e
done that fearful thing, an' if 't weern't enough to turn the Lard's
hand from un, what was? Snug an' vitty he weer afore that, so far as
anybody knawed; an' since--why, troubles have tumbled 'pon each other's
tails like apple-dranes out of a nest."

The face of Phoebe was lighted with some eagerness, some deep anxiety,
and not a little passion as she listened to this harangue.

"You mean that gate-stone brought this upon us?" she asked.

"No, no, never," declared Damaris; "'t is contrary to all reason."

"'T is true, whether or no; an' any fule, let alone a man as knaws like
I do, would tell 'e the same. 'T is common sense if you axes me. Your
man was told 't was a blessed cross, an' he flouted the lot of us an'
left it wheer 't was. 'T is a challenge, if you come to think of it, a
scoffin' of the A'mighty to the very face of Un. I wouldn't stand it
myself if I was Him."

"Will, do 'e hear Mr. Blee?" asked Phoebe.

"I hear un. 'T is tu late now, even if what he said was true, which it
ban't."

"Never tu late to do a gude deed," declared Billy; "an' you'll have to
come to it, or you'll get the skin cussed off your back afore you 'm
done with. Gormed if ever I seed sich a man as you! Theer be some gude
points about 'e, as everything must have from God A'mighty's workshop,
down to poisonous varmints. But certain sure am I that you don't ought
to think twice 'pon this job."

"Do 'e mean it might even make the differ'nee between life an' death to
the bwoy?" asked Phoebe breathlessly.

"I do. Just all that."

"Will--for God's love, Will!"

"What do 'e say, mother?"

"It may be truth. Strange things fall out. Yet it never hurted my
parents in the past."

"For why?" asked Billy. "'Cause they didn't knaw 't was theer, so
allowance was made by the Watching Eye. Now 't is differ'nt, an' His
rage be waxing."

"Your blessed God 's got no common sense, then--an' that's all I've got
to say 'bout it. What would you have me do?"

Will put the question to Mr. Blee, but his wife it was who answered,
being now worked up to a pitch of frenzy at the delay.

"Go! Dig--dig as you never digged afore! Dig the holy stone out the
ground direckly minute! Now, now, Will, 'fore the life's out of his li'l
flutterin' body. Lay bare the cross, an' drag un out for God in heaven
to see! Doan't stand clackin' theer, when every moment's worth more'n
gawld."

"So like's not He'll forgive 'e if 'e do," argued Mr. Blee. "Allowed the