They had all
missed him, they said--even the horses and oxen had looked for him,
and they were wondering how they should get the oats harvested
without him.
Jacob looked at Susan as the farmer said this, and her eyes seemed
to answer, "I said nothing, but I knew you would come." Then,
first, he felt sufficient courage for the task before him.
He rose the next morning, before any one was stirring, and waited
until she should come down stairs. The sun had not risen when she
appeared, with a milk-pail in each hand, walking unsuspectingly to
the cow-yard. He waylaid her, took the pails in his hand and said
in nervous haste, "Susan, will you be my wife?"
She stopped as if she had received a sudden blow; then a shy, sweet
consent seemed to run through her heart. "O Jacob!" was all she
could say.
"But you will, Susan?" he urged; and then (neither of them exactly
knew how it happened) all at once his arms were around her, and
they had kissed each other.
"Susan," he said, presently, "I am a poor man--only a farm hand,
and must work for my living.
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