Theladderwasreplaced，andallbutOwlettdescended，themenpassingoffonebyoneatthebackofthechurch，andvanishingontheirrespectiveerrands。
Lizzywalkedboldlyalongthestreet，followedcloselybytheminister。
’Youaregoingindoors，Mrs。Newberry？’hesaid。
Sheknewfromthewords’Mrs。Newberry’thatthedivisionbetweenthemhadwidenedyetanotherdegree。
’Iamnotgoinghome，’shesaid。’IhavealittlethingtodobeforeIgoin。MarthaSarahwillgetyourtea。’
’O，Idon’tmeanonthataccount，’saidStockdale。’WhatCANyouhavetodofurtherinthisunhallowedaffair？’
’Onlyalittle，’shesaid。
’Whatisthat？I’llgowithyou。’
’No，Ishallgobymyself。Willyoupleasegoindoors？Ishallbethereinlessthananhour。’
’Youarenotgoingtorunanydanger，Lizzy？’saidtheyoungman，histendernessreassertingitself。
’Nonewhatever——worthmentioning，’answeredshe，andwentdowntowardstheCross。
Stockdaleenteredthegardengate，andstoodbehinditlookingon。
Theexcisemenwerestillbusyintheorchard，andatlasthewastemptedtoenter，andwatchtheirproceedings。Whenhecamecloserhefoundthatthesecretcellar，ofwhoseexistencehehadbeentotallyunaware，wasformedbytimbersplacedacrossfromsidetosideaboutafootundertheground，andgrassedover。
TheexcisemenlookedupatStockdale’sfairanddownycountenance，andevidentlythinkinghimabovesuspicion，wentonwiththeirworkagain。Assoonasallthetubsweretakenout，theybegantearinguptheturf；pullingoutthetimbers，andbreakinginthesides，tillthecellarwaswhollydismantledandshapeless，theapple-treelyingwithitsrootshightotheair。Buttheholewhichhadinitstimeheldsomuchcontrabandmerchandizewasnevercompletelyfilledup，eitherthenorafterwards，adepressioninthegreenswardmarkingthespottothisday。
AsthegoodshadalltobecarriedtoBudmouththatnight，theexcisemen’snextobjectwastofindhorsesandcartsforthejourney，andtheywentaboutthevillageforthatpurpose。Latimerstrodehitherandthitherwithalumpofchalkinhishand，markingbroad-arrowssovigorouslyoneveryvehicleandsetofharnessthathecameacross，thatitseemedasifhewouldchalkbroad-arrowsontheveryhedgesandroads。TheownerofeveryconveyancesomarkedwasboundtogiveitupforGovernmentpurposes。Stockdale，whohadhadenoughofthescene，turnedindoorsthoughtfulanddepressed。
Lizzywasalreadythere，havingcomeinattheback，thoughshehadnotyettakenoffherbonnet。Shelookedtired，andhermoodwasnotmuchbrighterthanhisown。Theyhadbutlittletosaytoeachother；andtheministerwentawayandattemptedtoread；butatthishecouldnotsucceed，andheshookthelittlebellfortea。
Lizzyherselfbroughtinthetray，thegirlhavingrunoffintothevillageduringtheafternoon，toofullofexcitementattheproceedingstorememberherstateoflife。However，almostbeforethesadlovershadsaidanythingtoeachother，Marthacameininasteamingstate。
’O，there’ssuchastoor，Mrs。NewberryandMr。Stockdale！Theking’sexcisemencan’tgetthecartsreadynohowatall！TheypulledThomasBallam’s，andWilliamRogers’s，andStephenSprake’scartsintotheroad，andoffcamethewheels，anddownfellthecarts；andtheyfoundtherewasnolinch-pinsinthearms；andthentheytriedSamuelShane’swaggon，andfoundthatthescrewsweregonefromhe，andatlasttheylookedatthedairyman’scart，andhe’sgotnoneneither！Theyhavegonenowtotheblacksmith’stogetsomemade，buthe’snowheretobefound！’
StockdalelookedatLizzy，whoblushedveryslightly，andwentoutoftheroom，followedbyMarthaSarah。Butbeforetheyhadgotthroughthepassagetherewasarapatthefrontdoor，andStockdalerecognizedLatimer’svoiceaddressingMrs。Newberry，whohadturnedback。
’ForGod’ssake，Mrs。Newberry，haveyouseenHardmantheblacksmithupthisway？Ifwecouldgetholdofhim，we’de’ena’mostdraghimbythehairofhisheadtohisanvil，whereheoughttobe。’
’He’sanidleman，Mr。Latimer，’saidLizzyarchly。’Whatdoyouwanthimfor？’
’Why，thereisn’tahorseintheplacethathasgotmorethanthreeshoeson，andsomehaveonlytwo。Thewaggon-wheelsbewithoutstrakes，andthere’snolinch-pinstothecarts。Whatwiththat，andthebotherabouteverysetofharnessbeingoutoforder，weshan’tbeoffbeforenightfall——uponmysoulweshan’t。’Tisaroughlot，Mrs。Newberry，thatyou’vegotaboutyouhere；butthey’llplayatthisgameoncetoooften，markmywordstheywill！
There’snotamanintheparishthatdon’tdeservetobewhipped。’
IthappenedthatHardmanwasatthatmomentalittlefurtherupthelane，smokinghispipebehindaholly-bush。WhenLatimerhaddonespeakinghewentoninthisdirection，andHardman，hearingtheexciseman’ssteps，foundcuriositytoostrongforprudence。HepeepedoutfromthebushattheverymomentthatLatimer’sglancewasonit。Therewasnothingleftforhimtodobuttocomeforwardwithunconcern。
’I’vebeenlookingforyouforthelasthour！’saidLatimerwithaglareinhiseye。
’Sorrytohearthat，’saidHardman。’I’vebeenoutforastroll，tolookformorehidtubs，todeliver’emuptoGover’ment。’
’Oyes，Hardman，weknowit，’saidLatimer，withwitheringsarcasm。
’Weknowthatyou’lldeliver’emuptoGover’ment。Weknowthatalltheparishishelpingus，andhavebeenallday！Nowyoupleasewalkalongwithmedowntoyourshop，andkindlyletmehireyeintheking’sname。’
Theywentdownthelanetogether；andpresentlythereresoundedfromthesmithytheringofahammernotverybrisklyswung。However，thecartsandhorsesweregotintosomesortoftravellingcondition，butitwasnotuntilaftertheclockhadstrucksix，whenthemuddyroadswereglisteningunderthehorizontallightofthefadingday。Thesmuggledtubsweresoonpackedintothevehicles，andLatimer，withthreeofhisassistants，droveslowlyoutofthevillageinthedirectionoftheportofBudmouth，someconsiderablenumberofmilesdistant，theotherexcisemenbeinglefttowatchfortheremainderofthecargo，whichtheyknewtohavebeensunksomewherebetweenRingsworthandLulsteadCove，andtounearthOwlett，theonlypersonclearlyimplicatedbythediscoveryofthecave。
Womenandchildrenstoodatthedoorsasthecarts，eachchalkedwiththeGovernmentpitchfork，passedintheincreasingtwilight；
andastheystoodtheylookedattheconfiscatedpropertywithamelancholyexpressionthattoldonlytooplainlytherelationwhichtheyboretothetrade。
’Well，Lizzy，’saidStockdale，whenthecrackleofthewheelshadnearlydiedaway。’Thisisafitfinishtoyouradventure。Iamtrulythankfulthatyouhavegotoffwithoutsuspicion，andthelossonlyoftheliquor。Willyousitdownandletmetalktoyou？’
’Byandby，’shesaid。’ButImustgooutnow。’
’Nottothathorridshoreagain？’hesaidblankly。
’No，notthere。Iamonlygoingtoseetheendofthisday’sbusiness。’
Hedidnotanswertothis，andshemovedtowardsthedoorslowly，asifwaitingforhimtosaysomethingmore。
’Youdon’toffertocomewithme，’sheaddedatlast。’Isupposethat’sbecauseyouhatemeafterallthis？’
’Canyousayit，Lizzy，whenyouknowIonlywanttosaveyoufromsuchpractices？ComewithyouofcourseIwill，ifitisonlytotakecareofyou。Butwhywillyougooutagain？’
’BecauseIcannotrestindoors。Somethingishappening，andImustknowwhat。Now，come！’Andtheywentintothedusktogether。
Whentheyreachedtheturnpike-roadsheturnedtotheright，andhesoonperceivedthattheywerefollowingthedirectionoftheexcisemenandtheirload。Hehadgivenherhisarm，andeverynowandthenshesuddenlypulleditback，tosignifythathewastohaltamomentandlisten。Theyhadwalkedratherquicklyalongthefirstquarterofamile，andonthesecondorthirdtimeofstandingstillshesaid，’Ihearthemahead——don’tyou？’
’Yes，’hesaid；’Ihearthewheels。Butwhatofthat？’
’Ionlywanttoknowiftheygetclearawayfromtheneighbourhood。’
’Ah，’saidhe，alightbreakinguponhim。’Somethingdesperateistobeattempted！——andnowIremembertherewasnotamanaboutthevillagewhenweleft。’
’Hark！’shemurmured。Thenoiseofthecartwheelshadstopped，andgivenplacetoanothersortofsound。
’’Tisascuffle！’saidStockdale。’There’llbemurder！Lizzy，letgomyarm；Iamgoingon。Onmyconscience，Imustnotstayhereanddonothing！’
’There’llbenomurder，andnotevenabrokenhead，’shesaid。’Ourmenarethirtytofourofthem:noharmwillbedoneatall。’
’ThenthereISanattack！’exclaimedStockdale；’andyouknewitwastobe。Whyshouldyousidewithmenwhobreakthelawslikethis？’
’Whyshouldyousidewithmenwhotakefromcountrytraderswhattheyhavehonestlyboughtwi’theirownmoneyinFrance？’saidshefirmly。
’Theyarenothonestlybought，’saidhe。
’Theyare，’shecontradicted。’IandOwlettandtheotherspaidthirtyshillingsforeveryoneofthetubsbeforetheywereputonboardatCherbourg，andifakingwhoisnothingtoussendshispeopletostealourproperty，wehavearighttostealitbackagain。’
Stockdaledidnotstoptoarguethematter，butwentquicklyinthedirectionofthenoise，Lizzykeepingathisside。’Don’tyouinterfere，willyou，dearRichard？’shesaidanxiously，astheydrewnear。’Don’tletusgoanycloser:’tisatWarm’ellCrosswheretheyareseizing’em。Youcandonogood，andyoumaymeetwithahardblow！’
’Letusseefirstwhatisgoingon，’hesaid。Butbeforetheyhadgotmuchfurtherthenoiseofthecartwheelsbeganagain；andStockdalesoonfoundthattheywerecomingtowardshim。Inanotherminutethethreecartscameup，andStockdaleandLizzystoodintheditchtoletthempass。
