but turned to James and bade him see to the rest and find
beds somewhere. Then I went after Dolly and her father into the Great
Chamber, still with my hat on my head and looking very stern. He was
talking very swiftly in a low voice to Dolly; but he stopped when I came
in.

"Yes, Cousin Tom," I said, "I am come back again--all unlooked for, as I
see."

"But, good God!" he cried. "What is the matter; and why is Dolly here? I
was but just asking--"

I pulled out the King's paper which I had all ready, and thrust it down
before the lantern that he had put on the table: and I waited till he
had read it through.

"There, Cousin!" I said when he was staring on me again, "that is enough
warrant for both you and me, I think. Have you anything to say?"

He began to bluster.

"Cousin," I said, "if I have any patience it is because Dolly has given
it back to me. You had best not say too much. You have done all the harm
you could; and it is only by God's mercy that it has not been greater."

He said that he was Dolly's father and could do as he pleased. Besides,
she herself had consented.

"I know that," I said, "because she has told me so; and that it was in
despair that she went, because we two fools bungled our business. Well,
you may be her father; but the Scripture tells us that a woman must
leave her father and cleave to her husband; and that is what I am to be
to her."

Well; when I said that, there was the Devil to pay--we three standing
there in the cold chamber, with the draughts playing upon poor Tom's
legs. He looked a very piteous object, very much fallen from that fine
figure that he had presented when I had first set eyes on him; but he
strove to compensate by emphasis what he lacked in dignity. He said that
he had changed his mind; that even third cousins once removed should not
marry; that he had now other designs for his daughter; that I had no
right to dictate to him in his own house. He waxed wonderfully warm; but
even then, in the first flush of his resistance I thought I saw a kind
of wavering. I sat with one leg across the corner of the great table
until he was done; while Dolly sat in a chair, turning her merry eyes
from the one to the other of us. For myself, I felt no lack of
confidence. I had beaten the daughter; now I was to beat the father.

When he had finished, and drew breath, I stood up.

"Very bravely said, Cousin, bare legs and all," I said. "We will speak
of it all again to-morrow.