He went whiter than a dog’s tooth behind his black hair, and his eyes bulged on her.  He crept a bit nearer and she held out her hand.  But the little loony had got his pride yet.

“I ban’t so sure,” he said.  “No doubt you’ve come with a tale; but you’ll have to hear me first.  Your tongue be running a thought too smooth I reckon.  How do I know this is truth?  Why should I believe you afore Bill?  He’s sworn on his oath that Chuff spends half his time along with you and the banns be called.  He’s come, as I tell you, off and on, to let me know everything, and never a good word for you.”

“You ought to break his neck,” said Jenny.  “However, you ain’t heard all yet.  It may interest you to know that at last I’ve promised to marry—­not Chuff—­he’s old enough to be my father—­but Bill himself.”

“And you’ve come here to tell me that?”

Nicky looked round for his stone again.

“No, I have not.  I’ve come firstly to forgive you, which be a lot more than you deserve, and secondly to take you home.”

“’Tis for me to forgive you I reckon; and why for should I?”

“I’ve worn black for a year and prayed for your soul and eaten the bread of tears and lived like the widow-woman I thought I was—­just lived in the memory of our beautiful life together,” she says.  “That’s all you’ve got to forgive, Nicky.  And it didn’t ought to be partickler hard I should think.  Poison—­poison—­that’s what you’ve been taking—­poison—­sucking it down from Bill Westaway, like a little child sucks cream.”

“And you tell me you’re going to marry the man—­or think you are?  What’s that mean?”

Spider had come right alongside of her now.

“On one condition I shall certainly marry him, so you needn’t pull no more faces.  I told him I’d take him if he found all that was left of you in the river!  And so I will.”  “But I ban’t in the Dart!  I ban’t in the Dart!  I’m alive!” cried Nicky—­as if she didn’t know it.

“Working along with these quarry men have made you dull seemingly,” she answered.  “It is true no doubt that you ban’t in the Dart; but that’s no reason why Billy Westaway shouldn’t find you there.  He’s quite clever enough for that.  He’s a cunning, deep rogue, and I’ll lay my life he’ll find you there.  He’s separated us for a whole bitter year, to gain his own wicked ends, and if you can’t see what he’s done you must be mad after all.”

“And what if I refuse to come back?” he asked, his monkey face still working.

“Then I’ll marry Bill—­rascal though he is.  When I look into the past and think how he used to tell me you were running after the girls behind my back!  But did I believe him?  No!  I boxed his ears and told him where the liars go.  I didn’t run away and hide from my lawful husband.”

Nicky took it all in very slow.

“I’ll have such a fearful vengeance on that dog as never was heard about!” he swore.  “Strike me blind if I don’t!  I’ll strangle him with these hands afore the nation.”