‘No?’
‘No!’
‘And how do you mean to set about getting rid of me?’
‘I’ve set about harder jobs than that i’ my time, lad.’
‘Like enough. But how do you mean to set about this one?’
‘All in good time,’ said Thistlewood. ‘Sha’st find out speedily.’
‘Show me now,’ said Lane.
A breach of the peace seemed imminent, but, ‘Afore thee and me comes to that,’ the elder answered, ‘I want thee to have fair warnin’. It’s unbecomin’ in a man to brawl over the maid he wants to marry—— I’m a man as never changed nor halted nor turned aside from anything he set his mind upon. I’ve been courtin’ Miss Fellowes now this three year. It stands to reason as a frivolish young chap like you can mek no count of how a man feels, or of what a man ‘ud do in a like case.’
‘That stands to reason, does it?’ ‘It stands to reason,’ answered Thistlewood. ‘I suppose it stands to reason likewise that I am to stand to one side, and leave the road clear after this?’
‘It’d be the wisest thing you ever did.’ ‘Well, now, Thistlewood, you’ll please understand that, for all so frivolous as I may be, I’m hardly that easy to be swayed. As for who has a right on the ground, it’s a mere piece of impudence to talk about it. That’s neither for me nor you to choose. If ever I get straight “No” I’ll go, but I’ll have it before I go, for that’s a man’s bounden duty to himself.’