CHAPTER VII—­THE WALK TO WARM’ELL CROSS AND AFTERWARDS

As the goods had all to be carried to Budmouth that night, the excisemen’s next object was to find horses and carts for the journey, and they went about the village for that purpose.  Latimer strode hither and thither with a lump of chalk in his hand, marking broad-arrows so vigorously on every vehicle and set of harness that he came across, that it seemed as if he would chalk broad-arrows on the very hedges and roads.  The owner of every conveyance so marked was bound to give it up for Government purposes.  Stockdale, who had had enough of the scene, turned indoors thoughtful and depressed.  Lizzy was already there, having come in at the back, though she had not yet taken off her bonnet.  She looked tired, and her mood was not much brighter than his own.  They had but little to say to each other; and the minister went away and attempted to read; but at this he could not succeed, and he shook the little bell for tea.

Lizzy herself brought in the tray, the girl having run off into the village during the afternoon, too full of excitement at the proceedings to remember her state of life.  However, almost before the sad lovers had said anything to each other, Martha came in in a steaming state.

’O, there’s such a stoor, Mrs. Newberry and Mr. Stockdale!  The king’s excisemen can’t get the carts ready nohow at all!  They pulled Thomas Ballam’s, and William Rogers’s, and Stephen Sprake’s carts into the road, and off came the wheels, and down fell the carts; and they found there was no linch-pins in the arms; and then they tried Samuel Shane’s waggon, and found that the screws were gone from he, and at last they looked at the dairyman’s cart, and he’s got none neither!  They have gone now to the blacksmith’s to get some made, but he’s nowhere to be found!’

Stockdale looked at Lizzy, who blushed very slightly, and went out of the room, followed by Martha Sarah.  But before they had got through the passage there was a rap at the front door, and Stockdale recognized Latimer’s voice addressing Mrs. Newberry, who had turned back.

’For God’s sake, Mrs. Newberry, have you seen Hardman the blacksmith up this way?  If we could get hold of him, we’d e’en a’most drag him by the hair of his head to his anvil, where he ought to be.’

‘He’s an idle man, Mr. Latimer,’ said Lizzy archly.  ’What do you want him for?’

’Why, there isn’t a horse in the place that has got more than three shoes on, and some have only two.  The waggon-wheels be without strakes, and there’s no linch-pins to the carts.  What with that, and the bother about every set of harness being out of order, we shan’t be off before nightfall—­upon my soul we shan’t.  ’Tis a rough lot, Mrs. Newberry, that you’ve got about you here; but they’ll play at this game once too often, mark my words they will!  There’s not a man in the parish that don’t deserve to be whipped.’