But oh, dear
John, how could you, could you, think so!'
Little woman, how she sobbed again! John Peery-
bingle would have caught her in his arms. But no;
she wouldn't let him.
'Don't love me yet, please John! Not for a long
time yet! When I was sad about this intended mar-
riage, dear, it was because I remembered May and
Edward such young lovers; and knew that her heart
was far away from Tackleton. You believe that,
now. Don't you John?'
John was going to make another rush at this ap-
peal; but she stopped him again.
'No; keep there, please John! When I laugh at
you, as I sometimes do, John, and call you clumsy
and a dear old goose, and names of that sort, it's be-
cause I love you John, so well, and take such pleasure
in your ways, and wouldn't see you altered in the
least respect to have you made a King to-morrow
'Hooroar!' said Caleb with unusual vigour. 'My
opinion!'
'And when I speak of people being middle-aged
and steady, John, and pretend that we are a humdrum
couple, going on in a jog-trot sort of way, it's only
because I'm such a silly little thing, John, that I like
sometimes, to act a kind of Play with Baby, and all
that: and make believe.
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