‘Well, then,’ cried Isaac, chuckling and rubbing his hands, ‘all’s well as ends well! ’Ees, we may say that—all’s well as ends well! We’ll be the best o’ friends as ever; but I do think as Richard ’ull be more suitable as a husband, my dear. Ye mid as well see Mrs. F. home now, Richard. I think I’ll go back to my bit o’ supper; ’t will be cold enough by now, I reckon.’
With a nod and a broad smile he left them, and pursued his homeward way, pausing ever and anon to look backwards at the two lithe young figures which moved slowly along above the dark irregular line of hedge—the bent heads, very close together, outlined against the lambent evening sky. Once, after one of these backward glances, he began to chuckle.
‘They’ve a-took to the notion nicely,’ he said. ‘’Ees, I reckon they’ll do!’
THE END