ing Farmer Joliffe more nor he was grieved already, so
said nothing, but held my peace.

"Then the farmer says: `Tom, I believe 'ee; I've know'd 'ee thirty year,
and never know'd 'ee tell a lie, and I believe 'ee now. But if thou
knows her name, tell it us, and if thou doesn't know, tell us what she
looked like, and maybe some of us 'll guess her.'

"But still I didn't say aught till Master Martin goes on:

"`Out with her name. He must know her name right enough, if there ever
was a woman as did buy the hosses; and don't you be so soft, father, as
to trust such fool's tales. We'll get a constable for 'ee. Out with
her name, I say.'

"Then I was nettled like, at his speaking so rough, when the man that
suffered had forgiven me, and said:

"`Yes, I know her name right enough, if 'ee will have it. 'Twas the
missis.'

"`Missis?' he says; `what missis?'

"`Your mother,' says I. `She was with a man, but he weren't the man she
runned away from here with, and she made he buy the team.'

"Master Martin didn't say any more, and Miss Phemie went on crying; but
there was a blanker look come on old master's face, and he said very
quiet:

"`There, that'll do, lad. I believe 'ee, and forgive thee. Don't
matter much to I now if I have lost a hundred pound. 'Tis only my luck,
and if 'tweren't lost there, 'twould just as like be lost somewhere
else. Go in and wash thyself, and get summat to eat; and if I forgive
'ee this time, don't 'ee ever touch the drink again.'

"`Master,' I says, `I thank 'ee, and if I ever get a bit o' money I'll
pay thee back what I can; and there's my sacred word I'll never touch
the drink again.'

"I held him out my hand, and he took it, for all 'twas so dirty.

"`That's right, lad; and to-morrow we'll put the p'leece on to trace
them fellows down.'

"I kep' my promise, Mr--Mr--Mr--"

"Westray," the architect suggested.

"I didn't know your name, you see, because Rector never introduced _me_
yesterday. I kep' my promise, Mr Westray, and bin teetotal ever since;
but he never put the p'leece on the track, for he was took with a stroke
next morning early, and died a fortnight later. They laid him up to
Wydcombe nigh his father and his grandfather, what have green rails
round their graves; and give his yellow breeches and blue waistcoat to
Timothy Foord the shepherd, and he wore them o' Sundays for many a year
after that. I left farming the same day as old master was put
underground,