same. And if Mr. Warner be taking a snack with Nelly this evening he'll
make good every word I'm telling you. In fact I dare say what you have now
got to pretend is bad news, Jane, be really very much the opposite.
There's only one person is called to suffer to-night so far as I know, and
that's John Warner. And even he may not suffer so much as he did ought. He
put Mrs. Bascombe afore you, and so you ordained to keep your threat and
leave him. And you come to me to take you and make good your threat."

"You didn't ought to put it like that--it ain't decent," she said. But she
knew, of course, she'd lost the man.

"It don't matter now," he replied, "because human nature overthrows
decency and delights in surprises--decent and otherwise. What has happened
is this. Me and Nelly Bascombe was equally interested in your family, and
along of that common interest and seeing a lot of each other and unfolding
our opinions, we got equally interested in one another. And then nature
cut the knot, Jane, and, in a word, I darned soon found I liked Nelly
Bascombe a lot better than ever I liked you, if you'll excuse my saying
so; and, what was a lot more to the purpose, she discovered how she liked
me oceans deeper than she liked your father."

"My goodness!" cried Miss Warner. "That's the brightest news I've heard
this longful time, you blessed man! Oh, Martin, can you get her away from
father? I'll love you in real earnest--to my dying day I will--if you
can!"

She sparkled out like that and amazed him yet again.

"I _have_ got her away," he said. "And that's what Mr. Warner's going to
hear from Nelly to-night, so brace yourself against he comes home."