“Alack! what could I say?  I did but tell him I had no thoughts of such a thing.  I prayed he would not send me from him.  I told him I was over young to think of marriage, and besought him to speak of it no more.  And as my tears began to flow I could say no more.”

“And he?”

“He reminded me that many another girl was a wedded wife and mother at my age; and then I turned and said that since Jemima and Kezzie were yet unwed—­ay, and Rachel too, for all her rosy cheeks and her dowry—­it was hard that I should have to be the one to be turned first out of the nest.  And at that I cried the more; and he put his arm about me, and said he had no thought to grieve me, and did not think that Jacob would wish me vexed in the matter.  And I begged for a year’s grace; and, after thinking and pondering awhile, he answered that he had no wish to hurry things on—­that I was full young to leave my girlhood behind and be saddled with the cares of a household.  And then it came out that the haste was all Uncle Dyson’s doing.  Rachel is to be wed at Easter, and he wants his son to bring home a wife to nurse Aunt Rebecca and mind his house.  And when I heard that I was in a pretty rage; for I cannot abide Aunt Rebecca, who is as cross as a bear with a sore head, and she cannot abear the sight of me.  I know not wherefore I have offended her, but so it is.  And I know naught of managing a house, and so Aunt Susan will tell them an they ask her.  So I dared to stamp my foot, and to tell father I would not wed Jacob to be made his mother’s slave; that I would rather live and die a maid like the good Queen who has been taken from us.  And father, he scarce seemed to know what to say.  I know he muttered something about its being a sore pity it was not Jemima or Kezzie that had been chosen.  And then he bethought him that it was not right to let a daughter see too much of his mind, or speak too much of her own; and he bid me begone something sternly, declaring he would think the matter over, but that he looked for dutiful obedience from any child of his, and that I was not to think I might set up mine own will against his whatever his decision might be in the end.”

Cherry’s tempest of tears was by this time ended, and she spoke collectedly enough, raising her eyes now and then to the grave face of her lover to mark the effect of her words upon him.  Cuthbert’s face was grave but not unhopeful, and taking Cherry’s hand firmly in his as she ended her tale, he said: 

“If he will but put the matter off for a year, all will be well.  If the treasure is to be found at all, I shall have found it by then.  Let these dark winter days but change to the long soft ones of spring, and I go forth into the forest upon my quest.  When I return laden with my share of the spoil, I trow I shall be able to win and wed my Cherry, be there never so many Jacobs in the field before me!”

Cherry laughed a soft little laugh, and her fears and tremblings ceased for the time being.  Looking fondly up into Cuthbert’s face, she said: