“‘On condition,’ he ses, in a loud voice, ‘that he marries the first Claybury woman, single or widow, that asks ’im to marry her in the presence of three witnesses. If he refuses, the property is to go to ’er instead.’
“Foxy turned round like mad then, and asked Henery Walker wot ’e was patting ’im on the back for. Then, in a choking voice, he asked to ’ave it read agin.
“‘Well, there’s one thing about it, Mr. Green,’ ses Henery Walker; ‘with all your property you’ll be able to ’ave the pick o’ the prettiest gals in Claybury.’
“‘’Ow’s that?’ ses Joe Chambers, very sharp; ‘he’s got to take the first woman that asks ’im, don’t matter wot ’er age is.’
“He got up suddenly, and, without even saying good-bye to Foxy, rushed out of the ’ouse and off over the fields as ’ard as ’e could go.
“‘Wot’s the matter with ’im?’ ses Foxy.
“Nobody could give any answer, and they sat there staring at each other, till all of a sudden Henery Walker jumps up and goes off if anything ’arder than wot Joe Chambers had done.
“‘Anything wrong with the drink?’ ses Foxy, puzzled like.
“They shook their ’eads agin, and then Peter Gubbins, who’d been staring ’ard with ’is mouth open, got up and gave the table a bang with ’is fist.
“‘Joe Chambers ’as gone arter ’is sister,’ he ses, ‘and Henery Walker arter ’is wife’s sister, as ’e’s been keeping for this last six months. That’s wot they’ve gone for.’