Of course he is impatient, and
does not see any earthly reason why his impatience should not be
gratified."

"He is impatient."

"And I suppose you hesitate because of your father's death."

"It seems but the other day;--does it not?" said Clara.

"Everything seems but the other day to me. It was but the other day
that I myself was married."

"And, of course, though I would do anything I could that he would ask
me to do--"

"But would you do anything?"

"Anything that was not wrong I would. Why should I not, when he is so
good to me?"

"Then write to him, my dear, and tell him that it shall be as
he wishes it. Believe me, the days of Jacob are over. Men don't
understand waiting now, and it's always as well to catch your fish
when you can."

"You don't suppose I have any thought of that kind?"

"I am sure you have not;--and I'm sure that he deserves no such
thought;--but the higher that are his deserts, the greater should be
his reward. If I were you, I should think of nothing but him, and I
should do exactly as he would have me." Clara kissed her friend as
she parted from her, and again resolved that all that woman's sins
should be forgiven her. A woman who could give such excellent advice
deserved that every sin should be forgiven her. "They'll be married
yet before the summer is over," Mrs. Askerton said to her husband
that afternoon. "I believe a man may have anything he chooses to ask
for, if he'll only ask hard enough."

And they were married in the autumn, if not actually in the summer.
With what precise words Clara answered her lover's letter I will
not say; but her answer was of such a nature that he found himself
compelled to leave Plaistow, even before the wheat was garnered.
Great confidence was placed in Bunce on that occasion, and I have
reason to believe that it was not misplaced. They were married in
September;--yes, in September, although that letter of Will's was
written in August, and by the beginning of October they had returned
from their wedding trip to Plaistow. Clara insisted that she should
be taken to Plaistow, and was very anxious when there to learn all
the particulars of the farm. She put down in a little book how many
acres there were in each field, and what was the average produce of
the land. She made inquiry about four-crop rotation, and endeavoured,
with Bunce, to go into the great subject of stall-feeding. But Belton
did not give her as much encouragement as he might ha