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face； and think what a wicked old father of lies he had grown up to
be。 Howsomever； he went on a lying like a Trojan about the pony。
He told 'em that it did so unfortunately happen that the pony was
half clipped； you see； and that he couldn't be taken out in that
state； for fear it should strike to his inside。 But that he'd be
finished clipping in the course of the day； and that to…morrow
morning at eight o'clock the pheayton would be ready。 Boots's view
of the whole case； looking back on it in my room； is； that Mrs。
Harry Walmers； Junior； was beginning to give in。 She hadn't had her
hair curled when she went to bed； and she didn't seem quite up to
brushing it herself； and its getting in her eyes put her out。 But
nothing put out Master Harry。 He sat behind his breakfast…cup； a
tearing away at the jelly； as if he had been his own father。
After breakfast； Boots is inclined to consider that they drawed
soldiers；at least； he knows that many such was found in the fire…
place； all on horseback。 In the course of the morning； Master Harry
rang the bell；it was surprising how that there boy did carry on；
and said； in a sprightly way； 〃Cobbs； is there any good walks in
this neighbourhood？〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 says Cobbs。 〃There's Love Lane。〃
〃Get out with you； Cobbs！〃that was that there boy's expression；
〃you're joking。〃
〃Begging your pardon； sir；〃 says Cobbs； 〃there really is Love Lane。
And a pleasant walk it is； and proud shall I be to show it to
yourself and Mrs。 Harry Walmers； Junior。〃
〃Norah； dear；〃 said Master Harry； 〃this is curious。 We really ought
to see Love Lane。 Put on your bonnet； my sweetest darling； and we
will go there with Cobbs。〃
Boots leaves me to judge what a Beast he felt himself to be； when
that young pair told him； as they all three jogged along together；
that they had made up their minds to give him two thousand guineas a
year as head…gardener； on accounts of his being so true a friend to
'em。 Boots could have wished at the moment that the earth would
have opened and swallowed him up； he felt so mean； with their
beaming eyes a looking at him； and believing him。 Well； sir； he
turned the conversation as well as he could； and he took 'em down
Love Lane to the water…meadows； and there Master Harry would have
drowned himself in half a moment more； a getting out a water…lily
for her；but nothing daunted that boy。 Well； sir； they was tired
out。 All being so new and strange to 'em； they was tired as tired
could be。 And they laid down on a bank of daisies； like the
children in the wood； leastways meadows； and fell asleep。
Boots don't knowperhaps I do；but never mind； it don't signify
either waywhy it made a man fit to make a fool of himself to see
them two pretty babies a lying there in the clear still sunny day；
not dreaming half so hard when they was asleep as they done when
they was awake。 But； Lord！ when you come to think of yourself； you
know； and what a game you have been up to ever since you was in your
own cradle； and what a poor sort of a chap you are； and how it's
always either Yesterday with you； or else To…morrow； and never To…
day； that's where it is！
Well； sir； they woke up at last； and then one thing was getting
pretty clear to Boots； namely； that Mrs。 Harry Walmerses； Junior's；
temper was on the move。 When Master Harry took her round the waist；
she said he 〃teased her so；〃 and when he says； 〃Norah； my young May
Moon； your Harry tease you？〃 she tells him； 〃Yes； and I want to go
home！〃
A biled fowl； and baked bread…and…butter pudding； brought Mrs。
Walmers up a little； but Boots could have wished； he must privately
own to me； to have seen her more sensible of the woice of love； and
less abandoning of herself to currants。 However； Master Harry； he
kept up； and his noble heart was as fond as ever。 Mrs。 Walmers
turned very sleepy about dusk； and began to cry。 Therefore； Mrs。
Walmers went off to bed as per yesterday； and Master Harry ditto
repeated。
About eleven or twelve at night comes back the Governor in a chaise；
along with Mr。 Walmers and a elderly lady。 Mr。 Walmers looks amused
and very serious； both at once； and says to our missis； 〃We are much
indebted to you； ma'am； for your kind care of our little children；
which we can never sufficiently acknowledge。 Pray； ma'am； where is
my boy？〃 Our missis says； 〃Cobbs has the dear child in charge； sir。
Cobbs； show Forty！〃 Then he says to Cobbs； 〃Ah； Cobbs； I am glad to
see you！ I understood you was here！〃 And Cobbs says； 〃Yes； sir。
Your most obedient； sir。〃
I may be surprised to hear Boots say it； perhaps； but Boots assures
me that his heart beat like a hammer； going up…stairs。 〃I beg your
pardon； sir；〃 says he； while unlocking the door； 〃I hope you are not
angry with Master Harry。 For Master Harry is a fine boy； sir； and
will do you credit and honour。〃 And Boots signifies to me； that； if
the fine boy's father had contradicted him in the daring state of
mind in which he then was； he thinks he should have 〃fetched him a
crack；〃 and taken the consequences。
But Mr。 Walmers only says； 〃No； Cobbs。 No； my good fellow。 Thank
you！〃 And； the door being opened； goes in。
Boots goes in too； holding the light； and he sees Mr。 Walmers go up
to the bedside； bend gently down； and kiss the little sleeping face。
Then he stands looking at it for a minute； looking wonderfully like
it （they do say he ran away with Mrs。 Walmers）； and then he gently
shakes the little shoulder。
〃Harry； my dear boy！ Harry！〃
Master Harry starts up and looks at him。 Looks at Cobbs too。 Such
is the honour of that mite； that he looks at Cobbs； to see whether
he has brought him into trouble。
〃I am not angry； my child。 I only want you to dress yourself and
come home。〃
〃Yes； pa。〃
Master Harry dresses himself quickly。 His breast begins to swell
when he has nearly finished； and it swells more and more as he
stands； at last； a looking at his father： his father standing a
looking at him； the quiet image of him。
〃Please may I〃the spirit of that little creatur； and the way he
kept his rising tears down！〃please； dear pamay Ikiss Norah
before I go？〃
〃You may； my child。〃
So he takes Master Harry in his hand； and Boots leads the way with
the candle； and they come to that other bedroom； where the elderly
lady is seated by the bed； and poor little Mrs。 Harry Walmers；
Junior； is fast asleep。 There the father lifts the child up to the
pillow； and he lays his little face down for an instant by the
little warm face of poor unconscious little Mrs。 Harry Walmers；
Junior； and gently draws it to him；a sight so touching to the
chambermaids who are peeping through the door； that one of them
calls out； 〃It's a shame to part 'em！〃 But this chambermaid was
always； as Boots informs me； a soft…hearted one。 Not that there was
any harm in that girl。 Far from it。
Finally； Boots says； that's all about it。 Mr。 Walmers drove away in
the chaise； having hold of Master Harry's hand。 The elderly lady
and Mrs。 Harry Walmers； Junior； that was never to be （she married a
Captain long afterwards； and died in India）； went off next day。 In
conclusion； Boots put it to me whether I hold with him in two
opinions： firstly； that there are not many couples on their way to
be married who are half as innocent of guile as those two children；
secondly； that it would be a jolly good thing for a great many
couples on their way to be married； if they could only be stopped in
time； and brought back separately。
THIRD BRANCHTHE BILL
I had been snowed up a whole week。 The time had hung so lightly on
my hands； that I should have been in great doubt of the fact but for
a piece of documentary evidence that lay upon my table。
The road had been dug out of the snow on the previous day； and the
document in question was my bill。 It testified emphatically to my
having eaten and drunk； and warmed myself； and slept among the
sheltering branches of the Holly…Tree； seven days and nights。
I had yesterday allowed the road twenty…four hours to improve
itself； finding that I required that additional margin of time for
the completion of my task。 I had ordered my Bill to be upon the
table； and a chaise to be at the door； 〃at eight o'clock to…morrow
evening。〃 It was eight o'clock to…morrow evening when I buckled up
my travelling writing…desk in its leather case； paid my Bill； and
got on my warm coats and wrappers。 Of course； no time now remained
for my travelling on to add a frozen tear to the icicles which were
doubtless hanging plentifully about the farmhouse where I had first
seen Angela。 What I had to do was to get across to Liverpool by the
shortest open road； there to meet my heavy baggage and embark。 It
was quite enough to do； and I had not an hour too much time to do it
in。
I had taken leave of all my H