People that met Jael Dence and Henry Little driving to Cairnhope were struck with their faces; his so dark, hers so fair, and both so handsome: but the woman's lit up with lively delight, the man's clouded and sorrowful, and his brow knit with care. This very day he must take the lock off Cairnhope old church, in spite of his Uncle Raby. He had got the requisite tools with him hidden in the gig; but, even should he succeed, it was but the first step of a difficult and, perhaps, dangerous enterprise; and he was entering on it all with a heart no longer buoyed by hopeful love. But for his pledge to Mr. Cheetham he could hardly have persisted in the struggle.
As for Jael Dence, she had no great reason to be happy either: the man she loved loved another. Still he was kind to HER, and they belonged to the same class; she had a chance, and gleams of hope.
And, after all, the future was uncertain, but the present certain: she had him to herself for the day. She was close to him--so close, that she could feel him--and he was driving her out, and to those who loved her: she basked in the present delight, and looked as if she was being taken to heaven by an angel, instead of driving to Cairnhope by a gloomy young man, whom the passers-by envied, and wondered at his good luck in having such a companion. She talked to him, and got the short answers of an absent man. But she continued to make her little remarks occasionally, and, ere they reached Cairnhope, he found himself somehow soothed by her sex, her beauty, and her mellow, kindly voice.
As they drove up to the farm-house, he told her to hide her face a moment, for they didn't know who it was.
Martha ran out. "Y'are welcome, y'are welcome; and so is your--
Eh! Why it's our Jael. 'Tis no avail to hide thy face, thou jade;
I know every bit o' thee." And Patty had her out of the gig in a moment, and there was a cuddling match it did one good to see.
Henry perked up for a moment and offered a suggestion. "Some of that ought to come my way, for bringing her here."
"Oh, you'll get enough o' that fun before you die," said Patty.
"Now come you in; the carter's boy will take the horse."
They went in and greeted the old farmer; and soon the bell began to ring for church, and Nathan Dence told Martha to put on her bonnet.
"La, father!" said she, piteously.
"She prefers to stay at home and chat with Jael," said Henry. The fact is, he wanted to be rid of them both.
Old Dence shook his head. He was one of those simple, grand, old rustic Christians, who have somehow picked out the marrow of religion, and left the devil the bone, yclept theology. "What?" said he, "my lasses! can't ye spare God a slice out of his own day?"
"Nay, it is not that, father."
The old man continued his remonstrance. "To be sure our Jael is a cordial. But she'll dine and sup with us. Take my word for 't, all lawful pleasures are sweeter on the Lord's day after a bit o' church."
"And so they are, father; but dear heart! to think of you forgetting. Will nobody tell him? They're sworn to give me a red face, Jael and all."
This piteous appeal set Jael's wits working. "Eh, father, it will be the first of her bans!"
"Is it me you are asking such a question?" cried Patty, and turned her head away with absurd mock-modesty.
"And so 'tis," said Dence; "ah, that is a different thing."
Henry thought that was no reason for Patty's staying at home; she ought rather to go and hear the bans were cried all right.
At this proposal both sisters lifted up their hands, and he was remonstrated with, and lectured, and at last informed that, if a girl was in church when her bans were cried, her children would be all born deaf and dumb.
"Oh, indeed!" said Little, satirically. "That's a fact in natural history I was not aware of. Well, farmer, then let's you and I go by ourselves."
So Patty stayed at home, in obedience to rural superstition, and Jael stayed to keep her company, and Farmer Dence went to church out of piety; and as for Henry, to tell the truth, he went to church to escape the girls' tongues, and to be in a quiet, somniferous place, where he could think out his plans undisturbed.
The men were no sooner gone than the sisters began to gossip hard.
"Eh, Jael, thou's gotten a prize."
"Not as I know of."
"I do adore a dark young man."
"So do I; but this one is not mine."
"I'll take his word before thine. Why, he calls thee his lass in his very letter."
"Not he. Show me his letter."
"What will ye give me?"
"Nay, Patty, pray show it me."
"Well, and so I will."
She brought her the letter. Jael read it and changed color, and was delighted for a moment or two; but soon her good sense and humility prevailed. "'Twas to surprise you, like. I do know he looks higher than me."
"More fool he. But I don't believe it."
"You may," said Jael, and turned the conversation to Patty's approaching marriage; once launched in that direction, it flowed without intermission till the men returned, and dinner smoked upon the board.
After dinner Henry watched an opportunity, and slipped out into the yard, got the tools out, put his great-coat over them, and away to Cairnhope Church. He knew better than go past Raby Hall to it: he went back toward Hillsborough, full three miles, and then turned off the road and got on the heather. He skirted the base of a heathery mound, and at last saw the church on an elevation before him, made for it incautiously over some boggy ground, and sank in up to his waist.
He extricated himself with considerable difficulty, and cast a woful look at his clothes.
Then he turned to, and piled up a heap of stones to mark the dangerous spot; for he foresaw he must often travel that way in all weathers. At last he reached the church, removed the lock, and fastened the door with screws. He then went back to the farm as fast as he could. But all this had taken a long time, and the sun was sinking as he got into the yard. He was in the very act of concealing the lock in the gig, when Martha Dence came out at him, as red as a turkey-cock.
"You thought but little of my sister, young man, to leave her all these hours, and you come out to spend the day with her."