when he saw the blind being slowly pulled up. Presently it revealed
the figure of Lucy, very nicely dressed with a new and handsome cap.
Something having prevented the blind from being drawn quite to the
top, Lucy mounted on the window-seat to adjust it, and when about to
descend, Luke plainly saw his master come forward, give her one hand,
while with the other he assisted her down by the waist! Damerel
grasped the tree he was resting against for support; a film came over
his eyes; but a few rough jokes from Larkin recovered him, and
hearing the military band in the distance, he endeavoured to forget
his cares, and trudged on towards Honiton.

Meanwhile, the moment Lucy had finished her duties at the tea-table,
she hastened to Damerel's cottage, in the hope, not of seeing her
lover, but his mother, alone. The old dame, perceiving her pale and
in low spirits, thought she divined the cause, by supposing the girl
was sorrowing at the imprudence of the step Luke had proposed to her.
'Well, well,' said the kind old woman, 'things may not be so bad
after all, Lucy. And since Luke has set his heart so much upon it,
and you, I am sure, are nothing loath, we must try and manage it.
I'll tell you what I've been thinking, girl. You see the great
mischief will be your being obliged to give up your place at the
farm; now, I know a plan by which that loss may be mended. You are a
quick, handy maid; and suppose--suppose'--and here the good old woman
took Lucy's hands in hers--'suppose I teach you lace-making?'

These words poured a light into Lucy's heart which seemed to banish
all her grief. The means of rendering herself independent of her
present situation was all she wished for. She loved Luke tenderly,
dearly, and with a fervent, virtuous desire, wished to become his
wife. This wish had grown much stronger since her painful interview