Wessex Poems and Other Verses

and unpleasant. Stockdale had gone away to Knollsea in the morning, to be present at some comm

himself. But before he left the room he remained standing by the dying embers awhile, thinking long of one thing and another; and was only aroused by the flickering of his candle in the socket as it suddenly declined and went out. Knowing that there were a tinder-box, matches, and another candle in his bedroom, he felt his way upstairs without a light. On reaching his chamber he laid his hand on every possible ledge and corner for the tinderbox, but for a long time in vain. Discovering it at length, Stockdale produced a spa

candle, went into the passage, and proceeded on tiptoe towards Lizzy's room. A faint grey square of light in the direction of the chamber-window as he approached told him that the do

gh for the present it had ceased. There was a sudden dropping from the trees and bushes every now and then, as each passing wind shook their boughs. Among these sounds Stockdale heard the faint fall of feet upon the road outside, and he guessed from the step that it was Lizzy's. He followed the sound, and, helped by the circumstance of the wind blowing from the direction

out, whose voice Stockdale recognized as that of

,' sai

-I've been here t

ve bad news; there is dange

o't! I dreamed

e the chaps are waiting, and tell them they will not be wanted ti

antly went off through a ga

amlet of Holworth, and went down the vale on the other side. Stockdale had never taken any extensive walks in this direction, but he was aware that if she persisted in her course much longer she would draw near to t

he cliffs, and by day it apparently commanded a full view of the bay. There was light enough in the sky to show her disguised figure against it when she reached the top, where she paused, and afte

t she might be seen, when she crept to the shelter of a little bush which maintained a precarious existence in that exposed spot; and her form was absorbed in its dark and stunted outline as if she had become part of it. She had evidently heard the men as well as he. They passed near him, talking in lo

s the

, about f

rbourg, I

'a b'l

t all belong

another or two in it-a farmer and su

d shoulders of the men diminished towa

honest affection for Lizzy having quickened to its intensest point during these moments of risk to

sh under which she had been crouching; the wind fanned the flame, which crackled fiercely, and threatened to consume the bush as well as the bough. Stockdale paused just long enough to notice thus much, and then followed rapidly the route taken by the young woman. His intention was to overtake her, and reveal himself as a friend; but run as he would he could see nothing of her. Thus he flew across the open country about Ho

door unfastened, just as he had left them. Stockdale closed the door behind him, and waited silently in the passage. In about ten minutes he heard the sam

once, 'Lizzy, don't be frightened

cognized the voice. 'It is Mr.

ors, and not alarmed. 'And a nice game I've found you out in

d a voice to answer th

, which is no harm, as he was my own husband; and I do it only because a cloak blows about so, and you can't use your arms. I have got my own

there can be anything between us now?' Lizzy was

share in the

engage in such a trade as that for, and ke

I only do it in winter-

can't be done anywhen else . . .

r that,' Lizzy

one as yet. Won't you for the sake of me give up

nt to give you up-you know that; but I don't want to lose my venture. I don't know what to do n

married you without finding this out yo

nt to-night to burn the folks off, because we found th

r, is this,' said the distracted young

agreed upon before the run was attempted, with the understanding that, if the vessel was 'burnt off' from the first point, which was Ringsworth, as it had been by her to-night, the crew should attem

he said, his attention to this interesting programme d

d moon-and perhaps they'll string the tubs to a stray-line, and sink 'em a little-ways from

t's

creeper-that's a grapnel-along the botto

k breathing of Lizzy, partly from her walk and partly from agitation, as she stood close to the wall, not in such comp

on of the tribute-money? "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesa

ad,' she

the text is in fo

body in Nether-Moynton lives by it, and life would be so dull

bitterly. 'You would not think it worth while to

r looked at

romise and wait

and moved away, going into the adjoining room, and closing the door between them. She re

er's wife she was hardly to be contemplated. 'If I had only stuck to father's little grocery business, instead of going in for the ministry, she would have suited

ening drew on, and he knew well enough that Lizzy would repeat her excursion at night-her half-offended manner had shown that she had not the slightest intention of altering her plans at present. He did not wish to repeat his own share of the adventure; but, act