dy screamed except
Nuttie, but everybody started, though the next moment it was plain that
they were only chimney-sweepers on their way.

'Retribution for our desire to act ghosts!' said Annaple, when the
sable forms had been warned of the broken bridge. 'Poor May, you are
awfully tired! Shouldn't you like a lift in their cart?'

'Or I could put you up on Robin Hood,' said Mark.

'Thank you, I don't think I could stick on. Is it much farther?'

'Only up the hill and across the park,' said Annaple, still cheerily.

'Take my arm, old woman,' said Mark, and then there was a pause, before
Annaple said in an odd voice, 'You may tell her, Mark.'

'Oh, Annaple! Mark! is it so?' cried May joyously, but under her
breath; and with a glance to see how near the other couple were.

'Yes,' said Annaple between crying and laughing. 'Poor Janet, she'll
think we have taken a frightfully mean advantage of her, but I am sure
I never dreamt of such a thing; and the queer thing is, that Mark says
she put it into his head!'

'No, no,' said Mark; 'you know better than that--'

'Why, you told me you only found it out when she began to trample on
the fallen--'

'I told you I had only understood my own heart.'

'And I said very much the same--she made me so angry you see.'

'I can't but admire your motives!' said May, exceedingly rejoiced all
the time, and ready to have embraced them both, if it had not been for
the spectators behind. 'In fact, it was opposition you both wanted. I
wonder how long you would have gone on not finding it out, if all had
been smooth?'

'The worst of it is,' said Annaple, 'that I'm afraid it is a very bad
thing for Mark.'

'Not a bit of it,' retorted he. 'It is the only thing that could have
put life into my work, or made me care to find any! And find it I will
now! Must we let the whole world in to know before I have found it,
Annaple?'

'I could not but tell my mother,' said Annaple. 'It would come out in
spite of me, even if I wished to keep it back.'

'Oh yes! Lady Ronnisglen is a different thing,' said Mark. 'Just as
May here is--'

'And she will say nothing, I know, till we are ready--my dear old
minnie,' said Annaple. 'Only, Mark, do pray have something definite to
hinder Janet with if there are any symptoms of hawking her commodity
about.'

'I _will_,' said Mark. 'If we could only emigrate!'

'Ah, if we could!' said Annaple. 'Ronald is doing so well in New
Zealand, but