But she supposed that his mother must be dead--indeed, now vaguely remembered to have heard as much.
There was a little silence.
"Please tell me," she said suddenly, "why do you attack my straw-plaiting?
Is a co-operative farm any less of a stopgap ?" Instantly his face changed.

He drew up his chair again beside her, as gay and keen-eyed as before.
"I can't argue it out now.

There is so much to say.

But do listen! I have a meeting in the village here next week to preach land nationalisation.

We mean to try and form a branch of the Labourers' Union.