"What does it mean--it is not skimmity-riding, I hope?" she said, with a
frightened gaze at Wildeve.

"Of course not; no, it is that the heath-folk have come to sing to us
a welcome. This is intolerable!" He began pacing about, the men outside
singing cheerily--


"He told' her that she' was the joy' of his life', And if' she'd
con-sent' he would make her his wife'; She could' not refuse' him;
to church' so they went', Young Will was forgot', and young Sue' was
content'; And then' was she kiss'd' and set down' on his knee', No man'
in the world' was so lov'-ing as he'!"


Mrs. Yeobright burst in from the outer room. "Thomasin, Thomasin!" she
said, looking indignantly at Wildeve; "here's a pretty exposure! Let us
escape at once. Come!"

It was, however, too late to get away by the passage. A rugged knocking
had begun upon the door of the front room. Wildeve, who had gone to the
window, came back.

"Stop!" he said imperiously, putting his hand upon Mrs. Yeobright's arm.
"We are regularly besieged. There are fifty of them out there if there's
one. You stay in this room with Thomasin; I'll go out and face them. You
must stay now, for my sake, till they are gone, so that it may seem as
if all was right. Come, Tamsie dear, don't go making a scene--we must
marry after this; that you can see as well as I. Sit still, that's