at home when the cat s away � said the squire they arrived and there were indications in their manner that they meant to make a night of it of castle was late and they waited a quarter of an hour for him he being one of the pf friends without whose presence no such dinner as this would be considered complete and it may be added with whose presence no dinner which ed both sexes could be conducted with strict propriety he had just returned from london and the squire was anxious to talk to him � for no definite reason but he had lately breathed the atmosphere in which was at length they heard driving up to the door whereupon the host and the rest of his guests crossed over to the dining room in a moment came hastily in at their heels for his i only came back last night you know he said a group f and the truth b i i i i had as as i carry he turned to the squire well � so cunning has stolen your little lamb ha ha what said squire across the dining table round which they were all standing the cold march sunlight in his full face surely th st know what all the town knows � had a letter by this time � tha t has married your yes as fm a living man it was a arranged thing they parted at once and are not to meet for five or six years but i you must know a on the floor was the only reply of the squire they quickly turned he had fallen down like a log behind the table and lay motionless on the oak boards those at hand hastily bent over him and the whole group were in confusion they found him to be quite unconscious though puffing and panting like a blacksmith s his face was livid his veins swollen and beads of perspiration stood upon his brow happened to him said several an fit said the doctor from gravely he was only called in at the court for small as a rule and felt the importance of the situation he lifted the squire s head loosened his ci and clothing and rang for the servants who took the squire upstairs there he lay as if in a sleep the surgeon drew a basin of blood from him but it was nearly six o clock before he came to himself the dinner was a of noble z a group of noble completely and some had gone home long ago but two or three remained bless my soul kept repeating i didn t know things had come to this pass between and his lady i thought the feast he was spreading to day was in honour of the event though privately kept for the present his little maid married without his knowledge as soon as the squire recovered consciousness he gasped tis tis a capital he can be hung where is i am very well now what have ye heard the bearer of the news was unwilling to further and would say little more at first but an hour after when the squire had partially recovered and was sitting up told as much as he knew the most important particular being that s mother was present at the marriage and showed every mark of approval everything appeared to have been done so regularly that i of course thought you knew all about it he said i knew no more than the dead that such a step was in the wind a child not yet thirteen how sue hath me did go up to london with em d ye know i can t say all i know is that your lady and daughter were walking along the street with the footman behind em that they entered a s shop where re was standing and that there in the presence o the and your man who was called in on purpose your said to � so the goes my soul i don t for the truth a group of noble of it � she said will you many me or i want to many you will you have me � now or never she said what she said means nothing murmured the squire with wet eyes her mother put the words into her mouth to avoid the serious consequences that would attach to any suspicion of force the words be not the child s � she didn t dream of marriage � how should she poor little maid go on well be that as it will they were all agreed apparently they bought the ring on the spot and the marriage took place at the nearest church within hour a day or two later there came a letter from mrs to her husband written before she knew of his stroke she related the circumstances of the marriage in the manner and gave reasons and excuses for to the premature union which was now an accomplished fact indeed she had no idea till sudden pressure was put upon her that the contract was expected to be carried out so soon but being taken half unawares she had consented learned that now their son in law was becoming a great favourite at court and that he would in all have a title granted him before long no harm could come to their dear daughter by this early marriage contract seeing that her life would be continued under their own eyes exactly as before for some years in fine she had felt that no other such fair opportunity for a good marriage with a shrewd and wise man of the world who was at the sam time noted for his excellent personal qualities a group of was within the range of probability owing to the lives they led at king s hence she had yielded to s 