ld renounce a seafaring life
and become a partner in the mill, he had decided to agree to the
proposal; and with that object in view he would return to Overcombe in
three days from the time of writing.

He then said incidentally that since his voyage he had been in lodgings
at Southampton, and during that time had become acquainted with a lovely
and virtuous young maiden, in whom he found the exact qualities necessary
to his happiness. Having known this lady for the full space of a
fortnight he had had ample opportunities of studying her character, and,
being struck with the recollection that, if there was one thing more than
another necessary in a mill which had no mistress, it was somebody who
could play that part with grace and dignity, he had asked Miss Matilda
Johnson to be his wife. In her kindness she, though sacrificing far
better prospects, had agreed; and he could not but regard it as a happy
chance that he should have found at the nick of time such a woman to
adorn his home, whose innocence was as stunning as her beauty. Without
much ado, therefore, he and she had arranged to be married at once, and
at Overcombe, that his father might not be deprived of the pleasures of
the wedding feast. She had kindly consented to follow him by land in the
course of a few days, and to live in the house as their guest for the
week or so previous to the ceremony.

''Tis a proper good letter,' said Mrs. Comfort from the background. 'I
never heerd true love better put out of hand in my life; and they seem
'nation fond of one another.'

'He haven't knowed her such a very long time,' said Job Mitchell
dubiously.

'That's nothing,' said Esther Beach. 'Nater will find her way, very
rapid when the time's come for't. Well, 'tis good news for ye, miller.'

'Yes, sure, I hope 'tis,' said Loveday, without, however, showing any
great hurry to burst into the frantic form of fatherly joy which the
event should naturally have produced, seeming more disposed to let off
his feelings by examining thoroughly into the fibres of the letter-paper.

'I was five years a-courting my wife,' he presently remarked. 'But folks
were slower about everything in them days. Well, since she's coming we
must make her welcome. Did any of ye catch by my reading which day it is
he means? What with making out the penmanship, my mind was drawn off
from the sense here and there.'

'He says in three days,' said Mrs. Garland. 'The date of the letter