erfectly."

"Ambrose told us of something which his villain of a brother said of
John Jago and me. Do you remember what it was?"

I remembered perfectly. Silas had said, "John Jago is too sweet on
Naomi not to come back."

"That's so," Naomi remarked when I had repeated the words. "I couldn't
help starting when I heard what Silas had said; and I thought you
noticed me."

"I did notice you."

"Did you wonder what it meant?"

"Yes."

"I'll tell you. It meant this: What Silas Meadowcroft said to his
brother of John Jago was what I myself was thinking of John Jago at
that very moment. It startled me to find my own thought in a man's mind
spoken for me by a man. I am the person, sir, who has driven John Jago
away from Morwick Farm; and I am the person who can and will bring him
back again."

There was something in her manner, more than in her words, which let
the light in suddenly on my mind.

"You have told me the secret," I said. "John Jago is in love with you."

"Mad about me!" she rejoined, dropping her voice to a whisper. "Stark,
staring mad!--that's the only word for him. After we had taken a few
turns on the gravel-walk, he suddenly broke out like a man beside
himself. He fell down on his knees; he kissed my gown, he kissed my
feet; he sobbed and cried for love of me. I'm not badly off for
courage, sir, considering I'm a woman. No man, that I can call to mind,
ever really scared me before. But I own John Jago frightened me; oh my!
he did frighten me! My heart was in my mouth, and my knees shook under
me. I begged and prayed of him to get up and go away. No; there he
knelt, and held by the skirt of my gown. The words poured out from him
like--well, like nothing I can think of but water from a pump. His
happiness and his life, and his hopes in earth and heaven, and Lord
only knows what besides, all depended, he said, on a word from me. I
plucked up spirit enough at that to remind him that I was promised to
Ambrose. 'I think you ought to be ashamed of yourself,' I said, 'to own
that you're wicked enough to love me when you know I am promised to
another man!' When I spoke to him he took a new turn; he began abusing
Ambrose. _That_ straightened me up. I snatched my gown out of his hand,
and I gave him my whole mind. 'I hate you!' I said. 'Even if I wasn't
promised to Ambrose, I wouldn't marry you--no! not if there wasn't
another man left in the world to ask me. I hate you, Mr. Jago! I hate
you!' He saw I was