One day, two years after the parting, Stockdale, now settled in a midland town, came into Nether-Moynton by carrier in the original way.  Jogging along in the van that afternoon he had put questions to the driver, and the answers that he received interested the minister deeply.  The result of them was that he went without the least hesitation to the door of his former lodging.  It was about six o’clock in the evening, and the same time of year as when he had left; now, too, the ground was damp and glistening, the west was bright, and Lizzy’s snowdrops were raising their heads in the border under the wall.

Lizzy must have caught sight of him from the window, for by the time that he reached the door she was there holding it open:  and then, as if she had not sufficiently considered her act of coming out, she drew herself back, saying with some constraint, ‘Mr. Stockdale!’

‘You knew it was,’ said Stockdale, taking her hand.  ’I wrote to say I should call.’

‘Yes, but you did not say when,’ she answered.

’I did not.  I was not quite sure when my business would lead me to these parts.’

‘You only came because business brought you near?’

’Well, that is the fact; but I have often thought I should like to come on purpose to see you . . .  But what’s all this that has happened?  I told you how it would be, Lizzy, and you would not listen to me.’

‘I would not,’ she said sadly.  ’But I had been brought up to that life; and it was second nature to me.  However, it is all over now.  The officers have blood-money for taking a man dead or alive, and the trade is going to nothing.  We were hunted down like rats.’

‘Owlett is quite gone, I hear.’

’Yes.  He is in America.  We had a dreadful struggle that last time, when they tried to take him.  It is a perfect miracle that he lived through it; and it is a wonder that I was not killed.  I was shot in the hand.  It was not by aim; the shot was really meant for my cousin; but I was behind, looking on as usual, and the bullet came to me.  It bled terribly, but I got home without fainting; and it healed after a time.  You know how he suffered?’

‘No,’ said Stockdale.  ‘I only heard that he just escaped with his life.’

’He was shot in the back; but a rib turned the ball.  He was badly hurt.  We would not let him be took.  The men carried him all night across the meads to Kingsbere, and hid him in a barn, dressing his wound as well as they could, till he was so far recovered as to be able to get about.  He had gied up his mill for some time; and at last he got to Bristol, and took a passage to America, and he’s settled in Wisconsin.’

‘What do you think of smuggling now?’ said the minister gravely.

‘I own that we were wrong,’ said she.  ’But I have suffered for it.  I am very poor now, and my mother has been dead these twelve months . . .  But won’t you come in, Mr. Stockdale?’