Sage was silent, for she was thinking it was her duty to tell him that, after the sad little trouble that had come between them, it would be better for them to be more distant for a time; but she could not say it with his eyes looking appealingly at her. She had felt so proud of him for his manly bearing and straightforward honesty of purpose. The words would not come, and somehow the next minute she was sobbing in his arms as he whispered those two words, but in such a tone--

"My darling!"

She started from him guiltily the next moment, and ran up-stairs, and stayed till there was a fresh crunching of wheels and the trampling of a horse's hoofs, when she came down again to welcome her sister and her husband, John Berry--a bluff, middle-aged farmer to whom Rue had been married some five years, and they had come now to spend a few days, bringing their two little girls.

"Ah, Luke, my man of wisdom, how are you? Sage, my dear, give us a kiss. Bless you, how well you look. How am I? Hearty, and so's Rue."

Sage was kissing her sister affectionately the next moment, heartily glad to see her looking so rosy and well, but blushing redder as she whispered merrily--

"Oh! I am sorry we came and interrupted you. You look so guilty, Sagey. When's it to be?"

"Not for years to come, dear," said Sage, as she busied herself with Lotty and Totty, their two golden-haired little children, who were so wrapped up that they were, as John said, warm as toasts.

He plumped himself into a chair directly, to take one on each knee.

Then Sage and Rue busied themselves in taking off pelisses and woollen leggings, and reducing the little things into a less rounded shape, while John sat as stolid and serious as a judge, evidently being very proud of his two little ones, as he was of his handsome young wife.

"And now, John, you'd like a tankard of ale, wouldn't you?" cried Sage.

"Well, I don't know," said John, quietly; "a mug of squire's ale is nice, if Luke there will have one too."

"Oh! I'll join," said Luke, heartily; and, after drawing it, Sage went up with Rue to her room, and she began to tease her about Luke, but ended with an affectionate embrace.

"I'd marry him any time, dear," she said, "for I think he's a good fellow, and if you are as happy as I am with dear old John you will be satisfied."

"But uncle has said that it is not to be till Luke has five hundred a year," said Sage, dreamily, "and that will not be for a long time; and-- and, Rue, dear," she faltered, "I--I don't think I feel quite happy about it."

"Stuff and nonsense, Sagey! Uncle will come round. He wants to see us quite happy."

"But you misunderstand me, dear," said Sage, thoughtfully. "I mean that I'm half afraid I'm not doing right in letting Luke Ross believe I love him, because--because--"

"Because--because you are a goose," cried Rue, merrily. "I felt just the same about John, and was ready to break it off, and now I think him the dearest and best fellow under the sun. Sage, dear."

"Yes, Rue."

"You are in the sugar-plum stage just now, and don't know your own mind.

I like Luke Ross. He's frank and straightforward. Don't play with him, for he's a man to be trusted, and you're lucky to have him care for you."

"Yes, I suppose so," said Sage, dreamily; "but it is not to be for a long time yet."

As she spoke she was thinking of the past, and her sister's love affair with Frank Mallow, who used to follow her whenever she was out for a walk; and then about the trouble at the rectory, when Frank Mallow went off all on a sudden. Of how poor Rue was nearly heartbroken, and used to tell Sage that she would go after him if he sent for her; but he never even wrote to her in spite of all his professions; and then they learned how badly he had behaved; and after that Rue never mentioned his name but in a quiet subdued way, and at her uncle's wish accepted John Berry--a man of sterling qualities--and she had grown brighter and happier ever since she had been his wife.

The final preparations were made and the table spread long before the Churchwarden and his wife came back, with the chaise loaded up, and Mrs Portlock protesting that she would never go again if Joseph took a whip.

The culprit chuckled as Sage helped him with his overcoat, shouting orders all the while to Luke and John Berry, who were busy bringing in the load of parcels till it seemed wonderful how they could all have been packed into the chaise.

At last the final packet was in, and the cold air shut out; but hardly had the door been closed, and they were standing laughing at Rue's little girls, who were staggering in and out of the great parlour with packets which they carried by the string, than the bell rang.

"Here's Vinnicombe!" cried Portlock, and the doctor, in a fur cap tied down over his ears, blue spectacles over his eyes, and his tall lean form m.u.f.fled in a long thick greatcoat, came in, stamping his feet.

"Here, help me off with this coat, somebody," growled the doctor. "How do, girls? Take away those children, or I shall tread on 'em. Hate youngsters running about under one's feet like black beetles. What have you got there?" he added, pointing to the parcels.

"Fal-lals and kickshaws. The old woman's been pretty well emptying the grocer's shop."

"Now, Joseph, that is really too bad," said Mrs Portlock, full of mild indignation. "Now you know you would persist in buying three-parts of what is there."

"Humph! Thought you fancied you were going to be snowed up," growled the doctor, shaking himself free of his coat, and holding out first one leg and then the other for Luke to pull off his goloshes. "That's right, Luke Ross; I don't see why you young fellows shouldn't wait on us old ones. I had lots of trouble with you, you young rascal; fetched out of bed for you often."

"Well, doctor," cried Luke, "you see I'm willing enough," and his cheeks flushed with pleasure to find that in spite of the Churchwarden's serious treatment of his proposals, he was warmer than ever he had been before.

"There, look sharp, girls," cried the Churchwarden. "Come, old lady, take off your things. Sage, put the doctor in the chimney-corner to thaw. He'll soon come round."

Dr Vinnicombe shook his fist at the speaker, and let Sage lead him to the glowing fire, while the next moment the Churchwarden was having what he called "a glorious cuddle," four little chubby arms being fast about his great neck, and a couple of pairs of little red lips kissing him all over his rugged, ruddy face.

PART ONE, CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

THE BAD SHILLING.

Michael Ross, Luke's father, came soon after with a couple of fellow-townsmen, and their chat about the state of affairs, social and political, that is to say, the state of affairs in connection with the rectory and the price of corn, was interrupted by the call for tea.

The warm fire and the pleasant social meal did make the doctor come round, and very pleasant everything seemed as they afterwards sat about the blazing fire. Sage noted how happy and contented her sister was, with her pretty young matronly face, as she sat by her husband's side and seemed to glow with content, as first one little golden-haired cherub and then the other was seated on Dr Vinnicombe's knee, the soured old cynic telling them tales to which they all listened with almost childish delight.

Luke's heart was full of joy, and he kept glancing across at Sage, who avoided his gaze in a timid, cast-down manner; but it did not displease him, for he thought she was all that was modest and sweet, and told himself that he was proud indeed to have won such a woman for his future wife.

Then there seemed to be a blank in the room, for Sage left with her sister to put the little ones to bed, Rue sending the blood flushing into her cheeks as she half mockingly said--

"How long will it be, Sage, before I am helping you to put a little Luke and a little Sage to sleep?"

They were very silent directly after, and Sage felt a kind of wondering awe as, in obedience to a word from their mother, the two little white-robed things, with their fair hair like golden glories round their heads, knelt at Aunty Sage's knee to lisp each a little simple prayer to G.o.d to send his angels to watch round their couch that night; and then back came Rue's merry words, and with them wondering awe, almost dread, at the possibility of such as these at her feet ever calling her mother, and looking to her for help.

They stayed for a few minutes to see the children sleep, with their rosy little faces on the same pillow, and then, with their arms around each other, Sage and Rue, happy girls at heart once more, descended to the dining-room, where their aunt was telling Doctor Vinnicombe about her troubles with her garden, while their uncle's face was full of good-humoured crinkles as she spoke.

"Here, girls," he said, putting down his pipe, "come and comfort me while I'm being flogged."

"I'm not flogging you, Joseph," said Mrs Portlock, speaking in a serious, half-plaintive way; "but it will soon be time for d.i.c.ky to be doing up my garden again, and I do say that it is a shame that in my own ground you will be always planting seeds and things that have no business there."

"Never put in anything that isn't useful," chuckled the Churchwarden, with his arms round his nieces' waists as they stood by his side.

"Useful, yes; but you ought not to sow carrot-seed amongst my mignonette, and plant potato-cuttings in amongst my tulips and hearts-ease. I declare, doctor, if my verbena-bed was not full of cabbage plants one day, and when I pulled them up he had them set again, and often and often I've allowed swedes, and mangolds, and rape to get ever so big in the garden before I've known what they were."

"He's a terrible rascal, Mrs Portlock, that he is; and if I were you I'd have a divorce," said the doctor.

"Ah, do, old lady," chuckled the Churchwarden, but he became serious directly as his wife rose from her seat and went and stood behind his chair, with her hands upon his shoulders.

"A divorce?" she said, smiling. "Thirty years we've been man and wife, Joseph;" and he leaned back his head and said softly--

"Ay, dear, and I worked five years till I was well enough off to give you a good home, and please G.o.d we'll have thirty more years together-- here, or in the better world."