"I thought I must come down to see Mayne. Has he told you of his wish
to go with us to the West?"
"Told me?" cried Mrs Dean, excitedly. "Ah, now you are talking about
trouble indeed."
"We came down to tell him that it is impossible--foolish of him to think
of such a thing."
"Oh, thank you kindly, ma'am," cried Mrs Dean; "and me thinking all
kinds of evil of you, and that you had been persuading him to go."
"No, no, my good woman, no," said Mr John.
"And thank you too, sir. And I hope Mr Gordon will take it to heart,
for if he had gone my Esau would have been sure to go too, and I should
have seemed to be quite alone in the world."
"Yes, it would be hard for you," said Mrs John, looking at her
searchingly. "Mayne, my dear, you will not try and influence her son?"