"Nothing; an' theer's a purty strong faith she'm in the river, poor
lamb. Theer's draggin' gwaine to be done in the ugly bits. I heard tell
of it to the village, wheer I'd just stepped up to see auld Lezzard
moved to the work'ouse. A wonnerful coorious, rackety world, sure
'nough! Do make me giddy."

"Does Will know?" asked Mr. Lyddon.

"His mother's sent post-haste for un. I doubt he 'm to the cottage by
now. Such a gude, purty gal as she was, tu! An' so mute as a twoad at
the buryin', wi' never a tear to soften the graave dust. For why? She
knawed she'd be alongside her man again 'fore the moon waned. An' I hope
she may be. But 't was cross-roads an' a hawthorn stake in my young
days. Them barbarous ancient fashions be awver, thank God, though
whether us lives in more religious times is a question, when you see the
things what happens every hour on the twenty-four."

"I must go to them," cried Phoebe.

"I'll go; you stop at home quietly, and don't fret your mind," answered
her father.

"Us must all do what us can--every manjack. I be gwaine corpse-searchin'
down valley wi' Chapple, an' that 'mazin' water-dog of hisn; an' if 't
is my hand brings her out the Teign, 't will be done in a kind,
Christian manner, for she's in God's image yet, same as us; an' ugly
though a drownin' be, it won't turn me from my duty."

BOOK III

HIS GRANITE CROSS

CHAPTER I

BABY

Succeeding upon the tumultuous incidents of Clement's death and Chris
Blanchard's disappearance, there followed a period of calm in the lives
of those from whom this narrative is gleaned. Such transient peace
proved the greater in so far as Damaris and her son were concerned, by
reason of an incident which befell Will on the evening of his sister's
departure. Dead she certainly was not, nor did she mean to die; for,
upon returning to Newtake after hours of fruitless searching, Blanchard
found a communication awaiting him there, though no shadow of evidence
was forthcoming to show how it had reached the farm. Upon the ledge of
the window he discovered it when he returned, and read the message at a
glance:

"Don't you nor mother fear nothing for me, nor seek me out, for it would
be vain. I'm well, and I'm so happy as ever I shall be, and perhaps I'll
come home-along some day.--CHRIS."

On this challenge Will acted, ignored his sister's entreaty to attempt
no such thing, and set out upon a resolute search of nearly two months'
duration. He t