ss Heptonstall, but ye mun do as _you_ choose."

"Well, theer's summat i' what ye say," returned Margaret. "Happen
'twould be best to get the job done. Dear o' me, it seems sudden like!
I raly never thought o' changin' my state. Once before, ye may ha'
heerd, Mrs. Alty wanted me to wed her Thomas. I was again it, dreadful
again it at first, but hoo persuaded me, so I very nigh gave in. But
him an' me didn't agree so well at arter, and Betty didn't dee, so
that settled it. Well, then, I said to mysel', 'It's all for th'
best,' an' I reckoned to bide as I were. But raly now, as ye've coom,"
a sudden smile lit up her face, a smile less frosty, less sour, less
grim than any that had hitherto found their way there, "I dunno how it
is, but I seem to ha' taken a fancy to ye. I did fro' th' first. I
reckon ye'll mak' a good husband."

Ted left off embracing the lintel of the door and walked straight up
to her, quite forgetting to wipe his feet. His face was very red and
his eyes avoided hers; making a sudden dart at her hand, he shook it
solemnly.

"I will, Margaret, I will," he said huskily, "an' I reckon ye'll mak'
a good wife--better nor I deserve."

In another moment he was gone, walking very rapidly this time, almost
running indeed, as though to give himself no time for thought. When he
reached home, he shut the door hastily behind him and sat down on the
nearest chair.

"Well," he said, scratching his head, with an exceedingly perturbed
expression, "this here's a queer kind o' business! I didn't quite know
what I were lettin' mysel' in for, it seems."

Once or twice during the week he called upon his lady-love, who, on
one occasion, permitted him to inspect her Savings Bank book, and, on
another, presented him with a handsome silver-mounted pipe, which her
father had won many years before at some village sports. It was
bestowed, it must be owned, on the understanding that it was never on
any account to be used, but Ted's pride of possession was none the
less great. At the conclusion of each visit she had not failed to make
him drink Her Majesty's health.

On the following Sunday, when the Canon with the portentous "Hem," and
solemn glance round which invariably preceded the announcement of
banns, began: "Be it known unto all here present," it was observed
that the corners of his mouth were twitching in a most peculiar
manner, and his voice actually trembled as he coupled the names of
Margaret Heptonstall and Edwa