back and have a look at the old country, and perhaps
buy up half Englebourn and lay our bones in the old church yard."

"And if we don't make our fortunes?"

"Then we'll stay out there."

"Well, if I were my own master I think I should make one with
you. But I could never leave my father and mother, or--or--"

"Oh, I understand. Of course, if matters go all right in that
quarter, I have nothing more to say. But, from what you have told
me, I thought you might be glad of a regular break in your life,
a new start in a new world."

"Very likely I may. I should have said so myself this morning.
But somehow I feel to-night more hopeful than I have for years."

"Those wedding chimes are running in your head."

"Yes; and they have lifted a load off my heart too. Four years
ago I was very near doing the greatest wrong a man can do to that
girl who was married to-day, and to that fine fellow her husband,
who was the first friend I ever had. Ever since then I have been
doing my best to set matters straight, and have often made them
crookeder. But to-day they are all straight, thank God, and I
feel as if a chain were broken from off my neck. All has come
right for them, and perhaps my own time will come before long."

"To be sure it will. I must be introduced to a certain young lady
before we start. I shall tell her that I don't mean to give up
hopes of seeing her on the other side of the world."

"Well, here we are on the common. What a glorious sunset! Come,
stir up, Nibble. We shall be on the Lynch just in time to see him
dip if we push on."

Nibble, the ancient pony, finding that there was no help for it,
scrambled up the greater part of the ascent successfully. But his
wheezings and roarings during the operation excited East's pity;
so he dismounted when they came to the foot of the Hawk's Lynch,
and, tying Nibble's bridle to a furze-bush--a most unnecessary
precaution--set to work to scale the last and deepest bit of the
ascent with the help of his stick--and Tom's strong-arm.

They paused every ten paces or so to rest and look at the sunset.
The broad vale below lay in purple shadow; the soft flocks of
little clouds high up over their heads, and stretching away to
the eastern horizon, floated in a sea of rosy light; and the
stems of the Scotch firs stood out like columns of ruddy flame.

"Why, this beats India," said East, putting up his hand to shade
his eyes, which were fairly dazzled by the blaze. "What a