having read it (of course not for the first time), he seemed to form a
sudden resolution on the strength of it. He looked at his watch; it
marked a few minutes past six; he blew out the lights and left the
church, hesitating a moment by the railings on which Nancy had leaned an
hour before. "I think this justifies me," he meditated. "If 'Winged
Love' is so well spoken of I am sure to get on, and in time make an
income sufficient for us two: poor child, she hasn't been used to
luxuries, and a simple home would content her. She must be part way home
by now. Yes, I will follow Nancy, and explain why I have not met her for
so long, and ask her to love me and wait till I can ask her to be my
wife."

But Nancy Forest had left Shenton early, as we have seen, so Fred Hurst
did not overtake her. He went all the way to Braley Brook, however, and
right up to the ruinous old farmhouse where the Forests lived, and
waited in the orchard some time, hoping that Nancy would come out to
bring in some linen which hung to bleach among the bare apple trees. He
knew that Nancy always helped her mother in the evenings. But on this
evening no errand seemed to bring her out of doors, and Fred Hurst went
away without seeing her, meaning to meet her next day.

It would have been wiser if Fred had gone boldly to the farmhouse and
asked to see Nancy; but we are none of us wise at all times, and we have
generally to pay in pain for our lack of wisdom as well as for our
actual faults, though perhaps not in the same degree.


II.

Fred Hurst's father was Nancy's father's master, as we have seen; and a