o the folk who have retired. Nobbut a farmer am I, in little business;
but concerning of my children I will have my say. All of you tell me
what is this about my Mary."

As if he would drag their thoughts out of them, he went from one to
another with a hard quick glance, which they all tried to shun; for they
did not want to tell until he should get into a better frame of mind.
And they looked at Mistress Anerley, to come forth and take his edge
off; but she knew that when his eyes were so, to interfere was mischief.
But Carroway did not understand the man.

"Come, now, Anerley," the bold lieutenant said; "what are you getting
into such a way about? I would sooner have lost the hundred pounds twice
over, and a hundred of my own--if so be I ever had it--than get little
Mary into such a row as this. Why, Lord bless my heart, one would think
that there was murder in a little bit of sweethearting. All pretty girls
do it; and the plain ones too. Come and smoke a pipe, my good fellow,
and don't terrify her."

For Mary was sobbing in a corner by herself, without even her mother to
come up and say a word.

"My daughter never does it," answered Stephen Anerley; "my daughter is
not like the foolish girls and women. My daughter knows her mind; and
what she does she means to do. Mary, lof, come to your father, and tell
him that every one is lying of you. Sooner would I trust a single quiet
word of yours, than a pile, as big as Flambro Head, sworn by all the
world together against my little Mary."

The rest of them, though much aggrieved by such a bitter calumny, held
their peace, and let him go with open arms toward his Mary. The farmer
smiled, that his daughter might not have any terror of his public talk;
and because he was heartily expecting her to come and tell him some
trifle, and be comforted, and then go for a good happy cry, while he
shut off all her enemies.

But instead of any nice work of that nature, Mary Anerley arose and
looked at the people in the room--which was their very best, and by no
means badly furnished--and after trying to make out, as a very trifling
matter, what their unsettled minds might be, her eyes came home to her
father's, and did not flinch, although they were so wet.

Master Anerley, once and forever, knew that his daughter was gone from
him. That a stronger love than one generation can have for the one
before it--pure and devoted and ennobling as that love is--now had
arisen, and would for