ning of that day, under cover of darkness, she met
Nick Caunter and heard his news.

"'Tis in a nutshell and all very shameful, but very convenient," said
Nicholas. "White faced me about the amber heart after dinner, and axed me
where I'd bought it, and, took unawares, I said at Moreton. Then he told
me I was a liar and could clear out of Hartland at the end of my month.
And then I owned up that I'd found the blessed thing on the moor and
thought it would sound better in Mary Jane's ear if I said I'd bought it.
Then he flattened me out by telling me 'twas his gift to you, and the
whole trick had been planned by us both, as an insult to him and his
sister. Then I looked at Mary Jane and found, to my great thankfulness,
she was in a mood to believe James; and then I went out of their sight
that instant moment, before she had time to relent. I packed my bag and I
cleared, and I ain't going back again, neither."

She was very pleased indeed, Cora was.

"You couldn't have done no better," she said. "You couldn't have carried
on cleverer than that if I'd advised you. 'Tis a very sad affair for
everybody, I'm sure, but better be troubled for a week than for a
lifetime. Now you go to Moreton and put up the banns and leave the rest to
me, if you please."

"What a day!" he said. "If I didn't know you, I should reckon you was
going mad along of so much plotting. How can I put up the banns--me out of
work and not a job in sight? And where will you stand with Mrs. Dene when
she hears that White have thrown you over?"

"Don't waste your time axing questions," she answered. "I want your
address in Moreton and that's all there is to it for a fortnight till
after we be wed. You've got enough money to carry on, because you can draw
out your twenty-five pounds from the Post Office Savings Bank; and I can
draw out my fifteen, and that's forty. And don't you look for no work,
unless it's jobbing work, but leave the future in my keeping till we meet
again."

With that they praised the Lord for all His mercies and the man went on
his way, to tramp to Moreton and Cora returned home. But the river ran at
the bottom of her aunt's garden and she popped down and dipped in it,
clothes and all, before she returned to Mrs. Dene.

The old woman was sitting up in a bit of a stew, because the hour grew
late and she minded what her niece had threatened. In fact, she was
half-inclined to go down to the police-station when the girl came in,
soaking