wn dead. Yet I would even put up with them if it was not for the
inspector. For three months before his visit I didn't sleep soundly.
And the Committee of Council are always changing the Code, so that you
don't know what to teach, and what to leave untaught. I think father
and mother are right. They say I shall never excel as a schoolmistress
if I dislike the work so, and that therefore I ought to get settled by
marrying Mr Heddegan. Between us two, I like him better than school;
but I don't like him quite so much as to wish to marry him.'

These conversations, once begun, were continued from day to day; till
at length the young girl's elderly friend and landlady threw in her
opinion on the side of Miss Trewthen's parents. All things considered,
she declared, the uncertainty of the school, the labour, Baptista's
natural dislike for teaching, it would be as well to take what fate
offered, and make the best of matters by wedding her father's old
neighbour and prosperous friend.

The Easter holidays came round, and Baptista went to spend them as
usual in her native isle, going by train into Off-Wessex and crossing
by packet from Pen-zephyr. When she returned in the middle of April
her face wore a more settled aspect.

'Well?' said the expectant Mrs Wace.

'I have agreed to have him as my husband,' said Baptista, in an
off-hand way. 'Heaven knows if it will be for the best or not. But I
have agreed to do it, and so the matter is settled.'

Mrs Wace commended her; but Baptista did not care to dwell on the
subject; so that allusion to it was very infrequent between them.
Nevertheless, among other things, she repeated to the widow from time
to time in monosyllabic remarks that the wedding was really impending;
that it was arranged for the summer, and that she had given notice of
leaving the school at the August holidays. Later on she announced more
specifically that her marriage was to take place immediately after her
return home at the beginning of the month aforesaid.

She now corresponded regularly with Mr Heddegan. Her letters from him
were seen, at least on the outside, and in part within, by Mrs Wace.
Had she read more of their interiors than the occasional sentences
shown her by Baptista she would have perceived that the scratchy,
rusty handwriting of Miss Trewthen's betrothed conveyed little more
matter than details of their future housekeeping, and his preparations
for the same, with innumerable 'my dears' sprin