e banns at church. Then I got the new cook at Pennington to come to
mawther and 'ave 'er fortin tould; then mawther an' me wormed out oal
she knawed 'bout the things up to Pennington."

"What?" I asked, while all the time the strange man seemed to be eagerly
devouring Eli's words.

"The Trezidders and the purty maid ev quaruled about you."

"Are you sure?"

"Iss. Neck wanted the purty maid to marry un, and she wudden, and they
axed 'er 'bout you, and she wudden tell nothin'."

"How did the new cook know this?"

"She 'arkened at the door."

I did not feel then, neither do I feel now, that I did wrong in trying
to find out the actions of the Tresidders even by such means as this. My
heart was torn by a great anxiety, and my love for Naomi seemed to grow
every hour.

"Well, what then?"

"The cook cudden maake it oal out, but the purty maid axed to go to some
plaace called a convent."

"Ah! a convent--yes," I cried, my mind reverting back to the
conversation I had heard between Richard Tresidder and his son.

"Well, she went; tha's oal I do knaw 'bout she."

"You are sure?" I asked, eagerly.

Eli hung his head.

"Tell me is that all?" I gasped. "Tell me all you know--everything."

"Poor Jasper, deear Jasper!" crooned Eli, patting my hands. "Eli loves
Jasper."

"But tell me everything, Eli."

"You wa'ant go maazed?"

"No."

"Then I heerd she was dead; but I dunnaw. There, do'ant 'ee give way,
Maaster Jasper."

For a few seconds I was stunned, but I called to mind Nick's words, and
I was comforted; at any rate, there was hope.

"And the rest, Eli?" I asked. "How did you find out where I was?"

"It took me a long time. I went to Kynance, and I 'arkened round
Pennington, but I cudden 'eer nothin'. Then wawn day I seed Israel
Barnicoat talkin' with Maaster Trezidder, then I beginned to wonder."

"Yes; what then?"

"I tried to pump un, but I cudden."

"Well?"

"Then wawn day I got'n home to mawther's, and we maade un nearly drunk,
and then I vound out. He'd bin 'ired by Maaster Trezidder to taake 'ee
to Trevawse 'Ouse. Little by little I vound out where it was, then I
comed to 'ee."

I did not ask him any more questions. I knew nearly all he could tell me
now; besides, the presence of the stranger kept me from entering into
further details. My imagination filled up what was not related.

"Eli got summin to tell Maaster Jasper when we git aloane," grunted Eli
presently.

The man with whom I