ed! Why should you think that?"

"When did you knaw Maaster Roger, sur?"

"Oh, twelve years ago, just before he came of age, I think."

"Well, sur, ther've bin awful doin's up at th' House since then,
things, sur, as I'm amooast 'fraid to tell 'ee, 'cause----"

Then a frightened look came into Bill's eyes, and he looked round
nervously.

CHAPTER XVII

REVENGE!

"You doan't belong to this neighbourhood, do 'ee?" said Bill, at length.

"I have not been in England for years," was my reply.

"Well, sur, I'll tell 'ee oal about it. Perhaps you knaw that the
young lady who was saved was stayin' at the house?"

"Yes, I've heard of it. Miss Morton was her name, wasn't it?"

"Iss, that's it. Well, Maaster Roger and Maaster Wilfred was boath in
love wi' her; and Maaster Wilfred he stood the best chance 'cause Mrs.
Trewinion dedn't like Roger, and she amoast worshipped Wilfred. Of
course, we doan't know all about it, but we've heerd as 'ow there was
somethin' in Squire Morton's will which made Miss Ruth marry the Squire
of Trewinion. Anyhow the ou'll squire got killed, and jist after that,
altho' Maaster Roger wur maaster of everything, he runned away and left
Wilfred to be the squire. Of course, everybody wondered at that, and
grieved too, for Maaster Roger wur a fav'rit' with us all. Then we
heerd from the sarvents that Mrs. Trewinion and Maaster Wilfred had
worked it out. She had tould Miss Ruth that young Roger had been
boasting that she would 'ave to marry him, although 'ee didn't care
anything 'bout 'er, and we heerd as 'ow she tould Maaster Roger that
Miss Ruth loved his brother, but couldn't marry him 'cause he was in
the way, and that the thought of marryin' him, that is Maaster Roger,
was drivin' her mad. We doan't knaw 'bout oal these things, sur, but
anyhow, Maaster Roger was missin' dreckly after his father's funerl,
and hev never bin seed alive since. Well, after he was gone, Miss Ruth
nearly broke her heart. You never see such a pale thing as she went
to."

"But I think I heard that she liked Wilfred best; at least, Roger told
me so."

"Ded Maaster Roger tell 'ee that, sur? Well, everybody thought so.
She would go out a walking with Wilfred, but 'ardly ever with Roger;
but wimmin be curus critters, and it 'pears that all the time she wur a
dyin' for 'im, only she wur too proud to let 'im know it."

In spite of myself my heart gave a great bound. I saw it now. I had
been the too