' Then said my
father, very solemnly, 'I came from God, and I'm going back to
God, and I won't have any gaps of death in the middle of my
life.' And that was nothing to Mr. Turnbull either."
To one in ten of my readers it may be something.
Just ere they came in sight of the smithy, they saw a lady and
gentleman on horseback flying across the common.
"There go Mrs. Redmain and Mr. Wardour!" said Joseph. "They're to
be married next month, they say. Well, it's a handsome couple
they'll make! And the two properties together'll make a fine
estate!"
"I hope she'll learn to like the books he does," said Mary. "I
never could get her to listen to anything for more than three
minutes."
Though Joseph generally dropped work long before Mary shut the
shop, she yet not unfrequently contrived to meet him on his way
home; and Joseph always kept looking out for her as he walked.
That very evening they were gradually nearing each other--the one
from the smithy, the other from the shop--with another pair
between them, however, going toward Testbridge--Godfrey Wardour
and Hesper Redmain.
"How strange," said Hesper, "that after all its chances and
breakings, old Thornwick should be joined up again at last!"
Partly by a death in the family, partly through the securities
her husband had taken on the property, partly by the will of her
father, the whole of Durnmelling now belonged to Hesper.
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