the room yonder," said Barnabas, "anyhow, I

mean to see--"

"No ye don't!" cried the little cobbler, seizing a crutch that leant

near hiility, "no ye don't,

entleman,--she ain't for you,--not while I' awl, he flourished it above

his head "I'm a cobbler, oh yes,--but then I'm a valiant cobbler,

as valiant as Sir Bedevere, or Sir Lancelot, or any of 'em,--every

bit,--come and try h it had been a two-edged sword But, at this moment, the

door of the inner room was pushed open and Clemency appeared She

had laid aside her threadbare cloak, and Barnabas was struck afresh

by her proud, dark loveliness

"You good, brave Nick!" said she, laying her hand upon the little

cripple's bent shoulder, "but we can trust this gentle at Barnahas, more