Tom nodded.
“And it is against this profit your sensitive soul rebels, your dainty fingers will not touch?”
“If it pleases you to put it so, Miss Dorothy.”
“Then quell your soul’s rebellion, let not your fingers touch. Distribute your profit among all the workers in the concern, yourself and Ben included, for I suppose your stomach will insist on its elemental right to be filled; but distribute to each a share of the profits proportioned to his wage. For taking it that a man’s wage is a rough and ready measure of a man’s share in building up the wealth, so, too, would it be a rough and ready method of determine your share in the profits. And now most potent, grave, and reverend seigneur, thy hand-maiden hath spoken, and lud-ha’-mercy, ’tis sick to death I am of long faces and your miserable economics. Did ever before a young man lure a maiden to flowery bower and discourse to her sweet—political economy! I warrant you have smoother sayings for Lucy’s ear. And, now, good-night. I heard Betty shouting for me down the paddock this quarter gone. Don’t forget my love to Lucy.”
And Dorothy tripped away, and Tom made homewards, carrying the basket very tenderly; but the rose that Dorothy had toyed with and cast aside he picked up, pressed to his lips and hid in his pocket-book. Someone found its yellow leaves years afterwards, and made-believe to be jealous because of them.
“Law! Betty,” said Dorothy that night, as she uncoiled the tresses of her gleaming locks. “I declare your Tom Pinder is as mad as a hatter; and faith, I think it’s catching.”
“Smittling, yo’ meean, miss. Well, some ailments be if yo’ bide very near them as has ’em.”
And Ben and Tom sat long that night talking over their plans for the near future. Ben conceded there was something in what Miss Dorothy had said.
“By gow, who’d ha’ thowt yon’ wench had it in her, to pounce reet daan on th’ weak spot, what yo’ may ca’ th’ flaw o’th system, all in a jeffy like. But she’s a head piece in a hundred. It’ll be her uncle ’oo favvers, for her father had more heart nor yead.”
“An’ what for should’nt Dorothy see what yo’ two men blinked yo’r een at?” asked Hannah indignantly, “Haven’t aw towd yo’ scores o’ times ’at a woman ’ll lawp ovver a wall whilst a man’s gooin’ raand gropin’ for th’ gate. Aw’m fain someb’dy can ding sense into oather on yo’—it doesn’t matter which, for what one on yo’ says t’other ’ll swear to. If ’oo’s persuaded Tom theer ’at ther’s sich a thing as lookin’ after other folks consarns till yo’r own’s gone to rack an’ ruin, it’s more nor e’er aw could do bi thee, Ben. Happen aw’d ha’ had more chance if aw’d tried afore we were wed i’stead o’ after, but ther’s no tellin’. Some folk are born so; an’ ther ne’er wer’ a fooil brought into th’ world but there wer’ a bigger born to match him. But aw see hah it is, we’st burn more can’les talkin’ abaat th’ new venture, as yo ca’ it, nor th’ takkin’s ’ll run to i’ a gooid season. Get thee to bed, Tom, an’ dunnot yo’ forget yo’re Jabez Tinker’s ’prentice lad yet, whativver yo’ may be some day when me an’ Ben’s both under th’ sod.”