u
should know better than other folks, may be it shall serve you to hear
that she is not in the gaol, nor none wist where she is, saving, as I
guess, yon dotipole men call Dick o' Dover. He and Satan know, very
like, for I count they took counsel about it."

Mr Benden laid down his spoon, and looked up at Tabitha. "Tabitha, I
wist nought of this, I ensure you, neither heard I of it aforetime.
I--"

He took another mouthful to stop the words that were coming. It would
hardly be wise to let Tabitha know what he had said to the Bishop.

"Sit you down, and give me leave to help you to these eggs," he said,
hospitably in appearance, politically in fact.

"I'll not eat nor drink in your house," was the stern reply. "Must I,
then, take it that Dick o' Dover hath acted of his own head, and without
any incitement from you?"

Poor Mr Benden! He felt himself fairly caught. He did not quite want
to tell a point blank falsehood.

"They be good eggs, Tabitha, and Mall wist well how to dress them," he
urged. "You were best--"

"You were best answer my question, Edward Benden: Did you in any wise
excite yon mitred scoundrel to this act?"

"Your language, Tabitha, doth verily 'shame me. `Mitred scoundrel,' in
good sooth! Fear you not to be brought afore the justices for--"

"I fear nought so much as I fear you are a slippery snake, as well as a
roaring lion," said Tabitha, in grim defiance of natural history.
"Answer my question, or I'll make you!"

Until that moment Mr Benden had not noticed that Tabitha kept one hand
behind her. It suddenly struck him now, in disagreeable combination
with the threat she uttered.

"What have you behind your back?" he said uneasily.

"A succade to follow your eggs, which you shall have if you demerit it."

"What mean you, Sister Tabitha?"

"Let be your slimy coaxing ways. Answer my question."

Like all bullies, Mr Benden was a coward. With a woman of Tabitha's
type he had never before had to deal at such close quarters. Alice
either yielded to his wishes, or stood quietly firm, and generally
silent. He began to feel considerable alarm. Tabitha was a powerful
woman, and he was a man of only moderate strength. Briton's Mead was
not within call of any other house, and its master had an unpleasant
conviction that to summon Mary to his aid would not improve his case.
It was desirable to compromise with Tabitha. The only way that he could
see to do it was to deny his action