ell, Jasper Penninton," she croaked, "ef you tell--you've eerd
ov fallin' flesh a'ant 'ee? Well, think ov it."

"I shall say nothing," I replied.

"No," she said, continuing to look steadily on me, "no, you wa'ant. I
c'n zee you wa'ant."

Then she left me, while I lay down on the sacks fearing nothing living,
but fearing the dead terribly. For it seemed to me as though Betsey had
been doing that which was unlawful, and that I was a party to her plans.
And so I could not sleep for a long time; not, indeed, until the light
of morning began to stream through the cottage window, and then I felt
to laugh at it all. Betsey's signs and Betsey's words were so much
foolery, while the conversation about the buried treasure was no more
true than the stories which were believed in superstitious days.
Besides, thoughts of Naomi drove away all else, although everything came
back to me afterward. When my fears went, however, sleep came to my
eyes, and I did not awake until I felt Eli fondling my hands, and heard
him telling me that breakfast was ready.

Then I arose, upbraiding myself for having slept so long, for I had
intended finding my way to Pennington in the early morning. I know this
seemed very foolish, for if the Tresidders found me on the land they
called theirs all my purposes would be frustrated.

"Breakfas', breakfas', Jasper," said Eli.

"No, I'm going out," I replied.

"Ted'n no use, ted'n no use," grunted the poor dwarf, "she ed'n there."

"Where is she, then?"

"Jist agone by, ridin' to Fammuth town."

"How do you know?"

"I zeed um. She and Maaster Tresidder, and Maaster Nick Tresidder, and
Miss Em'ly."

"Are you sure, Eli?"

"Iss."

Then I quickly ate what had been prepared for me, and when I had given
Betsey a guinea out of the few I had been able to earn during the time I
had been away, I tramped to Falmouth. I arrived there in less than two
hours from the time I had left Betsey's cottage, trying to make plans as
I went. I walked up and down Falmouth street several times, all the time
looking around in the hopes of finding her, not because I could do
anything if I found her, but because I longed greatly to see her, longed
more than words can tell. At length noonday came and still my eyes
continued to ache for a sight of her, while my heart grew heavy. I
found, too, that the streets became more and more crowded every minute,
until I asked myself if it were a fair. But such was not the case. The
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