'You must. Any spare time come to this tree. I shall generally be
here.'

'But why ever? And you a squire with a big place and fine ladies after
you!'

'Because I choose.'

'Leave me be, Mr. Reddin. I be comforble, and Foxy be, and they're all
settling so nice. The bird's sung.'

'The parson, too, no doubt. If you don't come often enough, I shall
walk past the house and look in. If you go on not coming, I shall tell
the parson you stayed the night with me, and he'll turn you out.'

'He wouldna! You wouldna!'

'Yes, I would. He would, too. A parson doesn't want a wife that isn't
respectable. So as you've got to'--he dropped his harshness and became
persuasive--'you may as well come with a good grace.'

'But it wunna my fault as I stayed the night over. It was aunt
Prowde's. What for should folk chide me and not auntie?'

'Lord, I don't know! Because you're pretty.'

'Be I?'

'Hasn't that fellow told you so?'