William began to feel uncomfortable, and to wonder what his kinsman had been up to.
"I hope you have not been getting into any foolish matrimonial entanglement?" he questioned seriously.
Sam laughed heartily and good-humouredly.
"No, no; things are not quite so bad as that," he said. "The fact is, I would like to get into a matrimonial entanglement, as you call it, but not into a foolish one."
Then he stopped suddenly, and began to fidget again in his chair.
"Then you are not engaged yet?"
"Well, not quite."
And Sam laughed again.
William waited for him to continue, but Sam appeared to start off on an entirely new tack.
"I don't think I've been in St. Goram parish since the sale at Hillside Farm. You remember it?"