第34章

The old man still insisted that this was going too far.

'No, no, it isn't,' said Jim.'I know how to manage her.'Twill just mellow her heart nicely by the time I come back.I must bring her down real tender, or 'twill all fail.'

His senior reluctantly gave in and returned to Margery.A short time afterwards the Yeomanry hand struck up, and Jim with the regiment followed towards Exonbury.

'Yes, yes; they are going to meet,' said Margery to herself, perceiving that Mrs.Peach had so timed her departure as to be in the town at Jim's dismounting.

'Now we will go and see the games,' said Mr.Vine; 'they are really worth seeing.There's greasy poles, and jumping in sacks, and other trials of the intellect, that nobody ought to miss who wants to be abreast of his generation.'

Margery felt so indignant at the apparent assignation, which seemed about to take place despite her anonymous writing, that she helplessly assented to go anywhere, dropping behind Vine, that he might not see her mood.

Jim followed out his programme with literal exactness.No sooner was the troop dismissed in the city than he sent Tony to stable and joined Mrs.Peach, who stood on the edge of the pavement expecting him.But this acquaintance was to end: he meant to part from her for ever and in the quickest time, though civilly; for it was important to be with Margery as soon as possible.He had nearly completed the manoeuvre to his satisfaction when, in drawing her handkerchief from her pocket to wipe the tears from her eyes, Mrs.

Peach's hand grasped the paper, which she read at once.

'What! is that true?' she said, holding it out to Jim.

Jim started and admitted that it was, beginning an elaborate explanation and apologies.But Mrs.Peach was thoroughly roused, and then overcome.'He's married, he's married!' she said, and swooned, or feigned to swoon, so that Jim was obliged to support her.

'He's married, he's married!' said a boy hard by who watched the scene with interest.

'He's married, he's married!' said a hilarious group of other boys near, with smiles several inches broad, and shining teeth; and so the exclamation echoed down the street.

Jim cursed his ill-luck; the loss of time that this dilemma entailed grew serious; for Mrs.Peach was now in such a hysterical state that he could not leave her with any good grace or feeling.It was necessary to take her to a refreshment room, lavish restoratives upon her, and altogether to waste nearly half an hour.When she had kept him as long as she chose, she forgave him; and thus at last he got away, his heart swelling with tenderness towards Margery.He at once hurried up the street to effect the reconciliation with her.

'How shall I do it?' he said to himself.'Why, I'll step round to her side, fish for her hand, draw it through my arm as if I wasn't aware of it.Then she'll look in my face, I shall look in hers, and we shall march off the field triumphant, and the thing will be done without takings or tears.'

He entered the field and went straight as an arrow to the place appointed for the meeting.It was at the back of a refreshment tent outside the mass of spectators, and divided from their view by the tent itself.He turned the corner of the canvas, and there beheld Vine at the indicated spot.But Margery was not with him.

Vine's hat was thrust back into his poll.His face was pale, and his manner bewildered.'Hullo? what's the matter?' said Jim.'Where's my Margery?'

'You've carried this footy game too far, my man!' exclaimed Vine, with the air of a friend who has 'always told you so.' 'You ought to have dropped it several days ago, when she would have come to 'ee like a cooing dove.Now this is the end o't!'