,
a frequent result of the reaction which sets in after great emotion,
although Adam placed his happy mood to the credit of Eve's kind words
and soft glances.

It was late in the afternoon before the kegs were all got out and safely
cleared off; but at length the last man took his departure, the visitors
began to disperse, Uncle Zebedee and Jerrem disappeared with them, and
the house was left to the undisturbed possession of Joan and Adam.

"I shall bring Eve back when I come," Adam said, reappearing from the
smartening up he had been giving to himself.

"All right!" replied Joan, but in such a weary voice that Adam's heart
smote him for leaving her sitting there alone, and with a great effort
at self-sacrifice he said, "Would you like to go too?"

"Iss, if I could go two p'r'aps I should," retorted Joan, "but as I'm
only one p'r'aps I might find myself one in the way. There, go along
with 'ee, do!" she added, seeing him still hesitate. "You knaw if
there'd bin any chance o' my goin' you wouldn't ha' axed me."

A little huffed by this home-thrust, Adam waited for nothing more, but,
turning away, he closed the door after him and set off at a brisk pace
up the Lansallos road, toward Aunt Hepzibah's house.

The light had now all but faded out, and over everything seaward a
cloudy film of mist hung thick and low; but this would soon lift up and
be blown away, leaving the night clear and the sky bright with the
glitter of a myriad stars, beneath whose twinkling light Adam would tell
his tale of love and hear the sweet reply; and at the thought a thousand
hopes leaped into life and made his pulses quicken and his nerves
thrill. Strive as he might, arrived at Aunt Hepzibah's he could neither
enter upon nor join in any general conversation; and so marked was his
silence and embarrassed his manner that the assembled party came to the
charitable conclusion that something had gone wrong in the adjustment of
his liquor; and knowing it was ticklish work to meddle with a man who
with a glass beyond had fallen a drop short, they made no opposition to
Eve's speedy preparations for immediate departure.

"Oh, Eve," Adam exclaimed, giving vent to deep-drawn sighs of relief as,
having turned from the farm-gate, they were out of sight and hearing of
the house, "I hope you're not vexed with me for seeming such a fool as
I've been feeling there. I have been so longing for the time to come
when I could speak to you that for thinking of