Time passed, and the household on the Knap became again serene underthe composing influences of daily routine. A desultory, verydesultory correspondence, dragged on between Sally Hall and Darton,who, not quite knowing how to take her petulant words on the nightof her brother's death, had continued passive thus long. Helena andher children remained at the dairy-house, almost of necessity, andDarton therefore deemed it advisable to stay away.

　　One day, seven months later on, when Mr. Darton was as usual at hisfarm, twenty miles from Hintock, a note reached him from Helena.

　　She thanked him for his kind offer about her children, which hermother-in-law had duly communicated, and stated that she would beglad to accept it as regarded the eldest, the boy. Helena had, intruth, good need to do so, for her uncle had left her penniless, andall application to some relatives in the north had failed. Therewas, besides, as she said, no good school near Hintock to which shecould send the child.

　　On a fine summer day the boy came. He was accompanied half-way bySally and his mother--to the 'White Horse,' at Chalk Newton--wherehe was handed over to Darton's bailiff in a shining spring-cart, whomet them there.

　　He was entered as a day-scholar at a popular school at Casterbridge,three or four miles from Darton's, having first been taught byDarton to ride a forest-pony, on which he cantered to and from theaforesaid fount of knowledge, and (as Darton hoped) brought away apromising headful of the same at each diurnal expedition. Thethoughtful taciturnity into which Darton had latterly fallen wasquite dissipated by the presence of this boy.

　　When the Christmas holidays came it was arranged that he shouldspend them with his mother. The journey was, for some reason orother, performed in two stages, as at his coming, except that Dartonin person took the place of the bailiff, and that the boy andhimself rode on horseback.

　　Reaching the renowned 'White Horse,' Darton inquired if Miss andyoung Mrs. Hall were there to meet little Philip (as they had agreedto be). He was answered by the appearance of Helena alone at thedoor.

　　'At the last moment Sally would not come,' she faltered.

　　That meeting practically settled the point towards which these long-severed persons were converging. But nothing was broached about itfor some time yet. Sally Hall had, in fact, imparted the firstdecisive motion to events by refusing to accompany Helena. She soongave them a second move by writing the following note'[Private.]

　　'DEAR CHARLES,--Living here so long and intimately with Helena, Ihave naturally learnt her history, especially that of it whichrefers to you. I am sure she would accept you as a husband at theproper time, and I think you ought to give her the opportunity. Youinquire in an old note if I am sorry that I showed temper (which itWASN'T) that night when I heard you talking to her. No, Charles, Iam not sorry at all for what I said then.--Yours sincerely, SALLYHALL.'

　　Thus set in train, the transfer of Darton's heart back to itsoriginal quarters proceeded by mere lapse of time. In the followingJuly, Darton went to his friend Japheth to ask him at last to fulfilthe bridal office which had been in abeyance since the previousJanuary twelvemonths.

　　'With all my heart, man o' constancy!' said Dairyman Johns warmly.

　　'I've lost most of my genteel fair complexion haymaking this hotweather, 'tis true, but I'll do your business as well as them thatlook better. There be scents and good hair-oil in the world yet,thank God, and they'll take off the roughest o' my edge. I'llcompliment her. "Better late than never, Sally Hall," I'll say.'

　　'It is not Sally,' said Darton hurriedly. 'It is young Mrs. Hall.'

　　Japheth's face, as soon as he really comprehended, became a pictureof reproachful dismay. 'Not Sally?' he said. 'Why not Sally? Ican't believe it! Young Mrs. Hall! Well, well--where's yourwisdom?'

　　Darton shortly explained particulars; but Johns would not bereconciled. 'She was a woman worth having if ever woman was,' hecried. 'And now to let her go!'

　　'But I suppose I can marry where I like,' said Darton.

　　'H'm,' replied the dairyman, lifting his eyebrows expressively.

　　'This don't become you, Charles--it really do not. If I had donesuch a thing you would have sworn I was a curst no'thern fool to bedrawn off the scent by such a red-herring doll-oll-oll.'

　　Farmer Darton responded in such sharp terms to this laconic opinionthat the two friends finally parted in a way they had never partedbefore. Johns was to be no groomsman to Darton after all. He hadflatly declined. Darton went off sorry, and even unhappy,particularly as Japheth was about to leave that side of the county,so that the words which had divided them were not likely to beexplained away or softened down.

　　A short time after the interview Darton was united to Helena at asimple matter-of fact wedding; and she and her little girl joinedthe boy who had already grown to look on Darton's house as home.

　　For some months the farmer experienced an unprecedented happinessand satisfaction. There had been a flaw in his life, and it was asneatly mended as was humanly possible............