and I had a nice business picking them up, and she threw her arms
round my neck and kissed me, and cried like the silly little thing
she was, and thanked me for bringing the letter, just as if I had
anything to do with it, or any wish or will one way or another; and
then she opened the letter, and seemed to forget all about me while
she read it.

I remember the sun was so bright on the white paper that I could
scarce see to read it over her shoulder, she not noticing me, nor
anything else, any more. It was like this--

'DEAR MATTIE,--This comes hoping to find you well, as it leaves me
at present.

'I don't bear no malice over what your father said and done, but I'm
not coming to his house.

'Now Mattie, if you have forgot me, or think more of some other
chap, don't let anything stand in the way of your letting me know it
straight and plain. But if you do remember how we used to walk from
church, and the valentine, and the piece of poetry about Cupid's
dart that I copied for you out of the poetry-book, you will come and
meet me in the little ash copse, you know where. I may be prevented
coming, for I've a lot of things to see to, and I am going to
Liverpool on Thursday, and if we are to be married you will have to
come to me there, for my business won't bear being left, and I must
get back to it. But if so I will put a note in your prayer-book in
the church. So you had best look in there on your way up on
Wednesday evening.