’Nothing，thankyou，’saidStockdale，thinkinglessofwhatherepliedthanofwhatmightbeherrelationtothehousehold。
’Youarequitesure？’saidtheyoungwoman，apparentlyawarethathehadnotconsideredhisanswer。
Heconscientiouslyexaminedthetea-things，andfoundthemallthere。’Quitesure，MissNewberry，’hesaid。
’ItisMrs。Newberry，’shesaid。’LizzyNewberry，IusedtobeLizzySimpkins。’
’O，Ibegyourpardon，Mrs。Newberry。’Andbeforehehadoccasiontosaymoreshelefttheroom。
StockdaleremainedinsomedoubttillMarthaSarahcametoclearthetable。’Whosehouseisthis，mylittlewoman，’saidhe。
’Mrs。LizzyNewberry’s，sir。’
’ThenMrs。NewberryisnottheoldladyIsawthisafternoon？’
’No。That’sMrs。Newberry’smother。ItwasMrs。Newberrywhocomedintoyoujustbynow，becauseshewantedtoseeifyouwasgood-
looking。’
Laterintheevening，whenStockdalewasabouttobeginsupper，shecameagain。’Ihavecomemyself，Mr。Stockdale，’shesaid。Theministerstoodupinacknowledgmentofthehonour。’IamafraidlittleMarthermightnotmakeyouunderstand。Whatwillyouhaveforsupper？——there’scoldrabbit，andthere’sahamuncut。’
Stockdalesaidhecouldgetonnicelywiththoseviands，andsupperwaslaid。Hehadnomorethancutaslicewhentap-tapcametothedooragain。Theministerhadalreadylearntthatthisparticularrhythmintapsdenotedthefingersofhisenkindlinglandlady，andthedoomedyoungfellowburiedhisfirstmouthfulunderalookofreceptiveblandness。
’Wehaveachickeninthehouse，Mr。Stockdale——Iquiteforgottomentionitjustnow。PerhapsyouwouldlikeMartherSarertobringitup？’
Stockdalehadadvancedfarenoughintheartofbeingayoungmantosaythathedidnotwantthechicken，unlessshebroughtitupherself；butwhenitwasutteredheblushedatthedaringgallantryofthespeech，perhapsashadetoostrongforaseriousmanandaminister。Inthreeminutesthechickenappeared，but，tohisgreatsurprise，onlyinthehandsofMarthaSarah。Stockdalewasdisappointed，whichperhapsitwasintendedthatheshouldbe。
Hehadfinishedsupper，andwasnotintheleastanticipatingMrs。
Newberryagainthatnight，whenshetappedandenteredasbefore。
Stockdale’sgratifiedlooktoldthatshehadlostnothingbynotappearingwhenexpected。Ithappenedthatthecoldintheheadfromwhichtheyoungmansufferedhadincreasedwiththeapproachofnight，andbeforeshehadspokenhewasseizedwithaviolentfitofsneezingwhichhecouldnotanyhowrepress。
Mrs。Newberrylookedfullofpity。’Yourcoldisverybadto-night，Mr。Stockdale。’
Stockdalerepliedthatitwasrathertroublesome。
’AndI’veagoodmind’——sheaddedarchly，lookingatthecheerlessglassofwateronthetable，whichtheabstemiousministerwasgoingtodrink。
’Yes，Mrs。Newberry？’
’I’veagoodmindthatyoushouldhavesomethingmorelikelytocureitthanthatcoldstuff。’
’Well，’saidStockdale，lookingdownattheglass，’asthereisnoinnhere，andnothingbettertobegotinthevillage，ofcourseitwilldo。’
Tothisshereplied，’Thereissomethingbetter，notfaroff，thoughnotinthehouse。Ireallythinkyoumusttryit，oryoumaybeill。Yes，Mr。Stockdale，youshall。’Sheheldupherfinger，seeingthathewasabouttospeak。’Don’taskwhatitis；wait，andyoushallsee。’
Lizzywentaway，andStockdalewaitedinapleasantmood。Presentlyshereturnedwithherbonnetandcloakon，saying，’Iamsosorry，butyoumusthelpmetogetit。Motherhasgonetobed。Willyouwrapyourselfup，andcomethisway，andpleasebringthatcupwithyou？’
Stockdale，alonelyyoungfellow，whohadforweeksfeltagreatcravingforsomebodyonwhomtothrowawaysuperfluousinterest，andeventenderness，wasnotsorrytojoinher；andfollowedhisguidethroughthebackdoor，acrossthegarden，tothebottom，wheretheboundarywasawall。Thiswallwaslow，andbeyonditStockdalediscernedinthenightshadesseveralgreyheadstones，andtheoutlinesofthechurchroofandtower。
’Itiseasytogetupthisway，’shesaid，steppinguponabankwhichabuttedonthewall；thenputtingherfootonthetopofthestonework，anddescendingaspringinside，wherethegroundwasmuchhigher，asisthemannerofgraveyardstobe。Stockdaledidthesame，andfollowedherintheduskacrosstheirregulargroundtilltheycametothetowerdoor，which，whentheyhadentered，shesoftlyclosedbehindthem。
’Youcankeepasecret？’shesaid，inamusicalvoice。
’Likeanironchest！’saidhefervently。
Thenfromunderhercloaksheproducedasmalllightedlantern，whichtheministerhadnotnoticedthatshecarriedatall。Thelightshowedthemtobeclosetothesinging-gallerystairs，underwhichlayaheapoflumberofallsorts，butconsistingmostlyofdecayedframework，pews，panels，andpiecesofflooring，thatfromtimetotimehadbeenremovedfromtheiroriginalfixingsinthebodyoftheedificeandreplacedbynew。
’Perhapsyouwilldragsomeofthoseboardsaside？’shesaid，holdingthelanternoverherheadtolighthimbetter。’OrwillyoutakethelanternwhileImovethem？’
’Icanmanageit，’saidtheyoungman，andactingassheordered，heuncovered，tohissurprise，arowoflittlebarrelsboundwithwoodhoops，eachbarrelbeingaboutaslargeasthenaveofaheavywaggon-wheel。
WhentheywerelaidopenLizzyfixedhereyesonhim，asifshewonderedwhathewouldsay。
’Youknowwhattheyare？’sheasked，findingthathedidnotspeak。
’Yes，barrels，’saidStockdalesimply。Hewasaninlandman，thesonofhighlyrespectableparents，andbroughtupwithasingleeyetotheministry；andthesightsuggestednothingbeyondthefactthatsucharticleswerethere。
’Youarequiteright，theyarebarrels，’shesaid，inanemphatictoneofcandourthatwasnotwithoutatouchofirony。
Stockdalelookedatherwithaneyeofsuddenmisgiving。’Notsmugglers’liquor？’hesaid。
’Yes，’saidshe。’TheyaretubsofspiritthathaveaccidentallycomeoverinthedarkfromFrance。’
InNether-Moyntonanditsvicinityatthisdatepeoplealwayssmiledatthesortofsincalledintheoutsideworldillicittrading；andtheselittlekegsofginandbrandywereaswellknowntotheinhabitantsasturnips。SothatStockdale’sinnocentignorance，andhislookofalarmwhenheguessedthesinistermystery，seemedtostrikeLizzyfirstasludicrous，andthenasveryawkwardforthegoodimpressionthatshewishedtoproduceuponhim。
’Smugglingiscarriedonherebysomeofthepeople，’shesaidinagentle，apologeticvoice。’Ithasbeentheirpracticeforgenerations，andtheythinkitnoharm。Now，willyourolloutoneofthetubs？’
’Whattodowithit？’saidtheminister。
’Todrawalittlefromittocureyourcold，’sheanswered。’Itisso’nationstrongthatitdrivesawaythatsortofthinginajiffy。
O，itisallrightaboutourtakingit。ImayhavewhatIlike；theownerofthetubssaysso。Ioughttohavehadsomeinthehouse，andthenIshouldn’tha’beenputtothistrouble；butIdrinknonemyself，andsoIoftenforgettokeepitindoors。’
’Youareallowedtohelpyourself，Isuppose，thatyoumaynotinformwheretheirhiding-placeis？’
’Well，no；notthatparticularly；butImaytakeanyifIwantit。
Sohelpyourself。’
’Iwill，toobligeyou，sinceyouhavearighttoit，’murmuredtheminister；andthoughhewasnotquitesatisfiedwithhispartintheperformance，herolledoneofthe’tubs’outfromthecornerintothemiddleofthetowerfloor。’Howdoyouwishmetogetitout——
withagimlet，Isuppose？’
’No，I’llshowyou，’saidhisinterestingcompanion；andsheheldupwithherotherhandashoemaker’sawlandahammer。’Youmustneverdothesethingswithagimlet，becausethewood-dustgetsin；andwhenthebuyerspouroutthebrandythatwouldtellthemthatthetubhadbeenbroached。Anawlmakesnodust，andtheholenearlyclosesupagain。Nowtaponeofthehoopsforward。’
Stockdaletookthehammeranddidso。
’Nowmaketheholeinthepartthatwascoveredbythehoop。’
Hemadetheholeasdirected。’Itwon’trunout，’hesaid。
’Oyesitwill，’saidshe。’Takethetubbetweenyourknees，andsqueezetheheads；andI’llholdthecup。’
Stockdaleobeyed；andthepressuretakingeffectuponthetub，whichseemed，tobethin，thespiritspirtedoutinastream。Whenthecupwasfullheceasedpressing，andtheflowimmediatelystopped。
’Nowwemustfillupthekegwithwater，’saidLizzy，’oritwillclucklikefortyhenswhenitishandled，andshowthat’tisnotfull。’
