William.  I’m blessed if I know, unless ’twas those coloured ribbons that you have got to your bonnet.

Laura.  You are partial to the colour?

William.  Ah, ’tis well enough.

Laura.  See here. [Taking a flower from her dress.] This is of the same colour.  I will put it in your coat.

[She fastens it in his coat.  William looks very uncomfortable and nervous.

William.  Well, bless my soul, but women folk have got some powerful strange tricks to them.

Laura. [Pinning the flower in its place.] There—­my gift to you, master.

William.  You may call me by my name, if you like, ’tis more suitable, seeing that we might go along to Church together one of these days.

Laura.  O William, you have made me very happy—­I do feel all mazy like with my gladness.

William.  Well, Julia, we might do worse than to—­to—­name the day.

Laura.  Why do you call me Julia?

William.  Seeing that I’ve given you leave to call me William ’tis only suitable that I should use your name as well.

Laura.  But my name is not Julia.

William.  What is it then, I should like to know?

Laura.  ’Tis Laura, William.

William.  Folks did tell me that you were named Julia.

Laura.  No—­Laura is my name; but I live with Mistress Julia up at Luther’s Farm, and I help her with the work.  House-keeping, dairy, poultry, garden.  O there’s nothing I can’t turn my hand to, Master William.

William. [Starts up from the seat in deepest consternation.] John,
John—­Come you here, I say!  Come here.

John. [Emerges from the bushes.] My dearest master!

William.  What’s this you’ve been and done, John?

John.  Why, master—­the one with the cherry ribbons, to her you did say.

William. [Disgustedly.] ’Tis the wrong one.

Laura.  What are you two talking about?  William, do you mean to say as that man of yours was hid in the bushes all the while?

William.  Now, John, you’ve got to get me out of the fix where I’m set.

John.  O my dear master, don’t you take on so.  ’Tis a little bit of misunderstanding to be sure, but one as can be put right very soon.

William.  Then you get to work and set it right, John, for ’tis beyond the power of me to do so.  I’ll be blessed if I’ll ever get meddling with this sort of job again.

John.  Now don’t you get so heated, master, but leave it all to me. [Turning to Laura.] My good wench, it seems that there has been a little bit of misunderstanding between you and my gentleman here.

Laura. [Angrily.] So that’s what you call it—­misunderstanding ’tis a fine long word, but not much of meaning, to it, I’m thinking.