gown going in at the porch, and when I come up the key was in the
door, and she hadn't come out. Quick as thought, the idea come to me
to have a joke with her and lock her in, so she shouldn't meet him,
and next minute I had turned the key in the lock softly, and stole
off through the church porch, and up to the ash copse, which I
couldn't make a mistake about, for there's only one within a mile of
the church.

Jack was there, though it was before the time. I could see his blue
tie and white shirt-front shining through the trees.

When I locked her in I only meant to have a sort of joke--at least,
I think so,--but when I come close up to him and saw how well off he
looked, and the diamond ring on his fingers, and his pin and his
gold chain, I thought to myself--

'Well, you go to Liverpool to-morrow, young man! And she ain't got
your address, and, likely as not, if you go away vexed with her, you
won't leave it with your aunt, and one wife is as good as another,
if not better, and as for her caring for you, that's all affectation
and silliness--so here goes.'

He stepped forward, with his hands held out to me, but when he saw
it was me he stopped short.

'Why, Miss Jane,' he said, 'I beg your pardon. I was expecting quite
a different person.'

'Yes, I know,' I says, 'you was expecting my cousin Mattie.'