Mr. Clarkson stopped short and eyed him in perplexity.

“Digson got a bit sprung one night and told me,” said Mr. Bignell.  “She don’t know it herself yet—­uncle on her mother’s side in America.  She might know at any moment.”

“But—­but how did Digson know?” inquired the astonished Mr. Clarkson.

“He wouldn’t tell me,” was the reply.  “But it’s good enough for him.  What do you think he’s after?  Her?  And mind, don’t let on to a soul that I told you.”

He walked on, leaving Mr. Clarkson standing in a dazed condition in the centre of the foot-path.  Recovering himself by an effort, he walked slowly away, and, after prowling about for some time in an aimless fashion, made his way back to Mrs. Phipps’s house.

He emerged an hour later an engaged man, with the date of the wedding fixed.  With jaunty steps he walked round and put up the banns, and then, with the air of a man who has completed a successful stroke of business, walked homewards.

Little Molton is a small town and news travels fast, but it did not travel faster than Mr. Smithson as soon as he had heard it.  He burst into Mr. Clarkson’s room like the proverbial hurricane, and, gasping for breath, leaned against the table and pointed at him an incriminating finger.

“You you’ve been running,” said Mr. Clarkson, uneasily.

“What—­what—­what do you—­mean by it?” gasped Mr. Smithson.  “After all my trouble.  After our—­bargain.”

“I altered my mind,” said Mr. Clarkson, with dignity.

“Pah!” said the other.

“Just in time,” said Mr. Clarkson, speaking rapidly.  “Another day and I believe I should ha’ been too late.  It took me pretty near an hour to talk her over.  Said I’d been neglecting her, and all that sort of thing; said that she was beginning to think I didn’t want her.  As hard a job as ever I had in my life.”

“But you didn’t want her,” said the amazed Mr. Smithson.  “You told me so.”

“You misunderstood me,” said Mr. Clarkson, coughing.  “You jump at conclusions.”

Mr. Smithson sat staring at him.  “I heard,” he said at last, with an effort...  “I heard that Digson was paying her attentions.”

Mr. Clarkson spoke without thought.  “Ha, he was only after her money,” he said, severely.  “Good heavens!  What’s the matter?”

Mr. Smithson, who had sprung to his feet, made no reply, but stood for some time incapable of speech.

“What—­is—­the—­matter?” repeated Mr. Clarkson.  “Ain’t you well?”

Mr. Smithson swayed a little, and sank slowly back into his chair again.

“Room’s too hot,” said his astonished host.

Mr. Smithson, staring straight before him, nodded.

“As I was saying,” resumed Mr. Clarkson, in the low tones of confidence, “Digson was after her money.  Of course her money don’t make any difference to me, although, perhaps, I may be able to do something for friends like you.  It’s from an uncle in America on her mother’s—­”