"Mother, did widow Pratt have her jelly?"
"Bless thee, my darling," cried the Squire, bursting in at the sound of her voice, "is thy life so little worth that thy first thought goes after that foolish errand? Why, Evelyn, here's Guy mightily astonished to find his little playmate jumping hedges and ditches yet."
"It's only a very low wall there, father, and I often go that way to the village."
"Ah, you mistook your time for once, my lass; but we thank God that your frolic has not ended in the grave as it might have done. Spadeley and I have had a word about leaving graves open like that."
"Don't be angry with him, dear father: he would give his life for mine, though I didn't come in with the Conqueror."
"Thou'rt a mischievous little elf, after all," said her father, fondly noticing the smile that played round the saucy lips again, "and to-morrow you must make amends to Guy for the sorry welcome you've given him to-day. He looked as much like a ghost as you did when they brought you home in such fashion."
Evelyn looked for a few moments very unlike a ghost, which improvement the Squire duly reported, and reluctantly submitted to leave his daughter to the repose and darkness imperatively commanded by her medical attendants.
The preparations for the marriage of Maude and Mr. Herbert were taken entirely out of Mrs. Falconer's hands, and the master and mistress of the Moat insisted that it should be celebrated with precisely the rejoicings and hospitality pertaining to the condition of her birth and ancestry; and Mr. Spadeley oracularly declared that the proudest Baron of her ancient line could have found no flaw in the programme.
To the gentle girl herself, the honour done her made little difference; her heart was full of the happiness of sharing a good man's home and work, and justifying his love and choice; and her true womanly feeling could not but rejoice in the general tribute to his noble Christian character, and appreciated labours among an attached people.
Not long after this happy event, Guy Falconer announced his intention of taking another long tour, in the interests of study, and as he seemed to produce good reasons for the resolve, his friends were obliged to acquiesce. His paintings were admired and bought, and lovers of Art were desirous to employ his talent.