according to his custom.

She went into the farmyard and took the pony from him and led it back
into the stall. Then she returned to him and put her arm through his and
spoke.

"Light your pipe, lovey, an' walk a li'l way along down to the stones on
the hill, wheer you was born. Your auld mother wants to talk to 'e."

CHAPTER X

CONNECTING LINKS

Spaces of time extending over rather more than a year may now be
dismissed in a chapter.

Chris Blanchard, distracted between Will and her lover, stayed on at
Newtake after the estrangement, with a hope that she might succeed in
healing the breach between them; but her importunity failed of its good
object, and there came an August night when she found her own position
at her brother's farm grow no longer tenable.

The blinds were up, and rays from the lamp shot a broad band of light
into the farmyard, while now and again great white moths struck soft
blows against the closed window, then vanished again into the night.
Will smoked and Chris pleaded until a point, beyond which her brother's
patience could not go, was reached. Irritation grew and grew before her
ceaseless entreaty on Clement's behalf; for the thousandth time she
begged him to write a letter of apology and explanation of the trouble
bred by Sam Bonus; and he, suddenly rising, smashed down his clay pipe
and swore by all his gods he would hear the name of Hicks mentioned in
his house no more. Thus challenged to choose between her lover and her
brother, the girl did not hesitate. Something of Will's own spirit
informed her; she took him at his word and returned home next morning,
leaving him to manage his own household affairs henceforth as best he
might.

Upon the way to Chagford Chris chanced to meet with Martin Grimbal, and,
having long since accepted his offer of friendship, she did not hesitate
to tell him of her present sorrow and invite his sympathy. From
ignorance rather than selfishness did Chris take Martin literally when
he had hoped in the past they might remain friends, and their
intercourse was always maintained by her when chance put one in the
other's way--at a cost to the man beyond her power to guess.

Now he walked beside her, and she explained how only a word was wanting
between Will and Clement which neither would speak. Hicks had forgiven
Will, but he refused to visit Newtake until he received an apology from
the master of it; and Blanchard bore no ill-will to Clement, but
de