“And I feel equally sure that he will. I have no fear on that score—none. But I will put the question to you in another way, in the short business-like way that comes most naturally to a man like me. Jane, dearest, if I can persuade your father to give you to me, will you be so given? Will you come to me and be my own—my wife—for ever?” Still no answer. Only imperceptibly she crept a little closer to his side—a very little. He took that for his answer. First one arm went round her and then the other. He drew her to his heart, he drew her to his lips; he kissed her and called her his own. And she? Well, painful though it be to write it, she never reproved him in the least, but seemed content to sit there with her head resting on his shoulder, and to suffer Love’s sweet punishment of kisses in silence. It is on record that Diamond was the first to move. While standing there he had fallen into a snooze, and had dreamt that another pony had been put into his particular stall and was at that moment engaged in munching his particular truss of hay. Overcome by his feelings, he turned deliberately round, and started for home at a gentle trot. Thus disturbed, Tom and Jane came back to sublunary matters with a laugh, and a little confusion on Jane’s part. Tom drove her back as far as the toll-gate and then shook hands and left her. Jane reached home as one in a blissful dream. Three days later Tom received a note in the Squire’s own crabbed hand-writing, asking him to go up to Pincote as early as possible. He was evidently wanted for something out of the ordinary way. Wondering a little, he went. The Squire received him in high good humour and was not long in letting him know why he had sent for him. “I have had some fellows here from the railway company,” he said. “They want to buy Prior’s Croft.” Tom’s eyebrows went up a little. “I thought, sir, it would prove to be a profitable speculation by-and-by. Did they name any price?” “No, nothing was said as to price. They simply wanted to know whether I was willing to sell it.” “And you told them that you were?” “I told them that I would take time to think about it. I didn’t want to seem too eager, you know.” “That’s right, sir. Play with them a little before you finally hook them.” “From what they said they want to build a station on the Croft.” “Yes, a new passenger station, with plenty of siding accommodation.” “Ah! you know something about it, do you?” “I know this much, sir, that the proposal of the new company to run a fresh line into Duxley has put the old company on their mettle. In place of the dirty ram-shackle station with which we have all had to be content for so many years, they are going to give us a new station, handsome and commodious; and Prior’s Croft is the place named as the most probable site for the new terminus.” “Hang me, if I don’t believe you knew something of this all along!” said the Squire. “If not, how could you have raised that heavy mortgage for me?”