sed, then you can lie hid till
the wind has changed. It's a beautiful plan. I talked it over with
the master, and he's agreeable; and as to money--well, he put ten
pound into my hand for you, and there's ten pound of my wages I've
saved and hid in the thatchin' of the cow-stall, and have no use
for; that's twenty pound, and will keep you and the baby goin' for
a while, and when that's done I daresay there'll be more to be had."

"I thank you, Joe," began Mehetabel, the tears rising in her eyes.

He cut her short. "The master don't want Polly to know nothin' of
it. Polly's been able to get the mastery in the house. She's got
the keys, and she's a'most got the old chap under lock. But it's
my experience as fellows when they get old get won'erful artful,
and master may be under her thumb in most things, but not all. And
he don't fancy the notion of your bein' hanged. So he gave me that
ten pound, and when I sed I'd drive you away afore the constable
had you--why, he just about jumped out o' his breeches wi' joy.
Only the first thing he said then was--'Not a word to Polly.'"

"Indeed, Joe, you are good, but I cannot go."

"You must go either to Portsmouth or to Gorlmyn. You may be a free
woman, but in hidin', or go to prison. There's the choice before
you. And if you b'ain't a fool, I know what you will take."

"I do not think it right to run away."

"Of course if you killed him deliberate, then you may go cheerful
like and be hanged for it. But wot I sez and most sez, but they in
the Punch-Bowl, is that it worn't deliberate. It were done under
aggravatin' sarcumstances. The squatters in the Bowl, they have
another tale. They say you tried to shoot him, and then to poison
him, and he lived in fear of his life of you, and then you knocked
him head over heels into the kiln, and served him right is my
doctrine, and I respect you for it. But then--wot our people in
Thursley sez is that it'll give the place a bad name if you're hung
on Hind Head. They've had three hangin' there already, along of wot
they did to your father. And to have another might damage the
character of the place. I don't fancy myself that farmer Colpus is
mighty keen on havin' you hanged."

"I shall not be hanged when I am guiltless," said Mehetabel.

"My dear," answered the hostler, "it all depends not on what you
are but on what the judge and jury think, and that depends on the
lawyers what they say in their harangues. There's chances in all
the