which backs on to the river. Every schoolboy in the town knows her by that
name, which is also the name of a kind of toffee she makes, and by the
sale of which she earns a modest living. I cannot tell you how the name
originated, but there it is. I went to the grammar school in the town, and
in my time I must have bought and consumed some hundredweights of her
'marry-me-quick.' In her tiny cottage you may rest in safety while I hunt
up Jack Dobson and learn what has been done with your father."

"An' if I'd got a shilling," said the irrepressible Joe, "for every pat
of butter I've taken owd Marry-me-quick, I'd--I'd--"

He seemed lost for words, so I assisted him, and paid him back at the
same time, by saying, "Pluck up courage enough to speak to Jane."

"That's rate, Master Noll."

"Is Jane so very fond of money, Joe?" asked Mistress Waynflete curiously.

"No," said Joe. "She ain't grasping, ain't Jin. She told me t'nate, she
c'd 'ave 'ad a mint of money if she'd liked, but she wouldna tak' it. Said
it would 'a' burnt 'er fingers. 'More fool yow,' says I; 'it'd 'a' soon
gotten cowd weather like this'n.' But Jin's all rate. Er'll never bre'k
'er arm at church door, wunna Jin."

I explained to Mistress Waynflete that a woman who broke her arm at the
church door was a housewifely maiden who became a slatternly housewife
after marriage. "There's no fear of Jane doing that," she replied; "she's
as good as the guineas she would not take."

For a space silence fell on us. All my attention was required to keep the