t. I'm busy and I'm wishful to do my little bit of
work in the world for other people; but if I was married, my home would be
a find thought to me, and my wife would be first always and her comfort
and happiness a lot more to me than my own. 'My home' I call it, but it
have long been borne in upon me that a home is a hollow word with nought
in it but an aunt such as Mary Ball. It may be like blowing my own
trumpet, and I wouldn't say it save in an understanding ear; but I do
think Jane Warner would find I was good enough."

"She certainly would," admitted Nelly; and deep in her heart, such was her
powers of perspection, she couldn't help contrasting Martin's simple
nature and open praise of himself with John Warner's cleverer speechifying
and far more downy and secret mind.

After that Ball and the widow met a good few times unknown to the farmer
and his daughter, and there's no doubt that the more Martin saw of Mrs.
Bascombe, the more impressed he felt with her good sense. They couldn't
advance each other's interests, however, for all Nelly was able to tell
him amounted to nothing. John revealed to her that Jane hadn't taken no
steps to relieve the situation, but that she still asserted that she'd got
a man up her sleeve; while all Martin could say was that Jane held off and
marked time and wouldn't decide for or against.

"At the end of a month," explained Nelly. "John Warner is to get on to
Jane again. He's death on her stopping at Wych Elm; but she's given no
sign that she will stop if I come. I may also tell you that she's been to
see me on the subject and given it as her opinion I'll be doing a very
rash act to go to Wych Elm. She says I'll live to find out a lot about her
wonderful father as might surprise me painfully."

"And for her part to me," replied Martin Ball, "she says I'm still in her
mind as a husband, but there's a good bit to consider and I mustn't name
the thing again till she do. In a word, she's still tore in half between
her father and me. And I don't like it too well, because, little though I
know of love, I feel a screw's loose somewhere still."

Nelly looked at Martin, in doubt whether to tell him something more, or
not. But her woman's mind decided to tell him.

"And another curious fact," she said, "I do believe, at the bottom of his
mind, which is deep as a well, her father's torn in half between me and
her also!"

His blue eyes goggled at that.

"God's goodness!" he cried. "He know