“Liar I know better, and Bill Westaway knows better.  Yes, you may gape your hateful eyes out of your head; but Bill Westaway’s my friend; and he’s straight; and he’s took good care to keep me in touch with the facts ever since I came here—­so now then!  You was after Chuff from the minute he went to Vitifer Tin Mine, and I knew it.  I weren’t blind to the man and I soon saw my revenge—­fearful though it was.”

“A funny sort of revenge,” said Jenny, smiling at him.  “I’m afraid, my poor little man, your revenge have come back on your own silly head.  You’ve seen Bill Westaway, have you?”

“Yes, I have.  And you needn’t think to bluff it off.  Every three months since I went away he’s been over here to tell me how my vengeance was working.”

“He knew all about your plot then, and that you weren’t in the river?”

“He did so.  A likely thing a man like me would drown hisself for a woman like you.  And terrible sorry he felt to bring me the fatal news of what you was up to, though well I knew you would be.  Nought astonished me.  I knew you’d wait a year, to save your shameful face, and then take Chuff.”

“What a world!” said Jenny.  “What dark, hookemsnivey creatures be in it—­men most times.  Do you know who’s been pestering me to marry him ever since the people all thought you’d falled in the river and was drownded, Nicky?  Not Mr. Chuff, but Billy Westaway himself.  He’s your rival, my dear, and none other.  Fifty times has that man called on me to take him.”

“You cunning liar!  He hates women worse than I do.”

“D’you know where he is this minute?  Down on Dart pretending to hunt for your bones.  God’s my judge, Nicholas White, if I ain’t telling you the truth.”

The little wretch stared at her, and saw truth in her eyes, and felt all his idiotic vengeance slipping away from him.  He didn’t want to believe in her and made another struggle.

“What rummage be you talking, woman?  Do you think you can sloke me off with this stuff?  Westaway’s my friend through thick and thin.  Be you mad, or me?”

“Neither one nor t’other,” she answered.  “I thought to find you mad naturally; but I’m not the sort to shirk my duty, whatever you are.  For better, for worse I took you, and I’d meant, if I found you cracked, to put you away nice and comfortable in a proper asylum, where they’d look after you, as became an unfortunate man with good friends.  But you’re not mad, only deceived by a damned rascal.  Drop that rock and come here and listen to me.”

He obeyed her and crept a foot or two nearer.

“What’s happened be this,” she said.  “The Almighty have punished us for loving each other too well.  I’ve worshipped you and, till Solomon Chuff came along, you worshipped me.  And God wouldn’t stand for such wickedness on our part, so He threw dust in your eyes and led you out into the wilderness—­to home with a lot of navvies and be deceived by a rare rascal.  And you’ve had your dose by the look of you; and I’ve had mine; and what I’ve suffered you’ll never know, I assure you.”