er didn't. But
'tis all gone now! and I be that mad wi' myself, and mammered,
and down, I be ready to hang myself, Master Tom; and if they just
teks and transports me--"

"Oh, nonsense, Harry! You must keep out of that. We shall think
of some way to get you out of that before morning. And you must
get clear away, and go to work on the railways or somewhere.
There's nothing to be downhearted about as far as Patty is
concerned."

"Ah! 'tis they as wears it as knows where the shoe pinches. You'd
say different if 'twas you, Master Tom."

"Should I?" said Tom; and, after pausing a moment or two, he went
on. "What I'm going to say is in confidence. I've never told it
to any man yet, and only one has found it out. Now, Harry, I'm
much worse off than you are at this minute. Don't I know where
the shoe pinches! Why I haven't seen--I've scarcely heard
of--of--well, of my sweetheart--there, you'll understand
that--for this year and more. I don't know when I may see her
again. I don't know that she hasn't clean forgotten me. I don't
know that she ever cared a straw for me. Now you know quite well
that you are better off than that."

"I bean't so sure o' that, Master Tom. But I be terrible vexed to
hear about you."

"Never mind about me. You say you're not sure, Harry. Come, now,
you said, not two minutes ago, that you two had broken a sixpence
over it. What does that mean, now?"

"Ah! but 'tis four years gone. Her's been a leadin' o' me up and
down, and a dancin' o' me round and round purty nigh ever since,
let alone the time as she wur at Oxford, when--"

"Well, we won't talk of that, Harry. Come, will yesterday do for
you? If you thought she was all right yesterday, would that
satisfy you?"

"Ees; and summat to spare."

"You don't believe it, I see. Well, why do you think I came after
you to-night? How did I know what was going on?"

"That's just what I've been a-axin' o' myself as we cum along."

"Well, then, I'll tell you. I came because I got a note from her
yesterday at Oxford." Tom paused, for he heard a muttered growl
from the other side of the horse's head, and could see, even in
the fitful moonlight, the angry toss of the head with which his
news was received, "I didn't expect this, Harry," he went on
presently, "after what I told you just now about myself, it was a
hard matter to tell it at all; but, after telling you, I didn't
think you'd suspect me any more. However, perhaps I've deserved
it. So, to g