"Mon Gyu!" gasped Nance to herself, and went in wondering.

"She and Tom wanted me to take my old room again, and I refused," was
all he said.

"Tom wanted you to go there?" said Mrs. Hamon in amazement.

"So she said."

Grannie's disparaging sniff was charged with libel.

* * * * *

"Well?" asked Tom of his wife, when he came in later on with Peter
Mauger, who had come over for supper. "Got your lodger?"

"No."

"That's what I told you," with a provocative laugh.

"Oh, he'd have come quick enough."

"Would, would he? Then why didn't he?"

"I wouldn't trust myself alone in the house with that man."

"Ah!" said Tom, staring at her. "Always thought he was a bad lot myself,
didn't I, Peter?"

Peter nodded.

"It's a wonder to me that Mrs. Hamon lets him run after that girl of
hers as she does," said Julie.

"If I catch him up to any of his tricks I'll break his head for him."

"Maybe it would be a good thing for little Nance if you did."

"Knew he was a toad as soon as I set eyes on him, so did Peter. Didn't
you, Peter?"

Peter nodded.

"What d'he say to you?" demanded Tom.

"Didn't say much. Asked if you were much away at the fishing and that.
But the way he looked at me!--I've got the shivers down my back yet,"
and a virtuous little shudder shook her and made a visible impression on
Peter.

"Peter and me'll maybe have a word with him one of these days, won't we,
Peter?"

"Maybe," said Peter.

"We don't want toads like Gard running off with any of our Sark girls,
do we, Peter?"

"No," said Peter.

"Mr. Gard had better look out for himself or take himself off before
somebody does it for him. There's plenty wouldn't mind giving him a
crack on the head and slipping him over the Coupee some dark night."

As to such extreme measures Peter offered no opinion. He looked vaguely
round the big kitchen as though in search of something that used to be
there, and said--

"How about supper?"

CHAPTER XIV

HOW THEY WENT THROUGH THE DARKNESS OF THE NARROW WAY

One dark night Gard sauntered down the cutting towards the Coupee,
enjoying a last pipe before turning in.

This had become something of a habit with him. The people of Plaisance,
hard at work all day in the fields, went early to bed and left him to
follow when he pleased. And to stand securely in that deep cleft, just
where the protecting walls broke off short and left the narrow path to
waver o