a thousand deft deeds and proper speeches won him again
unconsciously. She anticipated his unspoken desire, brightened his
every-day life by unobtrusive actions, preserved a bright demeanour,
never mentioned Will, and never contradicted her father when he did so.

Thus the matter stood, and Mr. Lyddon held his hand until young
Blanchard was abroad again and seeking work. Then he acted, as shall
appear. Before that event, however, incidents befell Will's household,
the first being an unexpected visit from Martin Grimbal; for the
love-sick antiquary nerved himself to this great task a week after his
excursion to Cosdon. He desired to see Will, and was admitted without
comment by Mrs. Blanchard. The sufferer, who sat at the kitchen fire
with his arm still in a sling, received Martin somewhat coldly, being
ignorant of the visitor's friendly intentions. Chris was absent, and
Will's mother, after hoping that Mr. Grimbal would not object to discuss
his business in the kitchen, departed and left the men together.

"Sit down," said Will. "Be you come for your brother or yourself?"

"For myself. I want to make my position clear. You must not associate me
with John in this affair. In most things our interests were the same,
and he has been a brother in a thousand to me; but concerning Miss--Mrs.
Blanchard--he erred in my opinion--greatly erred--and I told him so. Our
relations are unhappily strained, to my sorrow. I tell you this because
I desire your friendship. It would be good to me to be friends with you
and your family. I do not want to lose your esteem by a
misunderstanding."

"That's fair speech, an' I'm glad to hear 'e say it, for it ban't my
fault when a man quarrels wi' me, as anybody will tell 'e. An' mother
an' Chris will be glad. God knaws I never felt no anger 'gainst your
brother, till he tried to take my girl away from me. Flesh an' blood
weern't gwaine to suffer that."

"Under the circumstances, and with all the difficulties of your
position, I never could blame you."

"Nor Phoebe," said the other warmly. "I won't have wan word said against
her. Absolute right she done. I'm sick an' savage, even now, to think of
all she suffered for me. I grits my teeth by night when it comes to my
mind the mort o' grief an' tears an' pain heaped up for her--just
because she loved wan chap an' not another."

"Let the past go and look forward. The future will be happy presently."

"In the long run 't will for sure. Your br