"Yes, yes, be sure I'll bring the lass to her senses," said the father.
"She is only a child and does not know what is best for her."
But all his coaxing, all his threats and all his talking, went for
naught. She would not have the old miser, if he sat buried in gold up to
his ears, she said.
The squire waited and waited, but at last he got angry and told the
father that he had to settle the matter at once if he expected him to
stand by his bargain, for now he would wait no longer.
The man knew no other way out of it, but to let the squire get
everything ready for the wedding; then, when the parson and the wedding
guests had arrived, the squire would send for the lassie as if she were
wanted for some work on the farm. When she got there they would marry
her right away, in such a hurry that she would have no time to think it
over.
When the guests had arrived the squire called one of his farm lads, told
him to run down to his neighbor and ask him to send up immediately what
he had promised.
"But if you are not back with her in a twinkling," he said, shaking his
fist at him, "I'll----"
He did not finish, for the lad ran off as if he had been shot at.
"My master has sent me to ask for that which you promised him," said the
lad, when he got to the neighbor, "but, pray, lose no time, for master
is terribly busy to-day.
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