. Thomas Parsons swore on the Book
to this; and he said, as a certain fact, that New Year's Night was the
time most misers walked; and he advised Jonathan not to be dead to his
own interests.

"At least, as a thinking man, that believes in religion and the powers
of the air, in Bible word, you might give it a chance," said Thomas; and
then Jonathan told him to shut his mouth, and not shame Dunnabridge by
talking such childish nonsense.

The next autumn Jonathan went up beyond Exeter to buy some of they
black-faced, horned Scotch sheep, and he wanted for Parsons to go with
him; but his man falled ill the night afore, and so young Hacker went
instead.

Drake reckoned then that Thomas Parsons would have to leave, for
Dunnabridge weren't a place for sick folk; and he'd made up his mind
after he came back to turn the old chap off; but Thomas was better when
the master got home, so the question of sacking him was let be, and
Jonathan contented himself by telling Tom that, if he falled ill again,
'twould be the last time. And Parsons said that was as it should be; but
he hoped that at his age--merely sixty-five or thereabout--he wouldn't
be troubled with his breathing parts again for half a score o' years at
least. He added that he'd done his work as usual while the master was
away; but he didn't mention that Hyssop Burges had made so bold as to
call at Dunnabridge with a pony and cart, and that she'd spent a tidy
long time there, and gone all over the house and farmyard, among other
places, afore she drove off again.

And the next chapter of the story was told by Jonathan himself to his
two men on the first day of the following year.

There was but little light of morning just then, and the three of 'em
were putting down some bread and bacon and a quart of tea by candlelight
in the Dunnabridge kitchen, when Thomas saw that his master weren't
eating nothing to name. Instead, he went out to the barrel and drawed
himself a pint of ale, and got along by the peat fire with it, and stuck
his boots so nigh the scads as he dared without burning 'em.

"What's amiss?" said Thomas. "Don't say you'm sick, master. And if you
be, I lay no liquor smaller than brandy will fetch you round."

"I ban't sick," answered Jonathan shortly.

He seemed in doubt whether to go on. Then he resolved to do so.

"There was a man in the yard last night," he said; "and, if I thought as
either of you chaps knowed anything about it, I'd turn you off