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no by- your-leaves, and none of us ā€˜adnā€™t no right to say a wurrd, he beinā€™ master-likeā€”but when it comes to the Five Sistersā€”why then we sez, if the Five Sisters lay low thereā€™s an end of the pride and prosperity of the village, anā€™ Passon Walden he be main worrited about it, for he do love trees like as they were his own brothers, mā€™appen moreā€™n brothers, for sometimes thereā€™s no love lost twixt the likes oā€™ they, and begginā€™ your pardon, Miss, he sent me to ye with a message from hisself ā€˜fore dinner, but you was a-lyinā€™ down and couldnā€™t be disturbed nohow, so I goes down to Spruceā€ā€”here Bainton indicated the silent Spruce with a jerk of his thumbā€”ā€œhe be the forester ā€˜ere, under Mr. Leachā€™s orders, as deaf as a post unless you ā€˜ollers at him, but a good-meaninā€™ man for all thatā€”and I sez, ā€˜Spruce, you and me ā€˜ull go anā€™ fetch old Josey Letherbarrow, and see if beinā€™ the oldest ā€˜nā€™abitant, as they sez in books, he canā€™t get a wurrd with Miss Vancourt, and so ā€˜ere we be, Miss, for the trees be chalkedā€ā€”and he turned abruptly to Spruce and bellowedā€”ā€œBaint the trees chalked for cominā€™ down to-morrow marninā€™? Speak fair!ā€

Spruce heard, and at once gave a lucid statement.

ā€œBy Mr. Leachā€™s orders, Miss,ā€ he said, addressing Maryllia; ā€œThe five old beech-trees on the knoll, which the village folk call the ā€˜Five Sisters,ā€™ are to be felled to-morrow marninā€™. Theyā€™ve stood, so Iā€™m told, anā€™ so I bā€™lieve, two or three hundred yearsā€”ā€

ā€œAnd theyā€™re going to be cut down!ā€ exclaimed Maryllia. ā€œI never heard of such wickedness! How disgraceful!ā€

Spruce saw by the movement of her lips that she was speaking, and therefore at once himself subsided into silence. Bainton again took up the parable.

ā€œHeā€™s nigh stone-deaf, Miss, so youā€™ll ā€˜scuse him if he donā€™t open his mouth no more till we shouts at himā€”but what he sez is true enough. At six oā€™clock to-morrow marninā€™ā€”ā€

Here Primmins entered with the port wine.

ā€œPrimmins, where does the agent, Leach, live?ā€ enquired Maryllia.

ā€œI really couldnā€™t say, Miss. Iā€™ll askā€”ā€

ā€œā€˜Tainā€™t no use askinā€™,ā€ said Bainton; ā€œHe lives a mile out of the village; but he ainā€™t at ā€˜ome nohow this eveninā€™ beinā€™ gone to Riversford town for a bit oā€™ gamblinā€™ at cards. Lorā€™, Miss, begginā€™ yer pardon, gamblinā€™ with the cards do get rid oā€™ timberā€”it do reely now!ā€

Maryllia took a glass of port wine from the tray which Primmins handed to her, and gave it herself to old Josey. Her mind had entirely grasped the situation, despite the prolix nature of Baintonā€™s discourse. A group of historic old trees were to be felled by the agentā€™s orders at six oā€™clock the next morning unless she prevented it. That was the sum total of the argument. And here was something for her to do, and she resolved to do it.

ā€œNow, Josey,ā€ she said with a smile, ā€œyou must drink a glass of wine to my health. And you alsoā€”and you!ā€ and she nodded encouragingly to Spruce and Bainton; ā€œAnd be quite satisfied about the treesā€”they shall not be touched.ā€

ā€œGod bless ye!ā€ said Josey, drinking off his wine at a gulp; ā€œAnd long life tā€™ye and ā€˜appiness to enjoy it!ā€

Bainton, with a connoisseurā€™s due appreciation of a good old brand, sipped at his glass slowly, while Spruce, hastily swallowing his measure of the cordial, wiped his mouth furtively with the back of his hand, murmuring: ā€œYour good ā€˜elth, anā€™ many of ā€˜em!ā€

ā€œWishinā€™ ye long days oā€™ peace anā€™ plenty,ā€ said Bainton, between his appreciative sips; ā€œBut as fur as the trees is consarned, youā€™llā€™scuse me, Miss, for sayinā€™ it, but the time beinā€™ short, I donā€™t see ā€˜ow itā€™s goinā€™ to be ā€˜elped, Oliver Leach beinā€™ away, and no post delivered at his ā€˜ouse till eight oā€™clockā€”ā€

ā€œI will settle all that,ā€ said Marylliaā€”ā€œYou must leave everything to me. In the meantime,ā€ā€”and she glanced at Spruce,ā€”then appealingly turned to Bainton,ā€”ā€œWill you try and make your friend understand an order I want to give him? Or shall I ask Mrs. Spruce to come and speak to him?ā€

ā€œLord love ye, heā€™ll be sharper to hear me than his wife, Miss, begginā€™ yer pardon,ā€ said Bainton, with entire frankness. ā€œHeā€™s too accustomed to her jawinā€™ anā€™ wouldnā€™t get a cleat impression like. Spruce!ā€ And he uplifted his voice in a roar that made the old rafters of the hall ring. ā€œGet ready to take Miss Vancourtā€™s orders, will ye?ā€

Spruce was instantly on the alert, and put his hand to his ear.

ā€œTell him, please,ā€ said Maryllia, still addressing Bainton, ā€œthat he is to meet the agent as arranged at the appointed place to-morrow morning; but that he is not to take any ropes or axes or any men with him. He is simply to say that by Miss Vancourtā€™s orders the trees are not to be touched.ā€

These words Bainton dutifully bellowed into Spruceā€™s semi-closed organs of hearing. A look first of astonishment and then of fear came over the simple fellowā€™s face.

ā€œIā€™m afraid,ā€ he at last faltered, ā€œthat the lady does not know what a hard man Mr. Leach is; heā€™ll as good as kill me if I go there alone to him!ā€

ā€œLord love ye, man, you wonā€™t be alone!ā€ roared Bainton,ā€”ā€œThereā€™s plenty in the village ā€˜ull take care oā€™ that!ā€

ā€œSay to him,ā€ continued Maryllia steadily, noting the foresterā€™s troubled countenance, ā€œhe must now remember that I am mistress here, and that my orders, even if given at the last moment, are to be obeyed.ā€

ā€œThatā€™s it!ā€ chuckled Josey Letherbarrow, knocking his stick on the ground in a kind of ecstasy,ā€”ā€œThatā€™s it! Things ainā€™t goinā€™ to be as they ā€˜as been now the Squireā€™s little gel is ā€˜ome! Thatā€™s it!ā€ And he nodded emphatically. ā€œGive a reskil rope enough anā€™ heā€™ll ā€˜ang hisself by the neck till he be dead, and the Lord haā€™ mercy on his soul!ā€

Maryllia smiled, watching all her three quaint visitors with a sensation of mingled interest and whimsical amusement.

ā€œDā€™ye hear? Youā€™re to tell Leach,ā€ shouted Bainton, ā€œthat Miss Vancourt is mistress ā€˜ere, and her orders is to be obeyed at the last moment! Which you might haā€™ understood without splittinā€™ my throat to tell ye, if ye had a little more sense, which, lackinā€™, ā€˜owever, canā€™t be ā€˜elped. What are ye afeard of, eh?ā€

ā€œMr. Leach is a hard man,ā€ continued Spruce, anxiously glancing at Maryllia; ā€œHe would lose me my place if he couldā€”:ā€

Maryllia heard, and privately decided that the person to lose his place would be Leach himself. ā€œIt is quite exciting!ā€ she thought; ā€œI was wondering a while ago what I should do to amuse myself in the country, and here I am called upon at once to remedy wrongs and settle village feuds! Nothing could be more novel and delightful!ā€ Aloud, she said,ā€”

ā€œNone of the people who were in my fatherā€™s service will lose their places with me, unless for some very serious fault. Pleaseā€ā€”and she raised her eyes in pretty appeal to Bainton, ā€œPlease make everybody understand that! Are you one of the foresters here?ā€

Bainton shook his head.

ā€œNo, Miss,ā€”Iā€™m the Passonā€™s head man. I does all his gardening and keeps a few flowers growinā€™ in the churchyard. Thereā€™s a rose climbinā€™ over the cross on the old Squireā€™s grave what will do ye good to see, come another fortnight of this warm weather. But Passon, he be main worrited about the Five Sisters, and knowinā€™ as ā€˜ow Iā€™d worked for the old Squire at ā€˜arvest an,ā€™ sich-like, he thought I might be able to ā€˜splain to yeā€”ā€

ā€œI see!ā€ said Maryllia, thoughtfully, surveying with renewed interest the old-world figure of Josey Letherbarrow in his clean smock-frock. ā€œNow, how are you going to get Josey home again?ā€ And a smile irradiated her face. ā€œWill you carry him along just as you brought him?ā€

ā€œWhy, yes, Missā€”itā€™ll be all goinā€™ downhill now, and thereā€™s a moon, and itā€™ll be easy work. And if so be weā€™re sure the Five Sisters ā€˜ull be savedā€”ā€

ā€œYou may be perfectly certain of it,ā€ said Maryllia interrupting him with a little gesture of decisionā€”ā€œOnly you must impress well on Mr. Spruce here, that my orders are to be obeyed.ā€

ā€œBegginā€™ yer pardon, Missā€”what Spruce is afeard of is that Leach may tell him heā€™s a liar, and may jest refuse to obey. Thatā€™s quite on the cards, Missā€”it is reely now!ā€

ā€œOh, is it, indeed!ā€ and Marylliaā€™s eyes flashed with a sudden fire that made them look brighter and deeper than ever and revealed a depth of hidden character not lacking in self-will,ā€”ā€œWell, we shall see! At any rate, I have given my orders, and I expect them to be carried out! You understand!ā€

ā€œI do, Miss;ā€ and Bainton touched his forelock respectfully; ā€œAnā€™ while weā€™re jogginā€™ easy downhill with Josey, Iā€™ll get it well rubbed into Spruce. And, by yer leave, if you hainā€™t no objection, Iā€™ll tell Passon Walden that sich is your orders, and mā€™appen heā€™ll find a way of impressinā€™ Leach straighter than we can.ā€ Maryllia was not particularly disposed to have the parson brought into her affairs, but she waived the query lightly aside.

ā€œYou can do as you like about that,ā€ she said carelessly; ā€œAs the parson is your master, you can of course tell him if you think he will be interested. But I really donā€™t see why he should be asked to interfere. My orders are sufficient.ā€

A very decided ring of authority in the clear voice warned Bainton that here was a lady who was not to be trifled with, or to be told this or that, or to be put off from her intentions by any influence whatsoever. He could not very well offer a reply, so he merely touched his forelock again and was discreetly silent. Maryllia then turned playfully to Josey Letherbarrow.

ā€œNow are you quite happy?ā€ she asked. ā€œQuite easy in your mind about the trees?ā€

ā€œThanks be to the Lord and you, God bless ye!ā€ said Josey, piously; ā€œIā€™m sartin sure the Five Sisters ā€˜ull wave their leaves in the blessed wind long arter Iā€™m laid under the turf and the daisies! Iā€™ll sleep easy this night for knowinā€™ it, and thank ye kindly and all blessinā€™ be with ye! And if I never sees ye no moreā€”ā€

ā€œNow, Josey, donā€™t talk nonsense!ā€ said Maryllia, with a pretty little air of protective remonstrance; ā€œSuch a clever old person as you are ought to know better than to be morbid! ā€˜Never see me no moreā€™ indeed! Why Iā€™m coming to see you soon,ā€”very soon! I shall find out where you live, and I shall pay you a visit! Iā€™m a dreadful talker! You shall tell me all about the village and the people in it, and Iā€™m sure I shall learn more from you in an hour than if I studied the place by myself for a week! Shanā€™t I?ā€

Josey was decidedly flattered. The port wine had reddened his nose and had given an extra twinkle to his eyes.

ā€œWell, I ainā€™t goinā€™ to deny but what I knows a thing or twoā€”ā€ he began, with a sly glance at her.

ā€œOf course you do! Heaps of things! I shall coax them all out of you! And now, good-night!ā€”No!ā€”donā€™t get up!ā€ for Josey was making herculean efforts to rise from his chair again. ā€œJust stay where you are, and let them carry you carefully home. Good-night!ā€

She gave a little salute which included all three of her rustic visitors, and moved away. Passing under the heavily-carved arched beams of oak which divided the hall from

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