But he caught the contagion from her and spoke
with sanguine words of the future, and even prayed Joan that, if wealth and
a noble position awaited her, she would endeavor to brighten the lives of
the poor as became a good Cornish woman. This she solemnly promised, and
they built castles in the air: two children together. His sheep driven to
their new pasture, Uncle Chirgwin led the way home and listened as he
walked to Joan's story. She quite convinced him before he reached his
kitchen door--partly because he was very well content to be convinced,
partly because he could honestly imagine no man base enough to betray this
particular blue-eyed child.
Mr. Chirgwin's extremely unworldly review of the position was balm to Joan.
Her heart grew warm again, and the old man's philosophy brightened her
face, as the sun, now making a great clearness after rain, brightened the
face of the land. But the recollection of Mary Chirgwin sobered her uncle
not a little. How she would take this tremendous intelligence he failed to
guess remotely. Opportunity to impart it occurred sooner than he expected,
for Joan's box had just arrived. During dinner the old man explained that
his niece was to be a visitor at Drift for a term of uncertain duration;
and after the meal, when Joan disappeared to unpack her box and make tidy a
little apple-room, which was now empty and at her service, Uncle Chirgwin
had speech with Mary.
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