"He's holding her hands, and going on, anyhow. Blessed good thing it would be if they are, as then May would marry the young squire, and we would get no end of tips, and get out of the way sometimes for a bit of that awful woman at home." "She's disgusting," answered Will, emphatically. "Beastly," said the younger brother, equally emphatically; and then the two boys re-crossed the stile, and May and John Temple seeing this, advanced to meet them. "Have you got lots of blackberries?" asked John. "Barely ripe," replied Hal, amiably, to his proposed brother-in-law. "Have a few?" He opened his stained cotton pocket handkerchief as he spoke, and offered the luxuries it contained to John, who, however, shook his head. "I am too old to eat blackberries," he said, with a smile; "I wish I were not." "Not do you any harm," hospitably pressed Hal; "here's a good 'un." Again John shook his head, with a little laugh. "When I was a boy," he said, "I adored blackberries and tips," and he put his hand into his pocket and drew out two golden coins. Hal grinned from ear to ear. "Buy what you like with it," continued John, pressing a sovereign into Hal's somewhat dirty little hand. "Oh, thank you, sir," answered Hal, delightedly, but when John presented the other sovereign to Will Churchill, the elder boy drew back. "No, thank you, sir," he said, and colored deeply. "Not take a tip!" laughed John. "Oh, nonsense; come, take it, my lad." Will hesitated and looked at May. "Tell him to take it," said John, also looking at May. "As Mr. Temple is so kind, Will, I think you ought to accept his present," answered May, with a little laugh, and then Will, as though half-unwillingly, took the golden coin. "I will walk to the end of the lane with you, and then say good-by," said John, next moment, and so the boys fell behind, and John had time to half-whisper to May as they walked on: "Do not forget; to-morrow, here, at three o'clock." After this they parted, and the three young Churchills returned together to Woodside Farm. "That's rather a nice chap," remarked Hal, patronizingly. "Yes," answered May, with embarrassment; "but, boys, don't mention at home that we met him." Hal winked his blue eye. "Mum's the word," he said. "I'll tell you what, May, he's a deal better fellow, I am sure, than that surly brute, Henderson." May gave no opinion as to the comparative merits of her two admirers. She walked home feeling intensely happy. All her troubles seemed to have melted into air. John Temple loved her; she was to see him to-morrow, and for the present she needed no more than this. Both at tea and supper Mrs. Churchill noticed the lovely bloom on her stepdaughter's smooth cheeks, and the glad, bright look in her eyes. She was an observant woman, this, and took an opportunity of inquiring of Hal Churchill during the evening if they had met anyone they knew when they were out walking.