"
And then he offered for her and she took him; and then, after that, of
course, she left his home till the wedding.
And the carpenter's childer yowled their heads off when she went, and
couldn't very easy be made to understand that Milly was only away for a
few weeks and would soon be back to bide with 'em. William tried hard to
get a bit more cash out of Jonas when he heard the glad news; but, though
feeling kindly to heaven above and earth beneath after his wonnerful
triumph, Milly's future husband felt that with his new calls and doing up
his home and buying poultry for his wife--birds being a thing she doted
on--that William must be content. He paid another fifty down and made it
clear that no more must be counted on for six months. And the horseman
said no more at that time, being a good bit occupied with Daisy Newte by
then. For she was walking with him and very near won. And afore Christmas,
he'd got her.
All went well and everybody wished Jonas joy and Milly luck. 'Twas thought
a very reasonable match, for Bird stood high in the public esteem and the
folk had long since felt that Milly might do much better than William. But
they admired her honesty and the way she'd stuck to him and felt she'd
been richly rewarded. In fact Jonas and Milly were a devoted pair and not
a cloud darkened their wedded life for a good few years.
Then came the fatal affair of the bargain, and though pretty easy about
the instalments till he'd got three children of his own, from that time
forth there's no doubt William began to fret Jonas cruel.
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