At this moment a black-coated figure appeared on the high road and, much to Mr. Ford's regret, turned up the lane to the cottages. "Talk of----!" he said. It was Mr. Stockman. "He's coming here and--and--I hoped something weren't going to happen for the minute," confessed Melinda; "but now I reckon it may be." "Well, if you're in doubt, nobody else is," said Mr. Ford striking boldly. "Farmer's sounding his victory far and near--not a very witty thing to do when an old man's after a young woman." Melinda ignored the compliment and viewed the approaching figure with impassive features. "He's cut the ground from under his own feet as to his age," she answered, "for if you cry out you're old before your time, of course people must believe you." Mr. Ford could not answer for Stockman was within earshot. He showed a holiday humour, but reproved Harry. "Working o' Sunday!" he said. "There's all sorts o' work, master," replied the gardener. "I dare say now that the better the day the better the deed holds of your job so well as mine." "You're a sharp one! And how's Melinda?" "Very well," she said. "You wasn't to church this morning." "I was not. I meant coming down the hill again this afternoon, to drink a dish of tea with you, if you please; and though twice up and down the hill be naught to me, yet I shirked it." They went in together. "Where's Jerry?" he asked. "Mooning down to Green Hayes on the chance of getting things right." "Good. He'll fetch her round; though I doubt she's worth it." "So do I." "However, I'm not here, as you'll guess, about your brother. The time has come, Melinda." "You've let 'em name the day then--Susan and Thomas?" "No such thing; but they'll be naming it themselves pretty soon. They'll be away in a month or two I expect. And I want for the house to be swept and garnished then. I want a lot done. I've suffered a great deal of undeserved trouble in that quarter, and there's wicked words being said about my treatment of my child. The people have short memories." "There's wicked words being said about a lot of things. It's been said, for instance, up and down the Vale, that you've told a score you be going to marry me, Joe. That's a proper wicked thing, I should think." He was much concerned. "Good God! What a nest of echoes we live in! But there it is. When a thing's in the air--whether 'tis fern seed, or a bit of scandal, or a solemn truth, it will settle and stick and grow till the result appears. No doubt the general sense of the folk, knowing how I've felt to you for years, made up this story and reckoned it was one of they things that Providence let out before the event. Marriages be made in Heaven they say, Melinda." "But they ain't blazed abroad on earth, I believe, afore both parties choose to mention it." "Most certainly not; but if you move in the public eye, people will be talking."