hat he was called upon for the
task.

He larned the market value of the cottage and then, three days afore the
thunderbolt was timed to fall, he went up over to Nicholas Bewes and had a
tell with the man.

For two mortal hours did they sit together smoking their pipes, and
turning over the situation, and Bewes was bound to grant, when Jack was
gone, that the chap possessed a lot of sound sense, though mouth-speech
weren't his strong point, and it took him a deal of time to make his
meaning clear. But none the less he could do so, when a listener was
content not to hurry him, and Nicholas Bewes listened very patient, the
more willingly because what Jack had to say interested him a lot.

He was a thought put about first, however, because Cobley didn't mince
words.

"'Tis like this, if I may say so," he began. "Your son's wishful to marry
Milly Boon--a good bit against her will, by all accounts; but you be on
his side, naturally, and want to see him happy, so you've put a loaded
pistol to old Mrs. Pedlar's head and told her if her niece don't take your
boy, she's got to quit her home."

Bewes stared.

"What business might that be of yours, Jack Cobley?" he asked, and the
visitor explained.

"On the face of it, none," he said; "but I wouldn't have come afore you
only to say I disapproved, because you'd say my opinion didn't matter a
damn. So I've come because I'm wishful to be in it and let you know my
right so to be. There's the cottage and there's your son, and if you think
that Milly Boon be the right one for your Richard, then I'm not saying a
little judicious pressure ain't reasonable. But, to pleasure my mother,
who's very addicted to old Mrs. Pedlar, I've looked into that question
and, to say it kindly, I may tell you that Milly Boon is not suited to
your Richard."

"You've a right to your opinion," answered Bewes; "and I've an equal right
not to care one damn for your opinion as you say."

"Just so," admitted Jack. "Not for a moment do my opinion in itself matter
to anybody, Farmer; but if I'm so positive sure that I'm right, then it
becomes a duty to voice myself, though no man likes voicing himself less
than me. And, because I'm so sure, after due consideration of the pair of
'em, I be come afore you to make suggestions."

"Perhaps you want her yourself, Jack?" suggested Nicholas, pulling his
grey beard and shutting one eye.

"Me!" laughed Cobley, much amused. "Do a toad want a bird of Paradise? No,