"It's no use talking, Charlotte." "Do you think this is right, Barney?" Barney was silent. "If you can't answer me I will go home," said Charlotte, and she turned, but Barney caught her in his arms. He held her close, breathing in great pants. He pulled her hood back with trembling strength, and kissed her over and over, roughly. "Charlotte," he half sobbed. Charlotte's voice, full of a great womanly indignation, sounded in his ear. "Barney, you let me go," she said, and Barney obeyed. "When I came here alone this way I trusted you to treat me like a gentleman," said she. She pulled her hood over her face again and turned to go. "I shall never speak to you about this again," said she. "You have chosen your own way, and you know best whether it's right, or you're happy in it." "I hope you'll be happy, Charlotte," Barney said, with a great sigh. "That doesn't make any difference to you," said Charlotte, coldly. "Yes, it does; it does, Charlotte! When I heard about Thomas Payne, I felt as if--if it would make you happy. I--" "What about Thomas Payne?" asked Charlotte, sharply. "I heard--how he was coming to see you--" "Do you mean that you want me to marry Thomas Payne, Barney Thayer?" "I want you to be happy, Charlotte." "Do you want me to marry Thomas Payne?" Barney was silent. "Answer me," cried Charlotte. "Yes, I do," replied Barney, firmly, "if it would make you happy." "You want me to marry Thomas Payne?" repeated Charlotte. "You want me to be his wife instead of yours, and go to live with him instead of you? You want me to live with another man?" "It ain't right for you not to get married," Barney said, and his voice was hoarse and strange. "You want me to get married to another man? Do you know what it means?" Barney gave a groan that was half a cry. "Do you?" "Oh, Charlotte!" Barney groaned, as if imploring her for pity. "You want me to marry Thomas Payne, and live with him--" "He'd--make you a good husband. He's--Charlotte--I can't. You've got to be happy. It isn't right--I can't--" "Well," said Charlotte, "I will marry him. Good-night, Barney Thayer." She went swiftly out of the yard. "Charlotte!" Barney called after her, as if against his will; but she never turned her head. Chapter VII On the north side of the old tavern was a great cherry orchard. In years back it had been a source of considerable revenue to Silas Berry, but for some seasons his returns from it had been very small. The cherries had rotted on the branches, or the robins had eaten them, for Silas would not give them away. Rose and her mother would smuggle a few small baskets of cherries to Sylvia Crane and Mrs. Barnard, but Silas's displeasure, had he found them out, would have been great. "I ain't a-goin' to give them cherries away to nobody," he would proclaim. "If folks don't want 'em enough to pay for 'em they can go without."