‘I don’t think you want me,’ said Richard, colouring and hesitating; ‘I should only be in the way. Two are company, and three are none, you know.’ ‘Nay now, ’t is a silly notion that. “The more the merrier,” I say. Besides, I have particular reasons for wanting you to come to-day. You and Mrs. F. have n’t met since that night as ye ’polygised, have ye?’ ‘No,’ said Richard. ‘And I noticed you hung behind when I was talkin’ to her arter church this mornin’. Was ’ee ashamed o’ meetin’ her?’ ‘That’s about it,’ said Richard. ‘Nay, but that will never do. If ye go on a-hangin’ back, and a-keepin’ out o’ her way, things will get awk’arder and awk’arder a-tween ye. Now, take my advice and come along wi’ I quite quiet and nat’ral; it’ll all pass off so easy as ye could wish. Just drop in same as myself. I want ’ee to be friends.’ ‘Well, I can’t refuse if you put it like that,’ said Marshall. And the two sallied forth together. In spite of Mr. Sharpe’s prognostication, there was decidedly a little awkwardness about the young people’s meeting. Rosalie greeted Richard somewhat stiffly, and invited him with formal politeness to take a seat. ‘’T is a fine day,’ began Isaac, as he installed himself in the high-backed elbow-chair which had now become his by consecrated right. Rosalie responded hastily that it was a very fine day. ‘Ah,’ remarked the farmer, with a covert note of warning in his voice, ‘my nevvy was a-sayin’ as we come along that it was a wonderful fine day for the time o’ year—did n’t ’ee, Richard?’ As it happened to be the time of year when fine days were not uncommon, this alleged observation would not have testified to any extraordinary perspicacity on Richard’s part; but as a matter of fact it was entirely fictitious. Nevertheless the young man did not repudiate it. ‘Yes,’ he said, with his eyes on the floor; ‘yes, to be sure.’ ‘Did n’t ’ee find it oncommon warm in church, Mrs. F.?’ pursued Mr. Sharpe, after a short silence. ‘Yes, I did,’ agreed she. ‘I was longing for someone to open the door.’ ‘Mrs. F. d’ say,’ cried Isaac, turning to his nephew with an explanatory bawl, which was intended to stimulate him to further efforts at conversation—‘Mrs. F. d’ say, Richard, as she found it oncommon warm in church.’ Richard’s eyes travelled slowly from the carpet to his uncle’s face, where they rested; for the life of him he could not muster courage to move them to the blooming face on the other side. ‘Oh,’ he commented faintly, ‘did she?’ ‘’Ees,’ said Isaac emphatically; ‘do ’ee ax her—’ Here he jerked his thumb significantly in Rosalie’s direction. ‘She d’ say as she was a-wishin’ as somebody ’ud open the door—did n’t ’ee, my dear?’ ‘Yes, indeed,’ said Rosalie.