the picking up.

She also knew that Nicholas Caunter would smoke his pipe by the river of
an evening, when he could escape from his sweetheart, and she knew that
poor Mary Jane was worrying a bit about a token of affection from
Nicholas, which he weren't in any great hurry to produce. For, since the
crash, the cowman soon felt less and less disposed to carry on his
pretence, or do aught to encourage the false hopes of Mary Jane.

So, fortified by all these facts, Cora watched out for Nicholas one
evening, saw him coming, and dropped her amber heart in the way where it
would lie under his nose as he came along.

Her only fear was that he'd miss it, and she hid, so close as a hare in
its form, to watch how it might go. But since Nicky's eyes were on the
ground and the sunset light glittered very brave upon the toy, miss it he
did not.

She saw him pick it up with a good bit of interest and then his eyes
roamed about; but there was nought in sight of him but the river and some
fragments of paper and a burned-out fire, where holiday folk had took
their tea. So away he went with the amber heart in his trouser pocket, and
after he was gone Cora came forth well pleased with the adventure; because
she knew all was tolerable safe now, and reckoned the next stage would
happen next day as she had foretold to herself. Which it did do.

She met Nicky after work hours and he was full of his find and very
wishful for Cora to take it. But that weren't her purpose by no means.

"No, Nick," she said. "This fix we be in wants a power of careful thought
and management, and we've got to go slow. You ain't a very downy man and
can't see much beyond the point of your beautiful nose; but I can, and
I'll ask you to go on as you are going for a bit and leave the future to
me."

"I'd trust you with my life," he said, and then she told him what he was
to do.

"You give this thing to Mary Jane," directed the devious woman. "You
needn't be telling you picked it up and that 'tis no more than a
come-by-chance, because then she'd set no store upon it. But just say 'tis
a gift for her, and she'll be pleased and axe no questions."

Of course Nicholas couldn't see the point; but Cora just told him to trust
her and do what she said.

"You leave the future to me," she told him. "I know a lot more about this
than what you do, and if there's one thing above all else it is for you to
trust me. You'll do a mighty sight more than you think you're doin