"No, sir. I managed to keep my secret with some difficulty, so she made another attempt to find it out, and asked me to tea."
"Preserve us!" cried Jarner, breaking his pipe in his astonishment; "if this is not the most remarkable thing I have heard. Tea at Farbis Court, and you a stranger! In all the years I have known Miss Linisfarne, I have never broken bread under her roof. Look after yourself, lad. There's woman's guile at work. If you don't take care of yourself, the old lady will marry you. You'll be mated, my lord, before you know where you are. There is no trusting Eve's daughters," finished the vicar, rising to get a fresh pipe.
"I'll be married soon, no doubt, Mr. Jarner, but not to Miss Linisfarne."
In the glow of the match, with which the vicar was lighting his new pipe, Dan saw that his face had suddenly grown serious.
"Are you talking of Meg, my lord?"
"Yes. Of whom else should I talk? I am in love with Meg, sir, and, with your assistance, hope to make her my wife."
"Is this a joke, my lord?" demanded Mr. Jarner, sternly.
"I was never more serious in my life."
"Then you're a lunatic, sir--a crazy person! What?--what? To love a woman you've seen but twice--to----"
"Pardon me! I've seen her four times."