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290 ever looked at in all his life, and as Nelly chattered away about her past life, and he smoked, a sense of something serenely, sweetly, deliciously happy seemed to fill the room, and made him loathe to speak or move.

But he felt that this hour was his opportunity, and that he must not lose it. In a moment's pause, as Nelly rocked softly backward and forward, and appeared to be as lost in thought as himself, Ben stooped forward and touched her hand. "Nelly, my dear," he said, "what does ta think of t' house?"

"It's a beautiful house. I niver saw a house that was half as fine as this is. Even t' kitchen is perfect There's nowt at all wanting in it, only if ta hed a nicer housekeeper."

"Ay, I want a nicer housekeeper, thou is just right about that."

"For I like thy teas, and I'd like to come again, but I could see that she didn't think much o' me, and I didn't think much o' her."

"Thou can send her packing to-morrow if ta likes to do so, Nelly. This house is thine, and so is everything in it, if ta like to hev it and keep it."

"Is ta asking me to marry thee, Ben?"