nt expression of her
face, which Mrs. Tucker fully appreciating, she speeded her departure by
the inspiriting prediction that if Eve didn't sup sorrow by the spoonful
before her hair was gray her name wasn't Ann Tucker.

"Awh, don't 'ee say that," said Joan. "You'm over-crabbit with her,
mother, and her only wantin' to hear some word that Adam had sent to her
ownself."

"But, mercy 'pon us! her must give me time to fetch my breath,"
exclaimed Mrs. Tucker indignantly, "and I foaced to fly off as I did for
fear that Adam should forestall me and go doin' somethin' foolish!"

"He ain't wantin' to come home?" said Joan hurriedly.

"Iss, but he is, though. And when us see they sodgers go past I thought
no other than he'd a set off then and there. As I said to un, ''Tis true
you knows o' they that's gone, but how can 'ee tell how many's left
behind?'"

Joan shook her head. "They'm all off," she said: "every man of 'em's
gone; but, for all that, Adam mustn't come anighst us or show his face
in the place. 'Tis held everywhere that this move is nothin' but a decoy
to get the men out o' hidin', and that done, back they'll all come and
drop down on 'em."

"Well, then, I'd best go back to wanst," cried Mrs. Tucker, starting up,
"and try and put a stop to his comin', tho' whether he'll pay any heed
to what I say is more than I'll answer for."

"Tell un," said Joan, "that for all our sakes he mustn't come, and say
that I've had word that Jonathan's lurkin' nigh about here some place,
so I reckon there's somethin' up; and what it is he shall know so soon
as I can send word to un. Say _that_ ought to tell un 'tisn't safe to
stir, 'cos he knows that Jonathan would sooner have gone to he than to
either wan here."

"Well, I'll tell un all you tells me to," said Mrs. Tucker with a
somewhat hopeless expression; "but you knaw what Adam is, Joan, when he
fixes his mind on anythin'; and I've had the works o' the warld to keep
un from comin' already: he takes such fancies about 'ee all as you never
did. I declare if I didn't knaw that p'r'aps he's a had more liquor than
he's used to take o' times I should ha' fancied un light-headed like."

"And so he'll be if you gives much sperrit to un, mother," said Joan
anxiously: "'tis sure to stir his temper up. But there!" she added
despondingly, "what can anybody do? 'Tis all they ha' got to fly to.
There's Jerrem at it fro' mornin' to night; and as for uncle, dear sawl!
he's as happy as a cl