Square. Her plan of life had been that, when old Mr. Woolsworthy was
taken away from Dartmoor, Patience should live with her; and that when
she also shuffled off her coil, then Patience Woolsworthy should be the
maiden mistress of Oxney Combe--of Oxney Combe and Mr. Cloysey's farm--
to the utter detriment of all the Broughtons. Such had been her plan
before nephew John had come among them--a plan not to be spoken of till
the coming of that dark day which should make Patience an orphan. But
now her nephew had been there, and all was to be altered. Miss Le
Smyrger's plan would have provided a companion for her old age; but
that had not been her chief object. She had thought more of Patience
than of herself, and now it seemed that a prospect of a higher
happiness was opening for her friend.

"John," she said, as soon as the first greetings were over, "do you
remember the last words that I said to you before you went away?" Now,
for myself, I much admire Miss Le Smyrger's heartiness, but I do not
think much of her discretion. It would have been better, perhaps, had
she allowed things to take their course.

"I can't say that I do," said the Captain. At the same time the
Captain did remember very well what those last words had been.

"I am so glad to see you, so delighted to see you, if--if--if -," and
then she paused, for with all her courage she hardly dared to ask her
nephew whether he had come there with the express purpose of asking
Miss Woolsworthy to marry him.

To tell the truth, for there is no room for mystery within the limits
of this short story,--to tell, I say, at a word the plain and simple
truth, Captain Broughton had already asked that question. On the day