"In any way most convenient to you, farmer Ward," she replied, with her accustomed kindness, "for I have that opinion of your industry and honesty, as not to fear your paying me; and I shall have my estate bordered by two as flourishing farms as any in the country while farmer Campbell and yourself are the owners of them, for I know you spare no pains to make them so."
"Well, I declare I did not think you would have been so kind to me, ma'am," returned the farmer; "I have certainly done you wrong; but I'll speak the truth: I beg your pardon, but I thought all your favors were reserved for my neighbour Campbell, and that in a very few years he would have my farm as well as his own, and I should be turned out to make room for him."
"I am sorry you should think so," returned Mrs. Meridith, "you are convinced now, I hope, that there was no reason for it; I have always looked upon you and him, as tenants too good for me to wish to lose either."
"Well, this comes of evil surmising," said the farmer, conscious of his ill conduct to Campbell when they met at market, and other places: "I am ashamed of it, that I be—dear, dear, how unhappy have I made myself about it, and some other people too, I am afraid, madam," looking at Mrs. Meridith, to discover whether farmer Campbell had mentioned his behaviour to her, but he read nothing in her countenance which indicated it; and indeed he had not thought it worth while to relate it, though he was hurt that her kindness to him, should produce an effect in one who had for many years been his friend and neighbour. "Another evil surmise," resumed Ward, after a short silence. "I'll be bound Campbell ha'nt said a word about it; I'll go home, ma'am, and tell my wife how much I have been mistaken; and I begs your pardon for thinking as I have done; some future time we may talk about the purchase; and pray, madam, accept my hearty thanks for your kindness."
"Oh, don't mention that, farmer," returned she, "it is no more than your due, you have always taken good care of my land."
"I will, madam, for the future," said he, "whether I can raise money enough to buy it or not; but I am ashamed to say it, but truth will come out, I did not intend to take any more pains with it; for I thought Campbell would soon have it all."
"Oh, farmer, I hope you will never give way to such ill-grounded suspicions again," returned Mrs. Meridith, "depend upon it I would act with the same fairness to you as to him," and seeing the poor man quite confused with a sense of his error, she offered him her hand, and begged him to believe her as much a friend to his interest as to Campbell's; "only I have known him a longer time," said she, "and his mother was mine, when I had lost my own."
The farmer appeared quite melted by her condescension, and not being able to say another word, he gave her hand a hearty shake, and hurried out of the house to tell his wife how he had been mistaken in what he thought was Mrs. Meridith's intention.