As I turned the corner by Jacob's Well, I stepped hastily aside to
avoid a man who was coming fast in the opposite direction. He also
moved at the same moment, and, as I have often known to happen at
such sudden encounters, the very movements made to prevent the
collision brought it about. We both moved to the same side, and
jostled each other, and I, being the more weighty of the two, gave
him a tough shoulder and well nigh upset him.

"Clumsy h--" he was beginning, but he got no further, and 'twas
well he did not, for if he had uttered the word "hound" that had
all but come to his lips he would scarce have gone on his way
without my mark upon him. But he did not say it, being indeed
startled out of his self possession. No doubt he had as little
expected to see me as I to see him: it was Cyrus Vetch.

We both turned after jostling each other. The impulse seized me to
take him by the neck and drub him for his rascally dealing with
Mistress Lucy--and to settle at the same time some little private
scores of my own. But he was in truth so pitiful a creature, and
looked so scared, that I let him alone; besides I felt that I might
one day have a greater account to pay off, to which settlement Dick
Cludde must be a party.

He on his side, to judge by his pale cheeks, expected a rude
handling, and when he found that I made no movement towards him, a
look of relief crossed his countenance, followed by an expression
which at the moment I was unable to fathom. Then, as by mutual
consent, and without having exchanged a word, we turned our backs
on each other and went our several ways.

As I expected, the joint of beef was done to shreds, and Widow
Perry rated me soundly for being so late, asking me whether I
expected her dog to keep turning the jack till doomsday. ('Twas a
strange custom of the Bristowe housewives to employ dogs for
turning their roasting jacks). With all humility I expressed
contrition, and vowed amendment, and I kept my word. While I ate my
dinner my thoughts were busy with my late encounter with Vetch, and
I wondered what he was about in Bristowe, and whether Dick Cludde
was still with him. I did not doubt they were in a desperate rage
with me, and if they should be here together I was pretty sure they
would take some means of avenging themselves; but confident of my
strength and my skill of fence the prospect gave me rather a
pleasant expectancy than any alarm.

So three days passed--days which I spent