head, "his home is thousands of miles away,--he is
an American, and besides--"

"Ah!--but then--even a American--may get married. Miss Anthea, mam!"
said Adam.

"Married!" she repeated, glancing up very quickly, "Adam--what do you
mean?"

"Why you must know," began Adam, wringing at his hat again, "ever since
the day I found him asleep in your hay, Miss Anthea, mam, Mr. Belloo has
been very kind, and--friendly like. Mr. Belloo an' me 'ave smoked a good
many sociable pipes together, an' when men smoke together, Miss Anthea,
they likewise talk together."

"Yes?--Well?" said Anthea, rather breathlessly, and taking up a pencil
that happened to be lying near to hand.

"And Mr. Belloo," continued Adam, heavily, "Mr. Belloo has done
me--the--the honour," here Adam paused to give an extra twist to his
hat,--"the--honour, Miss Anthea--"

"Yes, Adam."

"Of confiding to me 'is 'opes--" said Adam slowly, finding it much
harder to frame his well-meaning falsehood than he had supposed,
"his--H-O-P-E-S--'opes, Miss Anthea, of settling down very soon, an' of
marryin' a fine young lady as 'e 'as 'ad 'is eye on a goodish
time,--'aving knowed her from childhood's hour, Miss Anthea, and as
lives up to Lonnon--"

"Yes--Adam!"

"Consequently--'e bought all your furnitur' to set up 'ousekeepin',
don't ye see."

"Yes,--I see, Adam!" Her voice was low, soft and gentle as ever, but the
pencil was tracing meaningless scrawls in her shaking fingers.

"So you don't 'ave to be no-wise back-ard about keepin' the money, Miss
Anthea."

"Oh no,--no, of course not, I--I understand, it was--just a--business
transaction."

"Ah!--that's it,--a business transaction!" nodded Adam, "So you'll put
the money a one side to help pay off the mortgage, eh, Miss Anthea?"

"Yes."

"If the 'ops comes up to what they promise to come up to,--you'll be
able to get rid of Old Grimes--for good an' all, Miss Anthea."

"Yes, Adam."

"An' you be quite easy in your mind, now, Miss Anthea--about keepin' the
money?"

"Quite!--Thank you, Adam--for--telling me. You can go now."

"Why then--Good-night! Miss Anthea, mam,--the mortgage is as good as
paid,--there ain't no such 'ops nowhere near so good as our'n be.
An'--you're quite free o' care, an' 'appy 'earted, Miss Anthea?"

"Quite--Oh quite, Adam!"

But when Adam's heavy tread had died away,--when she was all alone, she
behaved rather strangely for one so free of care, and happy-hearted.
Something b