hagford tongues wagging so briskly, he rightly judged that John
would hold him one of the conspirators; and an engagement to Chris
Blanchard must certainly confirm the baffled lover's suspicions and part
the men for ever. But before those words, as they passed through his
brain, Martin Grimbal stopped, as the peasant before a shrine. "An
engagement to Chris Blanchard!" He was too much a man and too deep
merged in love to hesitate before the possibility of such unutterable
happiness.

For his brother he mourned deeply enough, and when the thousand rumours
bred of the battle on the bridge were hatched and fluttered over the
countryside, Martin it was who exerted all his power to stay them. Most
people were impressed with the tragic nature of the unfortunate John's
disappointment; but his energetic measures since the event were held to
pay all scores, and it was believed the matter would end without any
more trouble from him. Clement Hicks entertained a different opinion,
perhaps judging John Grimbal from the secrets of his own character; but
Will expressed a lively faith that his rival must now cry quits, after
his desperate and natural but unsuccessful attempt to render Phoebe a
widow. The shattered youth took his broken bones very easily, and only
grunted when he found that his wife was not permitted to visit him under
any pretence whatever; while as for Phoebe, her wild sorrow gradually
lessened and soon disappeared as each day brought a better account of
Will. John Grimbal vanished on the trip which was to have witnessed his
honeymoon. He pursued his original plans with the modification that
Phoebe had no part in them, and it was understood that he would return
to Chagford in the spring.

Thus matters stood, and when his brother was gone and Will and Phoebe
had been married a month, Martin, having suffered all that love could do
meantime, considered he might now approach the Blanchards. Ignorantly he
pursued an awkward course, for wholly unaware that Clement Hicks felt
any interest in Will and his sister beyond that of friendship, Martin
sought from him the general information he desired upon the subject of
Chris, her family and concerns.

Together the two men went upon various excursions to ancient relics that
interested them both, though in different measure. It was long before
Martin found courage to bring forth the words he desired to utter, but
finally he managed to do so, in the bracing conditions that obtaine