Do you choose to enter it with me, or will you go to
Oswald Partridge and tell him that you have met with Edward Armitage
in the forest, and that I should be glad to see him? I believe you are
under his orders, are you not?"
"Yes I am" replied the verderer, "and as I suppose that all's right, I
shall go and deliver your message."
Edward then turned away from the man, and went into the wicket-gate of
the garden, and knocked at the door of the House. The door was opened
by Patience Heatherstone herself, who said, "Oh, how glad I am to see
you! Come in." Edward took off his hat and bowed. Patience led the way
into her father's study, where Edward had been first received.
"And now," said Patience, extending her hand to Edward, "thanks, many
thanks, for your preserving me from so dreadful a death. You don't
know how unhappy I have been at not being able to give you my poor
thanks for your courageous behavior."
Her hand still remained in Edward's while she said this.
"You rate what I did too highly," replied Edward; "I would have done
the same for any one in such distress: it was my duty as a--man,"
Cavalier he was about to say, but he checked himself.
"Sit down," said Patience, taking a chair; "nay, no ceremony; I can
not treat as an inferior one to whom I owe such a debt of gratitude.
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