"Why, the story is," said Mr. Van Brunt "at least I know, for I've understood as much from herself, that I believe she's going to be married before long."
"She!" exclaimed Ellen. "Married! Aunt Fortune!"
"I believe so," said Mr. Van Brunt, making a lunge at a tuft of tall grass, and pulling off two or three spears of it, which he carried to his mouth.
There was a long silence, during which Ellen saw nothing in earth, air, or sky, and knew no longer whether she was passing through woodland or meadow. To frame words into another sentence was past her power. They came in sight of the barn at length. She would not have much more time.
"Will it be soon, Mr. Van Brunt?"
"Why pretty soon as soon as next week, I guess; so I thought it was time you ought to be told. Do you know to who?"
"I don't know," said Ellen, in a low voice; "I couldn't help guessing."
"I reckon you've guessed about right," said he, without looking at her.
There was another silence, during which it seemed to Ellen that her thoughts were tumbling head over heels, they were in such confusion.
"The short and the long of it is," said Mr. Van Brunt, as they rounded the corner of the barn "we have made up our minds to draw in the same yoke; and we're both on us pretty go-ahead folks, so I guess we'll contrive to pull the cart along. I had just as lief tell you, Ellen, that all this was as good as settled a long spell back afore ever you came to Thirlwall; but I was never a-going to leave my old mother without a home, so I stuck to her, and would, to the end of time, if I had never been married. But now she is gone, and there is nothing to keep me to the old place any longer. So now you know the hull on it, and I wanted you should."