“O marry! I forgot,” she exclaimed with a little excited giggle, as she picked up the square envelope and broke open the red seal.
“Ah!” said she, as she studied the large flourishing script within.
Cip shot a covert glance at Hal and then hid his smile in his tankard.
“Ah!” said Anny again, turning the paper over.
Hal became impatient.
“Well, lass?” he said, rising.
Anny blushed, and then thrust the paper in his hand.
“Thou knowest I cannot read, Hal?” she said. “Wilt decipher it for me?”
Hal took it willingly, although with some show of indifference, and holding the paper at arms’ length, read it carefully through to himself.
“Plague upon it all!” he exclaimed.