Then two days before the end he came. As she was standing by the barn door he appeared at the horse-pond, and crossed over to her at once. He had seen that she was waiting for him—perhaps he had seen it on half a dozen other occasions when she had not seen him.
Rose could calm the silly jumps of her heart only by telling herself that this was quite an accidental meeting. She made an effort to be commonplace.
"How's Topsy's foal?"
"Doing valiant. Will you come out wud me to-morrow evenun to see the toll-burning?"
She flushed at his audacity.
"No!—how can I?"
"You can quite easy, surelye. Mäaster's going to Cranbrook Fair, and wöan't be home till läate. It's the last night, remember."
She made a gallant effort to be the old Rose.
"What's that to me?—you've got some cheek!"
"I'm only not pretending as much as you are. Why shud you pretend? Pretending 'ull give you naun sweet to remember when I'm gone."