“Why, I didn’t know as you’d like to get ready so soon; or, indeed, whether the lad was able to bear the journey yet,” said Reuben calmly and reflectively.

“Reuben, I haven’t the least idea of your meaning.”

“Why, law, Hannah, my dear, it seems to me it is plain enough; no woman likes to be hurried at such times, and I thought you wouldn’t like to be neither; I thought you would like a little time to get up some little finery; and also the boy would be the better for more rest before taking of a long journey; but hows’ever, Hannah, if you don’t think all these delays necessary, why I wouldn’t be the man to be a-making of them.  Because, to tell you the truth, considering the shortness of life, I think the delays have been long enough; and considering our age, I think we have precious little time to lose.  I’m fifty-one years of age, Hannah; and you be getting on smart towards forty-four; and if we ever mean to marry in this world, I think it is about time, my dear.”

“Reuben Gray, is that what you mean?”

“Sartin, Hannah!  You didn’t think I was a-going away again without you, did you now?”

“And so that was what you meant, was it?”

“That was what I meant, and that was what I still mean, Hannah, my dear.”

“Then you must be a natural fool!” burst forth Hannah.

“Now stop o’ that, my dear! ’taint a bit of use! all them hard words might o’ fooled me years and years agone, when you kept me at such a distance that I had no chance of reading your natur’; but they can’t fool me now, as I have been six weeks in constant sarvice here, Hannah, and obsarving of you close.  Once they might have made me think you hated me; but now nothing you can say will make me believe but what you like old Reuben to-day just as well as you liked young Reuben that day we first fell in love long o’ one another at the harvest home.  And as for me, Hannah, the Lord knows I have never changed towards you.  We always liked each other, Hannah, and we like each other still.  So don’t try to deceive yourself about it, for you can’t deceive me!”

“Reuben Gray, why do you talk so to me?”

“Because it is right, dear.”

“I gave you your answer years ago.”

“I know you did, Hannah; because there were sartain circumstances, as you chose to elewate into obstacles against our marriage; but now, Hannah, all these obstacles are removed.  Nancy and Peggy married and went to Texas years ago.  And Kitty married and left me last summer.  She and her husband have gone to Californy; where, they do tell me, that lumps of pure gold lay about the ground as plenty as stones do around here!  Anyways, they’ve all gone! all the little sisters as I have worked for, and cared for, and saved for—­all gone, and left me alone in my old age!”

“That was very ungrateful, and selfish, and cruel of them, Reuben!  They should have taken you with them!  At least little Kitty and her husband should have done so,” said Hannah, with more feeling than she had yet betrayed.