Jonas found himself more and more interested in the love affair of William and Milly, and having studied the situation in all its bearings and measured the characters of the man and woman and taken the subject also to the Throne of Grace, for he was a prayerful creature, he finally considered that it now lay in his power to make the first move, since that had to come from him.  And the second move would have to be made by William White; and it all depended upon William whether there remained an opening left for Jonas, or whether the affair was closed.  For he was a most honourable chap in all things and never one to best a neighbour even if opportunity offered.

Some men, for example, might have tried to tempt Milly Bassett away from William and hold out the attractions to be got with such a husband as Jonas; but no such thought ever darkened the carpenter’s mind.  He’d certainly got to a pitch when he dearly wanted Milly, for with his soul at rest and memory growing fainter, she seemed to reflect all the beauties of his late partner, along with several of her own; but Jonas well knew that she was tokened to William and would never leave him for another, but wait till time cured all.  To tempt Milly was out of the question; yet he couldn’t see no particular reason why he shouldn’t tempt William, or at any rate inquire into William’s attitude on the subject.  And knowing the horseman exceeding well by now and perceiving that, strictly speaking, William couldn’t be considered in the least worthy of such a wife as Milly, Jonas went his way and done his dashing deed.

On a day in early spring White was ploughing and Jonas Bird, who’d gone to Four Ways Farm to measure up for a new pigs’ house, took care to come home along past the field where White was at work.  And he knew that at noon William’s horses would have their nose-bags and the ploughman would be sitting in the hedge eating his dinner.  And there he was, in a famous lew hedge facing the sun, where the childer find the first white violets of the year.

So Jonas pitched beside the man and said they was well met.

“I’ve been wanting to meet you all alone this longful time,” said Jonas; “and I’m very wishful to ask you a question, Bill.  You mustn’t think me impertinent nor nothing like that.  You and me be very good friends and long may we remain so; but I’ve took careful note of your character, and you know me just so well, so you’ll understand, please, I be asking in a very gentlemanly spirit and not for no vulgar curiosity nor nothing like that.”

“My!” said William, “what a lot of talk, Jo!  Spit it out.  I’ll answer any question you like to ask if I can so do.”

“’Tis just this, then, and you go on with your meal,” answered Jonas.  “What’s the thing you set highest in all the world?”

“Money,” said William, and Jonas nodded.

“So I thought,” he replied, “and if it had been any other thing, I’d have left it at that; but as I’ve got your own word, I may take it that money comes first.”