"Not exactly; but I guess it'll be all right."
"I think so too. Shall I call her?"
"Yes."
Titus sent a maid for his daughter; but she sent back, asking her father to "come to her for a few minutes."
"What does that mean?" said Titus. He was not used to have his children oppose any of his orders. "Excuse me," he said to Peter; and left the room.
Peter felt cornered: how would it be if he had to ride home dejected? Perhaps he had a suspicion of what was going on between Titus and his daughter; for she said:
"Father, do you want me to take Peter? Yesterday his mother was buried, and to-day he goes courting."
Titus declared that that was of no consequence, and when Marianne began to express a dislike, an aversion, to Peter, he interrupted her peremptorily.
"Peter is a substantial farmer. So there's nothing more to be said about it. You must take him. Put on another dress and make haste to come in."
He returned to Peter, and said, "The matter is arranged."