k me dreadfully sly."

"Awh, there wasn't much need for tellin' me," said Joan with a sudden
relax of manner. "When I didn't shut my eyes o' purpose I could tell,
from the first, what was certain to happen."

"It was more than I could, then," said Eve. "I hadn't given it a thought
that Adam meant to speak to me, and when he asked me I was quite taken
aback, and said 'No' for ever so long."

"What made 'ee change yer mind so suddent, then?" said Joan bluntly.

Eve hesitated. "I hardly know," she said, with a little confusion. "I
think it was seeing him so cast down made me feel so dreadfully sorry."

"H'm!" said Joan. "Didn't 'ee never feel no sorrow for t'other poor chap
that wanted to have 'ee--he to London, Reuben May?"

"Not enough to make me care in that way for him: I certainly never did."

"And do you care for Adam, then?"

"I think I do."

"Think?"

"Well, I am sure I do."

"That's better. Well, Eve, I'll say this far;" and Joan gave a sigh
before the other words would come out: "I'd rather it should be you than
anybody else I ever saw."

The struggle with which these words were said, their tone and the look
in Joan's face, seemed to reveal a state of feeling which Eve had not
suspected. Throwing her arms round her, she cried out, "Oh, Joan, why
didn't he choose you? You would have been much better for him than me."

"Lord bless the maid!"--and Joan tried to laugh through her tears--"I
wouldn't ha' had un if he'd axed me. Why, there'd ha' bin murder 'tween
us 'fore a month was out: us 'ud ha' bin hung for one 'nother. No: now
don't 'ee take no such stuff as that into yer head, 'cos there's no
sense in it. Adam's never looked 'pon me not more than a sister;" and,
breaking down, Joan sobbed hysterically; "and when you two's married I
shall feel 'zackly as if he was a brother, and be gladder than e'er a
one else to see how happy you makes un."

"That's if I _do_ make him happy," said Eve sadly.

"There's no fear but you'll do that," said Joan, resolutely wiping the
tears from her eyes; "and 'twill be your own fault if you bain't happy
too yourself, Eve. Adam's got his fads to put up with, and his fancies
same as other men have, and a masterful temper to keep under, as nobody
can tell better than me; but for rale right-down goodness I shouldn't
know where to match his fellow--not if I was to search the place
through; and, mind 'ee, after all, that's something to be proud of in
the man you've got to