lmwater Barton, I began to think of the steps I
must take for my immediate future. I had determined that I would live
within sight of Pennington, but how? Even Betsey Fraddam would be afraid
to give me shelter when she had heard the truth, for Betsey knew Richard
Tresidder's power. For let me tell here that while Betsey was much
sought after, she was hated by many. Betsey admitted to being a witch,
but claimed only to be a white witch. Now as all Cornish folks know,
there is a difference between a white witch and a black witch. A white
witch is one who is endowed by nature to cure by means of charms, and
passes and strange signs. She can also read the future, and find out
secrets about those who do evil. Thus a white witch is looked up to, and
her calling is regarded as lawful, even by the parsons, save of a very
few who are narrow in their notions. A black witch, on the other hand,
is said to have dealings with the evil one, and her power is only gained
by a signed compact with the king of darkness.

Now if Betsey were suspected of the evil eye, and of being a black
witch, her life might be in danger, and if Richard Tresidder as the
chief man in the parish were to turn against her, 'twould go hard with
her. Thus I knew that while Betsey did not love Tresidder she would do
nothing to offend him. Only her love for Eli caused her to give me a
home during the past months, and I knew that now she would not dare to
have me in her house.

Thus I made many plans as to what I should do, and presently I had made
up my mind. My plan was to go into a cave which I knew of, and spend my
days there, and by night I would go to Betsey's house and get food. I
should thus have shelter and food, and I should be near Pennington. I
should also have means of finding out whether Naomi Penryn stayed at
Pennington, as well as other matters which lay near to my heart. What I
should do when winter came on I knew not, neither could I tell how I
could make myself worthy of my love. I felt sure that Richard
Tresidder's great desire was to drive me from Cornwall, and thus be
freed from the sight of one who must always remind him of his fraud. As
for my getting back the home of my fathers, it was out of all question.

So I made my way to the cave. It was called Granfer Fraddam's Cave,
because he died there. Granfer Fraddam had been a smuggler, and it was
believed that he used it to store the things he had been able to obtain
through unlawful means.