A few returned the salutation, and he said, in a low voice, to Tony, "May I walk with you now?"
"No, no! that will never do," said Tony, no louder than he had spoken: "go and walk with the boys, just to oblige me."
The gamekeeper was delighted, and, with a polite bow, he walked on.
At the Eagle there was, a general halt. The curfew sounded, and the boys, with their heads uncovered, mumbled a paternoster: the girls did the same; and then all crossed themselves.
But as soon as this was done the jokes and laughter were resumed. The gamekeeper said, "Good-night, all," and went on his way. The girls teased Tony about him, and said he had whispered to her. Sepper, who heard this, suddenly grew stark and stiff: the pipe which he was lifting to his mouth remained in the convulsive grasp of his one hand, while his other fist clenched, and his eyes, which stared upon Tony, shot forth fierce and angry thoughts. Then again he swung proudly on his knees, and only once cast his head backward in something of disdain.
When all separated, Sepper went with Tony to her father's house. He was silent a while, and then said,--
"What are you carrying on with the gamekeeper?"
"But I don't want you ever to speak a word to him."
"And I'm not going to ask you for permission to speak to anybody."
They walked on in silence. At Tony's door she said "goodnight;" but Sepper allowed her to go in without an answer. He stood before the door all the evening, whistling and singing: he thought that Tony must certainly come to him; but she did not come, and he went away in high dudgeon.
That whole week Sepper never spoke a word to Tony, and even went out of his way to avoid meeting her.
On Saturday afternoon he was out in the "Warm Dell" with his team to get clover for Sunday. On his way home he saw Babbett coming up the "Cowslip Dell" with a heavy bundle of clover on her head. He stopped, and made her put her clover and herself on his wagon. Here Babbett told him her mind about his foolish jealousy so very plainly that he went to the well near the town-hall and waited until Tony came to fetch water. He hastened to lift the bucket for her and adjust it on her head, and then walked by her side, saying, "How have you been all the week? I have such lots of work."