"There's only one 'Lawrence' in these parts," thought Jane. Her reflections were now entirely with her brother. She did not echo Jerry's wish, that the matter should end in laughter, and clever though Jane was in some directions, there was a streak of malevolent idiocy about her in others. She now cherished a vague opinion that the man ought to suffer for his secret love-making. She despised him for a coward and rejoiced to think that John might do something drastic in the matter. That Maynard should be called upon to suffer seemed entirely reasonable to Jane; while as far as Dinah was concerned, she panted with delight that her little schemes were now to be made as public as the bird's-nest she had trusted with them. She hated Dinah and had always done so. Anything therefore that could make Dinah miserable must commend itself to Jane. "And she shall know who she's got to thank, too," reflected the maiden; "there wouldn't be much in it for me if she didn't hear who'd found her out." Full of these unamiable intentions Jerry's sweetheart returned home and announced that she and her lover were reconciled. "Thank the Lord for that, then," cried Dinah. "And don't you give him a chance to quarrel again. 'Tis good time lost, Jane." "You mind your own love affairs," answered the other tartly. "Us all know you've got 'em; but be too shamed of 'em, seemingly, to make 'em public." With this crushing response Jane retired while Dinah stared after her. "Don't mind the girl," said Faith Bamsey. "You be such a woman of mystery since you went off about your affairs, that you mustn't quarrel with people if they fling their words at you." "I don't want to quarrel with anybody, Mrs. Bamsey," answered Dinah. CHAPTER XXXIII JOE HEARS THE SECRET Susan and Thomas were returning from church, where they had sat solemnly together and heard their banns called for the first time of asking. Mr. Stockman, informed that this would happen, declined to go; indeed of late he had worshipped but seldom, permitting personal trials to check his devotions. The betrothed pair discussed Susan's father on the way home and Palk held it an impropriety that Mr. Stockman should not have been present. "Out of respect to you, he did ought to have been there," he said; "and it's a very oneasy thing; because the next we shall hear may be that he won't come to the wedding neither." "He's a regular Job for the minute--first one thing took and then another, till I dare say he feels the Lord have turned from him," murmured Susan. "Not at all. Naught have overtook him that ain't well inside the common lot. Look at the items--firstly, his daughter gets engaged to be married to his hossman--a thing that ought to rejoice him instead of cast him down; secondly, his cowman gives notice--a thing that may happen to any farmer; and thirdly, yonder woman won't take him." Thomas pointed where, fifty yards ahead of them, Melinda and her brother were walking home from church.