'Charley isn't the man to desert me。 But if he should be； and won't
marry me because Phil's come； let him go and marry elsewhere。 I
won't be ashamed of my own flesh and blood for any man in England
not I！' And then Sally turned away and burst into tears。
'Wait till you are twenty years older and you will tell a different
tale；' replied her mother。
The son stood up。 'Mother；' he said bitterly； 'as I have come； so I
will go。 All I ask of you is that you will allow me and mine to lie
in your stable to…night。 I give you my word that we'll be gone by
break of day； and trouble you no further！'
Mrs。 Hall； the mother； changed at that。 'O no；' she answered
hastily； 'never shall it be said that I sent any of my own family
from my door。 Bring 'em in； Philip； or take me out to them。'
'We will put 'em all into the large bedroom；' said Sally；
brightening； 'and make up a large fire。 Let's go and help them in；
and call Rebekah。' （Rebekah was the woman who assisted at the dairy
and housework； she lived in a cottage hard by with her husband； who
attended to the cows。）
Sally went to fetch a lantern from the back…kitchen； but her brother
said； 'You won't want a light。 I lit the lantern that was hanging
there。'
'What must we call your wife？' asked Mrs。 Hall。
'Helena；' said Philip。
With shawls over their heads they proceeded towards the back door。
'One minute before you go；' interrupted Philip。 'II haven't
confessed all。'
'Then Heaven help us！' said Mrs。 Hall； pushing to the door and
clasping her hands in calm despair。
'We passed through Evershead as we came；' he continued； 'and I just
looked in at the 〃Sow…and…Acorn〃 to see if old Mike still kept on
there as usual。 The carrier had come in from Sherton Abbas at that
moment； and guessing that I was bound for this placefor I think he
knew mehe asked me to bring on a dressmaker's parcel for Sally
that was marked 〃immediate。〃 My wife had walked on with the
children。 'Twas a flimsy parcel； and the paper was torn； and I
found on looking at it that it was a thick warm gown。 I didn't wish
you to see poor Helena in a shabby state。 I was ashamed that you
should'twas not what she was born to。 I untied the parcel in the
road； took it on to her where she was waiting in the Lower Barn； and
told her I had managed to get it for her； and that she was to ask no
question。 She； poor thing； must have supposed I obtained it on
trust； through having reached a place where I was known； for she put
it on gladly enough。 She has it on now。 Sally has other gowns； I
daresay。'
Sally looked at her mother； speechless。
'You have others； I daresay！' repeated Phil； with a sick man's
impatience。 'I thought to myself； 〃Better Sally cry than Helena
freeze。〃 Well； is the dress of great consequence？ 'Twas nothing
very ornamental； as far as I could see。'
'Nono； not of consequence；' returned Sally sadly； adding in a
gentle voice； 'You will not mind if I lend her another instead of
that one； will you？'
Philip's agitation at the confession had brought on another attack
of the cough； which seemed to shake him to pieces。 He was so
obviously unfit to sit in a chair that they helped him upstairs at
once； and having hastily given him a cordial and kindled the bedroom
fire； they descended to fetch their unhappy new relations。
CHAPTER III
It was with strange feelings that the girl and her mother； lately so
cheerful； passed out of the back door into the open air of the
barton； laden with hay scents and the herby breath of cows。 A fine
sleet had begun to fall； and they trotted across the yard quickly。
The stable…door was open； a light shone from itfrom the lantern
which always hung there； and which Philip had lighted； as he said。
Softly nearing the door； Mrs。 Hall pronounced the name 'Helena！'
There was no answer for the moment。 Looking in she was taken by
surprise。 Two people appeared before her。 For one； instead of the
drabbish woman she had expected； Mrs。 Hall saw a pale； dark…eyed；
ladylike creature； whose personality ruled her attire rather than
was ruled by it。 She was in a new and handsome gown； of course； and
an old bonnet。 She was standing up； agitated； her hand was held by
her companionnone else than Sally's affianced； Farmer Charles
Darton； upon whose fine figure the pale stranger's eyes were fixed；
as his were fixed upon her。 His other hand held the rein of his
horse； which was standing saddled as if just led in。
At sight of Mrs。 Hall they both turned； looking at her in a way
neither quite conscious nor unconscious； and without seeming to
recollect that words were necessary as a solution to the scene。 In
another moment Sally entered also； when Mr。 Darton dropped his
companion's hand； led the horse aside； and came to greet his
betrothed and Mrs。 Hall。
'Ah！' he said； smilingwith something like forced composure'this
is a roundabout way of arriving； you will say； my dear Mrs。 Hall。
But we lost our way； which made us late。 I saw a light here； and
led in my horse at oncemy friend Johns and my man have gone back
to the little inn with theirs； not to crowd you too much。 No sooner
had I entered than I saw that this lady had taken temporary shelter
hereand found I was intruding。'
'She is my daughter…in…law；' said Mrs。 Hall calmly。 'My son； too；
is in the house； but he has gone to bed unwell。'
Sally had stood staring wonderingly at the scene until this moment；
hardly recognizing Darton's shake of the hand。 The spell that bound
her was broken by her perceiving the two little children seated on a
heap of hay。 She suddenly went forward； spoke to them； and took one
on her arm and the other in her hand。
'And two children？' said Mr。 Darton； showing thus that he had not
been there long enough as yet to understand the situation。
'My grandchildren；' said Mrs。 Hall； with as much affected ease as
before。
Philip Hall's wife； in spite of this interruption to her first
rencounter； seemed scarcely so much affected by it as to feel any
one's presence in addition to Mr。 Darton's。 However； arousing
herself by a quick reflection； she threw a sudden critical glance of
her sad eyes upon Mrs。 Hall； and； apparently finding her
satisfactory； advanced to her in a meek initiative。 Then Sally and
the stranger spoke some friendly words to each other； and Sally went
on with the children into the house。 Mrs。 Hall and Helena followed；
and Mr。 Darton followed these； looking at Helena's dress and
outline； and listening to her voice like a man in a dream。
By the time the others reached the house Sally had already gone
upstairs with the tired children。 She rapped against the wall for
Rebekah to come in and help to attend to them； Rebekah's house being
a little 'spit…and…dab' cabin leaning against the substantial stone…
work of Mrs。 Hall's taller erection。 When she came a bed was made
up for the little ones； and some supper given to them。 On
descending the stairs after seeing this done Sally went to the
sitting…room。 Young Mrs。 Hall entered it just in advance of her；
having in the interim retired with her mother…in…law to take off her
bonnet； and otherwise make herself presentable。 Hence it was
evident that no further communication could have passed between her
and Mr。 Darton since their brief interview in the stable。
Mr。 Japheth Johns now opportunely arrived； and broke up the
restraint of the company； after a few orthodox meteorological
commentaries had passed between him and Mrs。 Hall by way of
introduction。 They at once sat down to supper； the present of wine
and turkey not being produced for consumption to…night； lest the
premature display of those gifts should seem to throw doubt on Mrs。
Hall's capacities as a provider。
'Drink hearty； Mr。 Johnsdrink hearty；' said that matron
magnanimously。 'Such as it is there's plenty of。 But perhaps
cider…wine is not to your taste？though there's body in it。'
'Quite the contrairy； ma'amquite the contrairy；' said the
dairyman。 'For though I inherit the malt…liquor principle from my
father； I am a cider…drinker on my mother's side。 She came from
these parts； you know。 And there's this to be said for't'tis a
more peaceful liquor； and don't lie about a man like your hotter
drinks。 With care； one may live on it a twelvemonth without
knocking down a neighbour； or getting a black eye from an old
acquaintance。'
The general conversation thus begun was continued briskly； though it
was in the main restricted to Mrs。 Hall and Japheth； who in truth
required but little help from anybody。 There being slight call upon
Sally's tongue； she had ample leisure to do what her heart most
desired； namely； watch her intended husband and her sister…in…law
with a view of elucidating the strange momentary scene in which her
mother and herself had surprised them in the stable。 If that scene
meant anything； it meant； at least； that they had met before。 That
there had been no time for explanations Sally could see； for their
manner was still one of suppressed amazement at each other's
presence there。 Darton's eyes； too； fell continually on the gown
worn by Helena as if this were an added riddle to his perplexity；
though to Sally it was the one feature in the case which was no
mystery。 He seemed to feel that fate had impishly changed his vis…
a…vis in the lover's jig he was about to foot； that while the gown
had been expected to enclose a Sally； a Helena's face looked out
from the bodice； that some long…lost hand met his own from the
sleeves。
Sally could see that whatever Helena might know of Darton； she knew
nothing of how the dress entered into his embarrassment。 And at
moments the young girl would have persuaded herself that Darton's
looks at her sister…in…law were entirely the fruit of the clothes
query。 But surely at other times a more extensive range of
speculation and sentiment was expressed by her lover's eye than that
which the changed dress would account for。
Sally's independence made her one of the least jealous of women。
But there was something in the relations of these two visitors which
ought to be explained。
Japheth Johns continued to converse in his well…known style；
interspersing h