you are, muster. The next turnin' to the right'll bring yer to it."
Peter Betts looked the stranger over as he spoke, with an inquisitive
eye.

"You've come from the meeting, I suppose?"

"Ay. We didn't go to the service. That worn't in our line. But we heerd
the speeches out o' doors."

"The carts were fine!--especially the second one."

"Ay--that's our missis. She and the two girls done the dressin' o' the
cart."

"What's her name?"

"Well, her name's Henderson," said the old man, speaking with an amiable,
half careless detachment, the manner rather of a philosopher than a
gossip.

"She's the farmer's wife?"

"Noa, she ain't. She's the farmer herself--'at's what she is. She's took
the farm from Colonel Shepherd--she did--all on her own. To be sure
there's Miss Leighton as lives with her. But it do seem to me as Miss
Henderson's--as you might say--the top 'un. And me an' James Halsey works
for her."

"_Miss_ Henderson? She's not married?"

"Not she!" said old Betts emphatically. "She's like a lot o' women
nowadays, I guess. They doan't want to be married."

"Perhaps nobody 'as wanted to marry 'em, dad!" said his elder son,
grinning at his own stale jest.

Betts shook a meditative head.

"Noa--yo'll not explain it that way," he said mildly. "Some of 'em's
good-looking--Miss Henderson 'ersel', by token. A very 'andsome
up-standin' young woman is Miss Henderson."

Delane followed all these remarks with close attention, and continued a
rather skilful examination. He learnt that Great End was a farm of about
two hundred and fifty acres, that Miss Henderson seemed to have "lots o'
money," and had sold her autumn crops very well, that Miss Leighton
managed the stock and the dairy with the help of two land-girls, and it
was thought by the village that the two ladies "was doin' fine."

Arrived at the village, Betts turned into his cottage, with a nod to his
companion, and Delane went on his way.

The lane on the farther side of the village was dark under branching
trees. Delane stumbled along it, coughing at intervals, and gripped by
the rising chill of the September evening. A little beyond the trees he
caught sight of the farm against the hill. Yes, it was lonesome, as the
old man said, but a big, substantial-looking place. Rachel's place! And
Rachel had "lots o' money"--and as to her health and well-being, why the
sight of her on that cart was enough. That vision of her indeed--of the
flushed, smiling f