▁upon ▁a ▁dangerous ▁fire ▁on ▁a ▁farm ▁and ▁leads ▁the ▁by stand ers ▁in ▁putting ▁it ▁out . ▁When ▁the ▁ve iled ▁owner ▁comes ▁to ▁thank ▁him , ▁he ▁asks ▁if ▁she ▁needs ▁a ▁she ph erd . ▁She ▁un co vers ▁her ▁face ▁and ▁reve als ▁herself ▁to ▁be ▁none ▁other ▁than ▁Bath she ba . ▁She ▁has ▁recently ▁inherited ▁her ▁uncle ' s ▁estate ▁and ▁is ▁now ▁wealth y . ▁Though ▁somewhat ▁un com fort able , ▁she ▁emp lo ys ▁him . ▁ ▁Bath she ba ' s ▁val ent ine ▁to ▁B old wood ▁Meanwhile , ▁Bath she ba ▁g ains ▁a ▁new ▁adm ir er . ▁William ▁B old wood ▁is ▁a ▁prosper ous ▁far mer ▁of ▁about ▁ 4 0 , ▁whose ▁ar d our ▁Bath she ba ▁unw itting ly ▁aw ak ens ▁when ▁she ▁play fully ▁sends ▁him ▁a ▁val ent ine ▁se aled ▁with ▁red ▁w ax ▁on ▁which ▁she ▁has ▁emb oss ed ▁the ▁words ▁" Mar ry ▁me ". ▁B old wood , ▁not ▁real ising ▁the ▁val ent ine ▁was ▁a ▁jest , ▁becomes ▁obs essed ▁with ▁her ▁and ▁soon ▁propos es ▁marriage . ▁Although ▁she ▁does ▁not ▁love ▁him , ▁she ▁to ys ▁with ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁accepting ▁his ▁offer ; ▁he ▁is ▁the ▁most ▁el ig ible ▁b ach elor ▁in ▁the ▁district . ▁However , ▁she ▁avoid s ▁giving ▁him ▁a ▁definite ▁answer . ▁When ▁Gabriel ▁re bu kes ▁her ▁for ▁her ▁thought less ness ▁regarding ▁B old