each other? Why! I can fairly see 'em together now, lass, and it's
going to be all reet, and--and--and--" He was actually too full for
further utterance, and bending down clasped his equally moved listener
in his arms, and just hugged her.

When Mary finally managed to extricate herself from his arms, he gave
further vent to his feelings by cutting a series of remarkable capers,
doubtless a species of ancient dance, in which (undignified as
doubtless it would have been) Mary, who had caught the contagion of
his happiness, would, I believe, eventually have joined, had he not
suddenly hove to.

Hurrying to her side, he said, between his gasps for breath, "And now
for the plot, lass. I'll go and get the boots, wrap 'em up, and put
'em on the table theere. Then thou must go and tell the missus that
there's a parcel for her on the table. Thou wilt manage, of course, to
get out o' the room before she can tell thee to fetch it. As for me,
when I know that she's found it, I'll go to the maister and deliver a
like message to him, and also get away before he can tell me to bring
it. And then, lass, he'll catch her when her heart's full--and then we
shall see!"

His genial old coat-tails were flashing out of the room before Mary
could say a word in reply.

As she sank breathlessly down on her chair, she exclaimed: "Ah, but I
am excited and moved!"

She had scarcely time to wipe her eyes when John flashed back again,
his spectacles in one hand and a small parcel in the other. "Theere