But how was it likely to be as to the Doones themselves?  Which side would they probably take in the coming movement, if movement indeed it would be?  So far as they had any religion at all, by birth they were Roman Catholics—­so much I knew from Lorna; and indeed it was well known all around, that a priest had been fetched more than once to the valley, to soothe some poor outlaw’s departure.  On the other hand, they were not likely to entertain much affection for the son of the man who had banished them and confiscated their property.  And it was not at all impossible that desperate men, such as they were, having nothing to lose, but estates to recover, and not being held by religion much, should cast away all regard for the birth from which they had been cast out, and make common cause with a Protestant rising, for the chance of revenge and replacement.

However I do not mean to say that all these things occurred to me as clearly as I have set them down; only that I was in general doubt, and very sad perplexity.  For mother was so warm, and innocent, and kind so to every one, that knowing some little by this time of the English constitution, I feared very greatly lest she should be punished for harbouring malcontents.  As well as possible I knew, that if any poor man came to our door, and cried, “Officers are after me; for God’s sake take and hide me,” mother would take him in at once, and conceal, and feed him, even though he had been very violent; and, to tell the truth, so would both my sisters, and so indeed would I do.  Whence it will be clear that we were not the sort of people to be safe among disturbances.

Before I could quite make up my mind how to act in this difficulty, and how to get at the rights of it (for I would not spy after Uncle Reuben, though I felt no great fear of the Wizard’s Slough, and none of the man with the white night-cap), a difference came again upon it, and a change of chances.  For Uncle Ben went away as suddenly as he first had come to us, giving no reason for his departure, neither claiming the pony, and indeed leaving something behind him of great value to my mother.  For he begged her to see to his young grand-daughter, until he could find opportunity of fetching her safely to Dulverton.  Mother was overjoyed at this, as she could not help displaying; and Ruth was quite as much delighted, although she durst not show it.  For at Dulverton she had to watch and keep such ward on the victuals, and the in and out of the shopmen, that it went entirely against her heart, and she never could enjoy herself.  Truly she was an altered girl from the day she came to us; catching our unsuspicious manners, and our free goodwill, and hearty noise of laughing.

[Illustration:  271.jpg Thatching of the ricks]