r about the law
on't. There's Miss a callin'."

And old Simon's head disappeared as he descended the ladder to
answer the summons of his young mistress, not displeased at
having his fears as to the safety of his future son-in-law set at
rest by so eminent a legal authority as the constable.
Fortunately for Harry, the constable's law was not destined to be
tried. Young Wurley was away in London. Old Tester was bedridden
with an accumulation of diseases brought on by his bad life. His
illness made him more violent and tyrannical than ever; but he
could do little harm out of his own room, for no one ever went to
see him, and the wretched farm-servant who attended him was much
too frightened to tell him anything of what was going on in the
parish. There was no one else to revive proceedings against
Harry.

David pottered on at his bees and his flowers till old Simon
returned, and ascended his ladder again.

"You be ther' still, be 'ee?" he said, as soon as he saw David.

"Ees. Any news?"

"Ah, news enuff. He as wur Harry's captain and young Mr. Brown be
comin' down to-morrow, and hev tuk all the Red Lion to
theirselves. And thaay beant content to wait for banns--not
thaay--and so ther's to be a license got for Saturday. 'Taint
scarce decent, that 'taint."

"'Tis best to get drough wi't," said the constable.

"Then nothin'll sarve 'em but the church must be hung wi'
flowers, and wher' be thaay to cum from without strippin' and
starvin' ov my beds? 'Tis shameful to see how folks acts wi'
flowers now-a-days, a cuttin' on 'em and puttin' on 'em about, as
prodigal at though thaay growed o' theirselves."

"So 'tis shameful," said David, whose sympathies for flowers were
all with Simon. "I heers tell as young Squire Wurley hevs 'em on
table at dinner-time instead o' the wittels."

"Do'ee though! I calls it reg'lar Papistry, and so I tells Miss;
but her only laughs."

The constable shook his head solemnly as he replied "Her've been
led away wi' such doin's ever sence Mr. Walker cum, and took to
organ-playin' and chantin'."

"And he ain't no such gurt things in the pulpit, neether, ain't
Mr. Walker," chimed in Simon, (the two had not been so in harmony
for years). "I reckon as he ain't nothin' to speak ov alongside
o' this here new un as hev tuk his place. He've a got a good deal
o' move in un' he hev."

"Ah, so a hev. A wunnerful sight o' things a telled us t'other
night, about the Indians and the wars."

"Ah!