“Not that I expect this chap is that kind; he’s sort o’ mild and solemn, that’s why I chose you a foreigner; the native is often overcrafty to work with green women folks that ain’t had the picklin’ experience gives. There’s fellers round here would sell you cold storage eggs for settin’ as quick as not. I know ’em, and bein’s you’re a friend o’ Dr. Russell, wife and I feel a charge to look after you a spell. Now ’f it was Keith, she’s different—no cold storage eggs for her! Do you hear when the weddin’s coming off? That’s the only bargain of hers I mistrust. The sharpest women on general trading most allers slips up on matrimony. I’ve often said to ma, when it comes to matrimony, I think the Lord loves and favours women best that, when they sets their mind on a poor sinful man, jest closes their eyes, and topples right into marriage without bargaining. “Old Terry was a corker! ’twas he that was mowin’ fer me one day, and I says at the nooning, ‘Will you take rum and water, or cider?’ Says he, ‘As the rum’s handiest, I’ll take that while you’re drawin’ the cider!’ “Hi there, Henry! Henry! halt at the turn!” he called to the ploughman as they reached the field edge. “It’s good he understands English, and speaks it only a little back-handed. What’s his other name? Let’s see—Petersen? no that was the one that wanted a steady job. Yes, I remember, it’s Maarten,—they spell it with double _a_ where he comes from. “This is Miss Lawton you’re agoin’ to halve the crops with, and bein’ as it is she expects you’ll measure full and fair, and something over, and she wants you to remember that I’m standing by her, and my eye teeth is cut!” “Why, I didn’t tell you to say that, deacon. I’m sure Mr. Maarten will be fair,” stammered Brooke, feeling personally embarrassed at the implied lack of confidence, and oblivious of the wink that her agricultural preceptor had given her, for he had simply wished to show the newcomer that she had a protector; while she stood there colouring with distress, her hand half raised, not knowing whether she was to greet the farmer, as she had made a point of doing their neighbours, or keep the reserve that belonged to the city service of inferiors.