followed several sentences in such broad slang, as Tamar could not
comprehend, though she thought she understood the tendency of these
words, which were mixed with oaths and terms so brutal, that her blood
ran cold in thinking of them; "Caught in his own snare,--he will sink
in his own dyke,--we have him now, pelf and all." After this, Tamar
heard parting steps, and various low rumbling noises as if proceeding
from under ground; then all was still, and no farther sound was heard by
her, but the rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds, and the cropping
of the herb by the incisors of Brindle. In the mean time the morning
broke, the light of day was restored, and Tamar creeping gently from her
hiding-place, left Brindle, whilst she ran back to the cottage.

She had not gone far, before she met the labourer who was accustomed to
assist her in the care of the garden. She told him that the cow had
strayed to the knoll, and that she had seen her enter among the trees;
and he undertook, with his dog, to drive her back to the glen, though,
he said, he would on no account go up on the knoll, but his dog would
drive her down, and he would see her home.

"And why not go on to the knoll?" said Tamar. The man replied, that the
place was known to be uncanny, and that not only strange noises, but
strange sights had been seen there.

"Lately?" asked Tamar, "have they been seen and heard lately?"

The poor man could not assert that they had, and Tamar was not going to
tell him what she had seen and heard. No! this mystery was to be left
for the consideration of Dymock and Shanty, and she was anxious to know
if their thoughts agreed with hers.

When she arrived at the cottage, and the labourer had brought back
Brindle, and fastened the gate, and Tamar had milked her cow, and done
her usual services, she went to Dymock who was just awake, and brought
him out to breakfast with Mrs. Margaret, "You shall not say any thing
about posterity, and the benefits which you are doing to them by
recording your thoughts, this morning, sir," she said, "but you shall
hear what I have to tell you, and I will not tell you, but in the
presence of Mrs. Margaret." When Dymock heard what Tamar had to say, he
was at first quite amazed, for it seems, that if he had ever heard of
the secret passage he had forgotten it, and Mrs. Margaret had had her
reasons, for not stirring up his recollections; but when he was made
acquainted with this fact, and had put tog