348 THE GARDEN, YOU, AND I 



sure I could not see why you should wish to own 

 it!" 



"Yes and no! I can well understand why you 

 should desire a broader, freer life than your vocation 

 allows, but well, as for reading women's motives, I 

 have given that up long since ; it often leads to trouble 

 though I have never lost my interest in them. 



"I think Amos Opie will revive, now that his mind 

 is settled" (if it had been sufficiently light, Maria would 

 have seen an expression upon The Man's face indica- 

 tive of his belief that the recent attack of illness was 

 not quite motiveless, even though he forgave the ruse). 

 "In a few days, when the deeds are drawn, will 

 you not, as my prospective tenant, come and look 

 over the house by daylight and tell me what changes 

 would best suit your purpose, so that I may make 

 some plans? I imagine that Amos revived will be 

 able to do much of the work himself with a good 

 assistant. 



"When would you like the lease to begin? In May? 

 It is a pity that you could not be here in the interval 

 to overlook it all, for the pasture should be ploughed 

 at once for next year's gardening." 



"May will be late; best put it at the first of March. 

 As to overseeing, I shall not be far away. I'm think- 



