s a penn'orth of difference to me apart from
that, you're mistaken.' And so we parted."

"Have you thought of the consequences?" Nancy demanded, tearful, but
obviously worshipping this very ordinary young man.

"No, I haven't."

"She is back again."

"Oh, is she? Then she found him out quick. Poor Hetty! She must be
in a taking too!" His face expressed commiseration for a moment, but
with an effort, and sprang back to jollity as a bow is released from
its cord. "Curious, how quickly a bit of news like that gets about!
I picked up with a man on the road--said his name was Wright and he
comes from Lincoln--a decent fellow--tradesman--plumber, I think.
At all events he knows a deal about you, and began, after a while,
pumping me about your sister. I saw in a moment that he had heard
something, and gave him precious little change for his money.
Talked as if he knew more than I did, if only he cared to tell: but
of course I didn't encourage him."

"Wright?--a plumber from Lincoln?" Emilia faltered, and her eyes met
Nancy's.

"That's it. He had business with your father, he said. In fact I
left him on his way to knock at the door."

The two sisters remembered the man on the knoll, and his bill.
They were used to duns.

Emilia's eye signalled that John Lambert was to be kept away from the
house at all costs; nor did she breathe freely until she saw the
lovers crossing the fields arm-in-arm.

CHAPTER VI.

"And my business is important. William Wright is the name, and you'd
better say that I come from Lincoln direct."

The answer came back that Mr. Wesley would see Mr. Wright in his
study; and thither accordingly Mr. Wright lurched, after pulling out
a red handkerchief and dusting his boots on the front doorstep.
At his entrance Johnny Whitelamb rose, gathered up some papers and
retired. The Rector looked up from his writing-table, at the same
moment pushing back and shutting the drawer upon Hetty's manuscript,
which he had again been studying.

"Good morning, Mr. Wright. You have come about your bill, I suspect:
the amount of which, if I remember--"

"Twelve-seventeen-six."

The Rector sighed. "It is extremely awkward for me to pay you just
now. Still, no doubt you find it no less awkward to wait: and since
you have come all the way from Lincoln to collect it--"

"Steady a bit," Mr. Wright interrupted; "I never said that. I said
I'd come direct from Lincoln."

Mr. Wesley looked puzzled.