“‘Old men make the best ’usbands,’ ses George, coaxing ’er; ‘and, besides, think o’ the farm.’ “‘That’s wot you’ve got to think of,’ ses her mother. ‘Don’t think o’ Foxy Green at all; think o’ the farm.’ “Flora stood and leaned herself up agin a chest o’ drawers and twisted ’er hands, and at last she sent back word to say that she wanted time to think it over. “Foxy Green was very much astonished when George took back that answer. He’d thought that any gal would ha’ jumped at ’im without the farm, and arter going upstairs and looking at hisself in the glass ’e was more astonished than ever. “When George Smith went up to the Pottles agin the next day Flora made a face at ’im, and ’e felt as orkard as if ’e’d been courting ’er hisself a’most. At first she wouldn’t ’ave anything to say to ’im at all, but went on sweeping out the room, and nearly choking ’im. Then George Smith, wot was a likely young feller, put ’is arm round ’er waist, and, taking the broom away from ’er, made ’er sit down beside ’im while ’e gave ’er Foxy’s message. “He did Foxy’s courting for ’im for an hour, although it on’y seemed about five minutes to both of ’em. Then Mrs. Pottle came in, and arter a lot of talk Flora was got to say that George Smith might come agin for five minutes next day. “Foxy went on dreadful when ’e ’eard that Flora ’adn’t given an answer, but George Smith, who liked the job much better than farming or making beds, told ’im she was coming round, and that it was on’y natural a young gal should like to be courted a bit afore givin’ in. “‘Yes,’ ses Foxy, biting ’is lip, ‘but ’ow’s it to be done?’ “‘You leave it to me,’ ses George Smith, ‘and it’ll be all right. I sit there and talk about the farm as well as wot you could.’ “‘And about me too, I s’pose?’ ses Foxy, catching ’im up. “‘Yes,’ ses George; ‘I tell ’er all sorts o’ lies about you.’ “Foxy looked at ’im a moment, and then ’e went off grumbling. He was like a good many more men, and because Flora Pottle didn’t seem to want ’im ’e on’y fancied ’er the more. Next day ’e sent George Smith up with an old brooch as a present, and when George came back ’e said ’e thought that if it ’ad been a new one it would ’ave done wot was wanted. “You can’t keep secrets in Claybury, and it soon got round wot Foxy Green was arter. That made the other women more determined than ever, and at last Foxy sent up word that if Flora wouldn’t ask ’im to let ’im know, as ’e was tired o’ being a prisoner, and old Mrs. Ball ’ad nearly ’ad ’im the day afore. “It took George Smith two hours’ ’ard courtin’ afore he could get Flora Pottle to say ‘Yes,’ but at last she did, and then Mrs. Pottle came in, and she shook ’ands with George, and gave ’im a glass o’ beer. Mrs. Pottle wanted to take ’er up to Green’s farm there and then, but Flora said no. She said they’d go up at eight o’clock in the evenin’, and the sacrifice should be made then.