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Trust one man of action to know another。
I muttered something about being an outsiderwondered if there was
anything I could do to help。
〃Well；〃 he said slowly； 〃I don't know that I'm anything but an
outsider now； but I'll go along with him； if he'll have me。〃
He went downstairs。 A few minutes later they rode out from the
straw…yard。 I watched them past the line of hayricks； into the
blacker shadows of the pines； then the tramp of hoofs began to fail
in the darkness； and at last died away。
I've been sitting here in my bedroom writing to you ever since； till
my candle's almost gone。 I keep thinking what the end of it is to
be； and reproaching myself for doing nothing。 And yet； what could I
have done？ I'm sorry for hersorrier than I can say。 The night is
so quietI haven't heard a sound； is she asleep； awake； crying；
triumphant？
It's four o'clock； I've been asleep。
They're back。 Dan is lying on my bed。 I'll try and tell you his
story as near as I can； in his own words。
〃We rode；〃 he said； 〃round the upper way； keeping out of the lanes；
and got to Kingswear by half…past eleven。 The horse…ferry had
stopped running； and we had a job to find any one to put us over。 We
hired the fellow to wait for us； and took a carriage at the 'Castle。'
Before we got to Black Mill it was nearly one； pitch…dark。 With the
breeze from the southeast； I made out he should have been in an hour
or more。 The old man had never spoken to me once： and before we got
there I had begun to hope we shouldn't find the fellow after all。 We
made the driver pull up in the road； and walked round and round；
trying to find the door。 Then some one cried； 'Who are you ？'
〃'John Ford。'
〃'What do you want？' It was old Pearse。
〃'To see Zachary Pearse。'
〃The long window out of the porch where we sat the other day was
open； and in we went。 There was a door at the end of the room； and a
light coming through。 John Ford went towards it； I stayed out in the
dark。
〃'Who's that with you？'
〃'Mr。 Treffry。'
〃'Let him come in！' I went in。 The old fellow was in bed； quite
still on his pillows； a candle by his side； to look at him you'd
think nothing of him but his eyes were alive。 It was queer being
there with those two old men！〃
Dan paused； seemed to listen； then went on doggedly。
〃'Sit down； gentleman；' said old Pearse。 'What may you want to see
my son for？' John Ford begged his pardon； he had something to say；
he said； that wouldn't wait。
〃They were very polite to one another；〃 muttered Dan 。。。。
〃'Will you leave your message with me？' said Pearse。
〃'What I have to say to your son is private。'
〃'I'm his father。'
〃'I'm my girl's grandfather； and her only stand…by。'
〃'Ah！' muttered old Pearse； 'Rick Voisey's daughter？'
〃'I mean to see your son。'
〃Old Pearse smiled。 Queer smile he's got； sort of sneering sweet。
〃'You can never tell where Zack may be；' he said。 'You think I want
to shield him。 You're wrong； Zack can take care of himself。'
〃'Your son's here！' said John Ford。 'I know。' Old Pearse gave us a
very queer look。
〃'You come into my house like thieves in the night；' he said； 'and
give me the lie； do you？'
〃'Your son came to my child's room like a thief in the night； it's
for that I want to see him；' and then；〃 said Dan； 〃there was a long
silence。 At last Pearse said：
〃'I don't understand； has he played the blackguard？'
〃John Ford answered； 'He's married her； or； before God； I'd kill
him。'
〃Old Pearse seemed to think this over； never moving on his pillows。
'You don't know Zack；' he said； 'I'm sorry for you； and I'm sorry for
Rick Voisey's daughter； but you don't know Zack。'
'Sorry！' groaned out John Ford； 'he's stolen my child； and I'll
punish him。'
〃'Punish！' cried old Pearse； 'we don't take punishment； not in my
family。'
〃'Captain Jan Pearse； as sure as I stand here； you and your breed
will get your punishment of God。' Old Pearse smiled。
〃'Mr。 John Ford； that's as may be； but sure as I lie here we won't
take it of you。 You can't punish unless you make to feel； and that
you can't du。'〃
And that is truth！
Dan went on again：
〃'You won't tell me where your son is！' but old Pearse never blinked。
〃'I won't；' he said； 'and now you may get out。 I lie here an old man
alone； with no use to my legs； night on night； an' the house open；
any rapscallion could get in； d' ye think I'm afraid of you？'
〃We were beat； and walked out without a word。 But that old man； I've
thought of him a lotninety…two； and lying there。 Whatever he's
been； and they tell you rum things of him； whatever his son may be；
he's a man。 It's not what he said； nor that there was anything to be
afraid of just then； but somehow it's the idea of the old chap lying
there。 I don't ever wish to see a better plucked one。。。。〃
We sat silent after that； out of doors the light began to stir among
the leaves。 There were all kinds of rustling sounds； as if the world
were turning over in bed。
Suddenly Dan said：
〃He's cheated me。 I paid him to clear out and leave her alone。
D' you think she's asleep？〃 He's made no appeal for sympathy； he'd
take pity for an insult； but he feels it badly。
〃I'm tired as a cat；〃 he said at last； and went to sleep on my bed。
It's broad daylight now； I too am tired as a cat。。。。
V
〃Saturday； 6tb August 。
。。。。。。。I take up my tale where I left off yesterday。。。。 Dan and I
started as soon as we could get Mrs。 Hopgood to give us coffee。 The
old lady was more tentative； more undecided； more pouncing； than I
had ever seen her。 She was manifestly uneasy： Ha…apgoodwho 〃don't
slape 〃don't he； if snores are any criterionhad called out in the
night； 〃Hark to th' 'arses' 'oofs！〃 Had we heard them？ And where
might we be going then？ 'Twas very earrly to start； an' no
breakfast。 Haapgood had said it was goin' to shaowerr。 Miss
Pasiance was not to 'er violin yet； an' Mister Ford 'e kept 'is room。
Was it？would there be？ 〃Well； an' therr's an 'arvest bug； 'tis
some earrly for they！〃 Wonderful how she pounces on all such
creatures； when I can't even see them。 She pressed it absently
between finger and thumb； and began manoeuvring round another way。
Long before she had reached her point； we had gulped down our coffee；
and departed。 But as we rode out she came at a run； holding her
skirts high with either hand； raised her old eyes bright and anxious
in their setting of fine wrinkles； and said：
〃'Tidden sorrow for her？〃
A shrug of the shoulders was all the answer she got。 We rode by the
lanes； through sloping farmyards； all mud and pigs； and dirty straw；
and farmers with clean…shaven upper lips and whiskers under the chin；
past fields of corn； where larks were singing。 Up or down； we didn't
draw rein till we came to Dan's hotel