d not averse to them. "We must bide patient an'
hold in our hearts," she said, lying in his arms with her face close to
his. "'Twill be all the more butivul when we'm mated. Ess fay! I love 'e
allus, but I love 'e better in this fiery mood than on the ice-cold days
when you won't so much as hold my hand."

"The cold mood's the better notwithstanding, and colder yet would be
better yet, and clay-cold best of all."

But he held her still, and pressed his beard against her brown neck.
Then the sound of a trotting horse reached his ears, he started up,
looked below, and saw John Grimbal passing by. Their eyes met, for the
horseman chanced to glance up as Clement thrust his head above the fern;
but Chris was invisible and remained so.

Grimbal stopped and greeted the bee-keeper.

"Have you forgotten your undertaking to see my hives once a month?"

"No, I meant coming next week."

"Well, as it happens I want to speak with you, and the present time's as
good as another. I suppose you were only lying there dreaming?"

"That's all. I'll come and walk along beside your horse."

He squeezed his sweetheart's hand, whispered a promise to return
immediately, then rose and stumbled down the bank, leaving Chris throned
aloft in the fern. For a considerable time John Grimbal said nothing,
then he began suddenly,--

"I suppose you know the Applebirds are leaving my farm?"

"Yes, Mrs. Applebird told my mother. Going to Sticklepath."

"Not easy to get a tenant to take their place."

"Is it not? Such a farm as yours? I should have thought there need be no
difficulty."

"There are tenants and tenants. How would you like it--you and your
mother? Then you could marry and be comfortable. No doubt Chris
Blanchard would make a splendid farmer's wife."

"It would be like walking into paradise for me; but--"

"The rent needn't bother you. My first care is a good tenant. Besides,
rent may take other shapes than pounds, shillings, and pence."

Hicks started.

"I see," he said; "you can't forget the chance word I spoke in anger so
long ago."

"I can't, because it happened to be just the word I wanted to hear. My
quarrel with Will Blanchard's no business of yours. The man's your enemy
too; and you're a fool to stand in your own light, You know something
that I don't know, concerning those weeks during which he disappeared.
Well, tell me. You can only live your life once. Why let it run to rot
when the Red House Farm wants a tenant