“Nay, it is not that, father.”

The old man continued his remonstrance.  “To be sure our Jael is a cordial.  But she’ll dine and sup with us.  Take my word for ’t, all lawful pleasures are sweeter on the Lord’s day after a bit o’ church.”

“And so they are, father; but dear heart! to think of you forgetting.  Will nobody tell him?  They’re sworn to give me a red face, Jael and all.”

This piteous appeal set Jael’s wits working.  “Eh, father, it will be the first of her bans!”

“Is it me you are asking such a question?” cried Patty, and turned her head away with absurd mock-modesty.

“And so ’tis,” said Dence; “ah, that is a different thing.”

Henry thought that was no reason for Patty’s staying at home; she ought rather to go and hear the bans were cried all right.

At this proposal both sisters lifted up their hands, and he was remonstrated with, and lectured, and at last informed that, if a girl was in church when her bans were cried, her children would be all born deaf and dumb.

“Oh, indeed!” said Little, satirically.  “That’s a fact in natural history I was not aware of.  Well, farmer, then let’s you and I go by ourselves.”

So Patty stayed at home, in obedience to rural superstition, and Jael stayed to keep her company, and Farmer Dence went to church out of piety; and as for Henry, to tell the truth, he went to church to escape the girls’ tongues, and to be in a quiet, somniferous place, where he could think out his plans undisturbed.

The men were no sooner gone than the sisters began to gossip hard.

“Eh, Jael, thou’s gotten a prize.”

“Not as I know of.”

“I do adore a dark young man.”

“So do I; but this one is not mine.”

“I’ll take his word before thine.  Why, he calls thee his lass in his very letter.”

“Not he.  Show me his letter.”

“What will ye give me?”

“Nay, Patty, pray show it me.”

“Well, and so I will.”

She brought her the letter.  Jael read it and changed color, and was delighted for a moment or two; but soon her good sense and humility prevailed. “’Twas to surprise you, like.  I do know he looks higher than me.”

“More fool he.  But I don’t believe it.”

“You may,” said Jael, and turned the conversation to Patty’s approaching marriage; once launched in that direction, it flowed without intermission till the men returned, and dinner smoked upon the board.

After dinner Henry watched an opportunity, and slipped out into the yard, got the tools out, put his great-coat over them, and away to Cairnhope Church.  He knew better than go past Raby Hall to it:  he went back toward Hillsborough, full three miles, and then turned off the road and got on the heather.  He skirted the base of a heathery mound, and at last saw the church on an elevation before him, made for it incautiously over some boggy ground, and sank in up to his waist.