t here an' theer."

CHAPTER XII

THROUGH ONE GREAT DAY

Just within the woods of Teign Valley, at a point not far distant from
that where Will Blanchard met John Grimbal for the first time, and
wrestled with him beside the river, there rises a tall bank, covered
with fern, shadowed by oak trees. A mossy bridle-path winds below, while
beyond it, seen through a screen of wych-elms and hazel, extend the
outlying meadows of Monks Barton.

Upon this bank, making "sunshine in a shady place," reclined Chris,
beneath a harmony of many greens, where the single, double, and triple
shadows of the manifold leaves above her created a complex play of light
and shade all splashed and gemmed with little sun discs. Drowsy noon-day
peace marked the hour; Chris had some work in her hand, but was not
engaged upon it; and Clement, who lolled beside her, likewise did
nothing. His eyes were upon a mare and foal in the meadow below. The
matron proceeded slowly, grazing as she went, while her lanky youngster
nibbled at this or that inviting tuft, then raced joyously in wide
circles and, returning, sought his mother's milk with the selfish
roughness of youth.

"Happy as birds, they be," said Chris, referring to the young pair at
Newtake. "It do make me long for us to be man an' wife, Clem, when I see
'em."

"We're that now, save for the hocus-pocus of the parsons you set such
store by."

"No, I'll never believe it makes no difference."

"A cumbrous, stupid, human contrivance like marriage! Was ever man and
woman happier for being bound that way? Can free things feel their
hearts beat closer because they are chained to one another by an effete
dogma?"

"I doan't onderstand all that talk, sweetheart, an' you knaw I don't;
but till some wise body invents a better-fashion way of joining man an'
maid than marriage, us must taake it as 'tis."

"There is a better way--Nature's."

She shook her head.

"If us could dwell in a hole at a tree-root, an' eat roots an' berries;
but we'm thinking creatures in a Christian land."

She stretched herself out comfortably and smiled up at him where he sat
with his chin in his hands. Then, looking down, he saw the delicious
outline of her and his eyes grew hot.

"God's love! How long must it be?" he cried; then, before she could
speak, he clipped her passionately to him and hugged her closely.

"Dearie, you'm squeezin' my breath out o' me!" cried Chris, well used to
these sudden storms an