st in the parish," said Mrs. Cobley; "and
however you had the wits to win a fortune and make hard-headed men in the
West Indies believe in you, I'm gormed if I know, Jack!"

He was put about at that.

"Would you say as I didn't ought to meddle in her affairs no more?" he
asked. "You see, I've comed to feel very kindly to the lovely creature,
and I'd work my fingers to the bone to find the man worthy of her; but if
I'm too pushing--"

"Pushing!" she said. "God's light! You be a lot too retreating, Jack, and
always was. Because you've got a face full of character, unlike other
men's, why for should you suppose 'twas a bug-a-boo to frighten the woman?
Don't your heart look out of your eyes, you silly man? How old are you?"

"Forty," answered Jack.

"And she's twenty-five, ain't she?"

"Who?" asked Jack.

"You did out to be put in an asylum, though, my son," said Mrs. Cobley.
"Milly Boon is the woman I'm aiming at, and it may or may not interest you
to larn that she loves you better than anything on earth--you--you she
loves, you gert tomfool!"

Jack looked as if he'd been struck by lightning and his pipe fell out of
his mouth and broke on the hearth.

"'Tis most any odds you're mistook," he said, with a voice that showed
what a shock he'd suffered. "Such things be contrary to nature."

"Nought's contrary to nature where a woman's concerned," answered Mrs.
Cobley as one who knew. "They be higher than nature, and a young woman in
love defies all things but her Maker--if not Him."

"I'll see," said Jack; and he went to see instanter.

Mrs. Pedlar was keeping her bed for the moment with a tissick to the
tubes, and when the man got there he found Milly busy over the ancient
woman's supper. And, as he told her, he was glad she happed to be alone,
though sorry for the reason.

And then in his direct, queer way he said:

"What's this I hear tell from my mother, Milly? She says you be got to
love me?"

And something in his great, hungry eyes, and the very words in his
question made it so plain as need be to Milly Boon that Jack was more than
glad to hear the news. And she went up to him and kissed him; and then he
very near throttled her.

'Twas a most happy and restful affair altogether; and when, about two
hours after, poor Mrs. Pedlar croaked out over their heads for her soup,
and axed Milly where she was got to be, the maiden cried out:

"I be in Jack Cobley's arms, Aunt Jane, and 'tis him owns the house, a