ons from him she had heard
before. But she did care very much as to this mission of the police
against her Captain. If that were true, the Captain could be her
Captain no longer. "What is this I hear, Captain Bellfield?" she
said.

"It's a lie and a slander. He merely wants to make a quarrel between
us. What police are after me, Mr Cheesacre?"

"It's the police, or the sheriff's officer, or something of the
kind," said Cheesacre.

"Oh, the sheriff's officers!" exclaimed Mrs Greenow, in a tone of
voice which showed how great had been her relief. "Mr Cheesacre, you
shouldn't come and say such things;--you shouldn't, indeed. Sheriff's
officers can be paid, and there's an end of them."

"I'll indict him for the libel--I will, as sure as I'm alive," said
Bellfield.

"Nonsense," said the widow. "Don't you make a fool of yourself. When
men can't pay their way they must put up with having things like that
said of them. Mr Cheesacre, where were you going?"

"I was going to Vavasor Hall, on purpose to caution you."

"It's too late," said Mrs Greenow, sinking behind her veil.

"Why, you haven't been and married him since yesterday? He only had
twenty-four hours' start of me, I know. Or, perhaps, you had it done
clandestine in Norwich? Oh, Mrs Greenow!"

He got out of the gig, and the three walked back towards the Hall
together, while the boy drove on with Mr Cheesacre's carpetbag. "I
hardly know," said Mrs Greenow, "whether we can welcome you. There
are other visitors, and the house is full."

"I'm not one to intrude where I'm not wanted. You may be sure of
that. If I can't get my supper for love, I can get at for money.
That's more than some people can say. I wonder when you're going to
pay me what you owe me, Lieutenant Bellfield?"

Nevertheless, the widow had contrived to reconcile the two men before
she reached the Hall. They had actually shaken hands, and the lamb
Cheesacre had agreed to lie down with the wolf Bellfield. Cheesacre,
moreover, had contrived to whisper into the widow's ears the true
extent of his errand into Westmoreland. This, however, he did not do
altogether in Bellfield's hearing. When Mrs Greenow ascertained that
there was something to be said, she made no scruple in sending her
betrothed away from her "You won't throw a fellow over, will you,
now?" whispered Bellfield into her ear as he went. She merely frowned
at him, and bade him begone, so that the walk which Mrs Greenow began
with one lo