ver, the two young women began seriously to revolve
the chances of a nearer residence, or a change of employ. There were not
few who blamed Jane excessively for the folly of refusing the last good
offer. There were even more than one who, in the hearing of Nancy,
blamed her. Nancy was thoughtful, agitated, and wept. "If I can, dear
sister," she said, "have advised you to your injury, how shall I forgive
myself? What _shall_ become of me?"

But Jane clasped her sister to her heart, and said, "No! no! dearest
sister, you are not to blame. I feel you are right; let us wait, and we
shall see!"

CHAPTER III.--THE COURTSHIP AND ANOTHER SHIP.

One evening, as the two sisters were hastening along the road through
the woods on their way homeward, a young farmer drove up in his
spring-cart, cast a look at them, stopped, and said, "Young women, if
you are going my way. I shall be glad of your company. You are quite
welcome to ride."

The sisters looked at each other. "Dunna be afreed," said the young
farmer; "my name's James Cheshire. I'm well known in these parts; you
may trust yersens wi' me, if it's agreeable."

To Jane's surprise, Nancy said, "No, sir, we are not afraid; we are much
obliged to you."

The young farmer helped them up into the cart, and away they drove.

"I'm afraid we shall crowd you," said Jane.

"Not a bit of it," replied the young farmer. "There's room for three
bigger nor us on this seat, and I'm no ways tedious."

The sisters saw nothing odd in his use of the word "tedious," as
strangers would have done they knew it merely meant "not at all
particular." They were soon in active talk. As he had told them who he
was, he asked them in their turn if they worked at the mills there. They
replied in the affirmative, and the young man said,

"I thought so. I've seen you sometimes going along together. I noticed
you because you seemed so sisterly like, and you are sisters, I reckon."

They said "Yes."

"I've a good spanking horse, you seen," said James Cheshire. "I shall
get over th' ground rayther faster nor you done a-foot, eh? My word,
though, it must be nation cold on these bleak hills i' winter."

The sisters assented, and thanked the young farmer for taking them up.

"We are rather late," said they, "for we looked in on a friend, and the
rest of the mill-hands were gone on."

"Well," said the young farmer, "never mind that. I fancy Bess, my mare
here, can go a little faster nor they can. We