y, with a white face and a mane as black as night. He will
soon be here, no doubt." Rising and looking for a moment at the pure,
sweet face of Thomasin, over which a shadow of sadness had passed
since the time when he had last seen her, he ventured to add, "Mr.
Wildeve seems to be often away at this time."

"O yes," cried Thomasin in what was intended to be a tone of gaiety.
"Husbands will play the truant, you know. I wish you could tell me of
some secret plan that would help me to keep him home at my will in
the evenings."

"I will consider if I know of one," replied Venn in that same light
tone which meant no lightness. And then he bowed in a manner of his
own invention and moved to go. Thomasin offered him her hand; and
without a sigh, though with food for many, the reddleman went out.

When Wildeve returned, a quarter of an hour later, Thomasin said
simply, and in the abashed manner usual with her now, "Where is the
horse, Damon?"

"O, I have not bought it, after all. The man asks too much."

"But somebody saw you at Throope Corner leading it home--a beauty,
with a white face and a mane as black as night."

"Ah!" said Wildeve, fixing his eyes upon her; "who told you that?"

"Venn the reddleman."

The expression of Wildeve's face became curiously condensed. "That
is a mistake--it must have been some one else," he said slowly and
testily, for he perceived that Venn's countermoves had begun again.

IV

Rough Coercion Is Employed

Those words of Thomasin, which seemed so little, but meant so much,
remained in the ears of Diggory Venn: "Help me to keep him home in the
evenings."

On this occasion Venn had arrived on Egdon Heath only to cross to the
other side: he had no further connection with the interests of the
Yeobright family, and he had a business of his own to attend to. Yet
he suddenly began to feel himself drifting into the old track of
manoeuvring on Thomasin's account.

He sat in his van and considered. From Thomasin's words and manner
he had plainly gathered that Wildeve neglected her. For whom could
he neglect her if not for Eustacia? Yet it was scarcely credible
that things had come to such a head as to indicate that Eustacia
systematically encouraged him. Venn resolved to reconnoitre somewhat
carefully the lonely road which led along the vale from Wildeve's
dwelling to Clym's house at Alderworth.

At this time, as had been seen, Wildeve was quite innocent of any
predetermined act