es hid in the past behind me.
The question is, should I take that into account now, or go ahead as if
it never had failed out?"

"Let it alone, as it has let you alone. Never rake it up again, and
forget it if you can. That's my advice to you. Forget you ever--"

"Hush!" said Will. "I'd rather not hear the word, even 'pon your lips."

They then discussed the main matter from the opposite vantage-grounds of
minds remote in every particular; but no promising procedure suggested
itself to either man, and it was not until upon his homeward way that
Will, unaided, arrived at an obvious and very simple conclusion. With
some glee he welcomed this idea.

"I'll just wait till Monday night," he said to himself, "an' then I'll
step right down to Miller, an' ax un what's in the wind, an' if I can
help his hand. Then he must speak if he's a man."

CHAPTER XIII

THE MILLER'S OFFER

Will, followed his determination and proceeded to Monks Barton on the
following Monday evening, at an hour when he knew that Mr. Lyddon would
have finished supper and be occupied about a pipe or a game of cards
with Mr. Blee. The old men occasionally passed an hour at "oaks" or
"cribbage" before retiring, but on this occasion they were engaged in
conversation, and both looked up with some surprise when Blanchard
appeared.

"You--you here again!" said the miller, and his mouth remained slightly
open after the words.

"You 'm allus setting sober hair on end--blessed if you ain't!" was
Billy's comment.

Will, for his part, made no introductory speeches, but went straight to
the point.

"Theer's my arm," he said, thrusting it out before him. "'T is mended so
neat that Doctor Parsons says no Lunnon bone-setter could have done it
better. So I've comed just to say theer's no call for longer waitin'. 'T
was a sportsmanlike thing in you, Miller Lyddon, to bide same as you
did; and now, if you'd set the law movin' an' get the job out o' hand,
I'd thank you kindly. You see, if they put me in for two year, 't will
leave mighty li'l time to get a home ready for Phoebe against the day
she comes of age."

"You needn't be at any trouble about that."

"But I shall be. Do 'e think my wife's gwaine to be any differ'nt to
lesser folks? A home she'll have, an' a braave, vitty home, tu, though
I've got to sweat blood for it. So if you'd take your bite so soon as
convenient, you'd sarve me."

"I doan't say you 'm axin' anything onreasonable," said Mr.