ouldhavetocommitbigamy,andmarryyouboth."
TheylaughedattheColonel'smildlittlejoke,happytobreakthroughthecloudofdoubtwhichoppressedthem.
"You'readearthing,"saidMary,kissingtheoldman,"andI'maverysillygirl.It'swrongofmetogivewaytowhimsandfancies."
"Youmustbeverybravewhenyou'rethewifeofaV.C.,"saidtheColonel,pattingherhand.
"Oh,itwasabeautifulaction!"criedMary."Andhe'sasmodestaboutitasthoughhehaddonenothingthatanymanmightnotdo.IthinktherecanbenosightmorepleasingtoGodthanthatofabravemanriskinghislifetosaveacomrade."
"Andthatoughttobeanassurancetoyou,Mary,thatJameswillneverdoanythingunkindordishonourable.Trusthim,andforgivehislittlefaultsofmanner.I'msurehelovesyou,andsoonyou'llgetmarriedandbecompletelyhappy."
Mary'sfacedarkenedoncemore.
"He'sbeenherethreedays,andhe'snotsaidawordaboutgettingmarried.Oh,Ican'thelpitI'msofrightened!Iwishhe'dsaysomething—justonewordtoshowthathereallycaresforme.Heseemstohaveforgottenthatwe'reevenengaged."
ColonelParsonslookedathiswife,beggingherbyhisglancetosaysomethingthatwouldcomfortMary.Mrs.Parsonslookeddown,uncertain,illatease.
"Youdon'tdespisemefortalkinglikethis,Mrs.Parsons?"
"Despiseyou,mydear!HowcanI,whenIloveyousodearly?ShallIspeaktoJamie?I'msurewhenheunderstandsthathe'smakingyouunhappy,he'llbedifferent.HehasthekindestheartintheworldI'veneverknownhimdoanunkindthinginhislife."
"No,don'tsayanythingtohim,"repliedMary."Idaresayit'sallnonsense.Idon'twanthimtobedrivenintomakinglovetome."
MeanwhileJameswanderedthoughtfully.Thecountrywasundulating,andlittlehillroseafterlittlehill,affordingspaciousviewsofthefatKentishfields,encircledbyoaktreesandbychestnuts.Ownedbyrichlandlords,eachgenerationhaddoneitsbest,andthefruitfullandwastendedlikeagarden.Butithadnoabandonment,nofreedomthehandofmanwasobvious,perpetually,inthetrimnessandinthecarefularrangement,sothatthelandscape,initsformality,remindedoneofthosesetpieceschosenbytheclassicpainters.Butthefieldswerefreshwithth