She waited a moment among all the sweetly perfumed flowers in her little garden, looking at the bright glitter of the hill stream as it flowed equably by.
"How wonderful it is," she thought, "that God should have been so good to me! I have done nothing to deserve any love at all, and yet Angus loves me! It seems too beautiful to be real! I am not worthy of such happiness! Sometimes I dare not think too much of it lest it should all prove to be only a dream! For surely no one in the world could wish for a better life than we shall live--Angus and I--in this dear little cottage together,--he with his writing, which I know will some day move the world,--and I with my usual work, helping as much as I can to make his life sweet to him.

For we have the great secret of all joy--we love each other!" With her eyes full of the dreamy light of inward heart's content, she turned and went into the house.

The sight of David's empty chair by the fire troubled her,--but she tried to believe that Angus would succeed in finding him on the highroad, and in persuading him to return at once.
Towards noon Mrs.Twitt came in, somewhat out of breath, on account of having climbed the village street more rapidly than was her custom on such a warm day as it had turned out to be, and straightway began conversation.
"Wonders 'ull never cease, Mis' Deane, an' that's a fact!" she said, wiping her hot face with the corner of her apron--"An' while there's life there's 'ope! I'd as soon 'a thought o' Weircombe Church walkin' down to the shore an' turnin' itself into a fishin' smack, as that you'd a' got engaged to be married! I would, an' that's a Gospel truth! Ye seemed so steady like an' settled--lor' a mussy me!" And here, despite her effort to look serious, a broad smile got the better of her.

"An' a fine man too you've got,--none o' your scallywag weaklings as one sees too much of nowadays, but a real upright sort o' chap wi' no nonsense about 'im.

An' I wishes ye well, Mary, my dear,"-- and the worthy soul took Mary's hand in hers and gave her a hearty kiss.