Insteadofbeingconductedbyfourmen，ashadhappenedwhentheywentoutofthevillage，thehorsesandcartswerenowaccompaniedbyabodyoffromtwentytothirty，allofwhom，asStockdaleperceivedtohisastonishment，hadblackenedfaces。Amongthemwalkedsixoreighthugefemalefigures，whom，fromtheirwidestrides，Stockdaleguessedtobemenindisguise。AssoonasthepartydiscernedLizzyandhercompanionfourorfivefellback，andwhenthecartshadpassed，cameclosetothepair。
’Thereisnowalkingupthiswayforthepresent，’saidoneofthegauntwomen，whoworecurlsafootlong，danglingdownthesidesofherface，inthefashionofthetime。Stockdalerecognizedthislady’svoiceasOwlett’s。
’Whynot？’saidStockdale。’Thisisthepublichighway。’
’Nowlookhere，youngster，’saidOwlett。’O，’tistheMethodistparson！——what，andMrs。Newberry！Well，you’dbetternotgoupthatway，Lizzy。They’veallrunoff，andfolkshavegottheirownagain。’
Themillerthenhastenedonandjoinedhiscomrades。StockdaleandLizzyalsoturnedback。’Iwishallthishadn’tbeenforceduponus，’shesaidregretfully。’Butifthoseexcisemenhadgotoffwiththetubs，halfthepeopleintheparishwouldhavebeeninwantforthenextmonthortwo。’
Stockdalewasnotpayingmuchattentiontoherwords，andhesaid，’Idon’tthinkIcangobacklikethis。ThosefourpoorexcisemenmaybemurderedforallIknow。’
’Murdered！’saidLizzyimpatiently。’Wedon’tdomurderhere。’
’Well，IshallgoasfarasWarm’ellCrosstosee，’saidStockdaledecisively；and，withoutwishinghersafehomeoranythingelse，theministerturnedback。Lizzystoodlookingathimtillhisformwasabsorbedintheshades；andthen，withsadness，shewentinthedirectionofNether-Moynton。
Theroadwaslonely，andafternightfallatthistimeoftheyeartherewasoftennotapasserforhours。Stockdalepursuedhiswaywithouthearingasoundbeyondthatofhisownfootsteps；andinduetimehepassedbeneaththetreesoftheplantationwhichsurroundedtheWarm’ellCross-road。Beforehehadreachedthepointofintersectionheheardvoicesfromthethicket。
’Hoi-hoi-hoi！Help，help！’
Thevoiceswerenotatallfeebleordespairing，buttheywereunmistakablyanxious。Stockdalehadnoweapon，andbeforeplungingintothepitchydarknessoftheplantationhepulledastakefromthehedge，touseincaseofneed。Whenhegotamongthetreesheshouted——’What’sthematter——whereareyou？’
’Here，’answeredthevoices；and，pushingthroughthebramblesinthatdirection，hecameneartheobjectsofhissearch。
’Whydon’tyoucomeforward？’saidStockdale。
’Webetiedtothetrees！’
’Whoareyou？’
’PoorWillLatimertheexciseman！’saidoneplaintively。’Justcomeandcutthesecords，there’sagoodman。Wewereafraidnobodywouldpassbyto-night。’
Stockdalesoonloosenedthem，uponwhichtheystretchedtheirlimbsandstoodattheirease。
’Therascals！’saidLatimer，gettingnowintoarage，thoughhehadseemedquitemeekwhenStockdalefirstcameup。’’Tisthesamesetoffellows。IknowtheywereMoyntonchapstoaman。’
’Butwecan’tswearto’em，’saidanother。’Notoneof’emspoke。’
’Whatareyougoingtodo？’saidStockdale。
’I’dfaingobacktoMoynton，andhaveat’emagain！’saidLatimer。
’Sowouldwe！’saidhiscomrades。
’Fighttillwedie！’saidLatimer。
’Wewill，wewill！’saidhismen。
’But，’saidLatimer，morefrigidly，astheycameoutoftheplantation，’wedon’tKNOWthatthesechapswithblackfaceswereMoyntonmen？Andproofisahardthing。’
’Soitis，’saidtherest。
’Andthereforewewon’tdonothingatall，’saidLatimer，withcompletedispassionateness。’Formypart，I’dsoonerbethemthanwe。Theclitchesofmyarmsareburninglikefirefromthecordsthosetwostrappingwomentiedround’em。Myopinionis，nowIhavehadtimetothinko’t，thatyoumayserveyourGover’mentattoohighaprice。ForthesetwonightsanddaysIhavenothadanhour’srest；and，pleaseGod，here’sforhome-along。’
Theotherofficersagreedheartilytothiscourse；and，thankingStockdaleforhistimelyassistance，theypartedfromhimattheCross，takingthemselvesthewesternroad，andStockdalegoingbacktoNether-Moynton。
Duringthatwalktheministerwaslostinreverieofthemostpainfulkind。Assoonashegotintothehouse，andbeforeenteringhisownrooms，headvancedtothedoorofthelittlebackparlourinwhichLizzyusuallysatwithhermother。Hefoundhertherealone。
Stockdalewentforward，and，likeamaninadream，lookeddownuponthetablethatstoodbetweenhimandtheyoungwoman，whohadherbonnetandcloakstillon。Ashedidnotspeak，shelookedupfromherchairathim，withmisgivinginhereye。
’Wherearetheygone？’hethensaidlistlessly。
’Who？——Idon’tknow。Ihaveseennothingofthemsince。Icamestraightinhere。’
’Ifyourmencanmanagetogetoffwiththosetubs，itwillbeagreatprofittoyou，Isuppose？’
’Asharewillbemine，asharemycousinOwlett’s，asharetoeachofthetwofarmers，andasharedividedamongstthemenwhohelpedus。’
’Andyoustillthink，’hewentonslowly，’thatyouwillnotgivethisbusinessup？’
Lizzyrose，andputherhanduponhisshoulder。’Don’taskthat，’
shewhispered。’Youdon’tknowwhatyouareasking。Imusttellyou，thoughImeantnottodoit。WhatImakebythattradeisallIhavetokeepmymotherandmyselfwith。’
Hewasastonished。’Ididnotdreamofsuchathing，’hesaid。’I
wouldratherhavesweptthestreets，hadIbeenyou。Whatismoneycomparedwithaclearconscience？’
’Myconscienceisclear。Iknowmymother，butthekingIhaveneverseen。Hisduesarenothingtome。ButitisagreatdealtomethatmymotherandIshouldlive。’
’Marryme，andpromisetogiveitup。Iwillkeepyourmother。’
’Itisgoodofyou，’shesaid，tremblingalittle。’Letmethinkofitbymyself。Iwouldrathernotanswernow。’
Shereservedheranswertillthenextday，andcameintohisroomwithasolemnface。’Icannotdowhatyouwished！’shesaidpassionately。’Itistoomuchtoask。Mywholelifeha’beenpassedinthisway。’Herwordsandmannershowedthatbeforeenteringshehadbeenstrugglingwithherselfinprivate，andthatthecontentionhadbeenstrong。
Stockdaleturnedpale，buthespokequietly。’Then，Lizzy，wemustpart。Icannotgoagainstmyprinciplesinthismatter，andI
cannotmakemyprofessionamockery。YouknowhowIloveyou，andwhatIwoulddoforyou；butthisonethingIcannotdo。’
’Butwhyshouldyoubelongtothatprofession？’sheburstout。’I
havegotthislargehouse；whycan’tyoumarryme，andliveherewithus，andnotbeaMethodistpreacheranymore？Iassureyou，Richard，itisnoharm，andIwishyoucouldonlyseeitasIdo！
Weonlycarryitoninwinter:insummeritisneverdoneatall。
Itstirsupone’sdulllifeatthistimeo’theyear，andgivesexcitement，whichIhavegotsousedtonowthatIshouldhardlyknowhowtodo’ithoutit。Atnights，whenthewindblows，insteadofbeingdullandstupid，andnotnoticingwhetheritdoblowornot，yourmindisafield，evenifyouarenotafieldyourself；andyouarewonderinghowthechapsaregettingon；andyouwalkupanddowntheroom，andlookouto’window，andthenyougooutyourself，andknowyourwayaboutaswellbynightasbyday，andhavehairbreadthescapesfromoldLatimerandhisfellows，whoaretoostupidevertoreallyfrightenus，andonlymakeusabitnimble。’
’Hefrightenedyoualittlelastnight，anyhow:andIwouldadviseyoutodropitbeforeitisworse。’
Sheshookherhead。’No，ImustgoonasIhavebegun。Iwasborntoit。Itisinmyblood，andIcan’tbecured。O，Richard，youcannotthinkwhatahardthingyouhaveasked，andhowsharpyoutrymewhenyouputmebetweenthisandmylovefor’ee！’
Stockdalewasleaningwithhiselbowonthemantelpiece，hishandsoverhiseyes。’Weoughtnevertohavemet，Lizzy，’hesaid。’Itwasanilldayforus！Ilittlethoughttherewasanythingsohopelessandimpossibleinourengagementasthis。Well，itistoolatenowtoregretconsequencesinthisway。Ihavehadthehappinessofseeingyouandknowingyouatleast。’
’YoudissentfromChurch，andIdissentfromState，’shesaid。’AndIdon’tseewhywearenotwellmatched。’
Hesmiledsadly，whileLizzyremainedlookingdown，hereyesbeginningtooverflow。
Thatwasanunhappyeveningforbothofthem，andthedaysthatfollowedwereunhappydays。Bothsheandhewentmechanicallyabouttheiremployments，andhisdepressionwasmarkedinthevillagebymorethanoneofhisdenominationwithwhomhecameincontact。ButLizzy，whopassedherdaysindoors，wasunsuspectedofbeingthecause:foritwasgenerallyunderstoodthataquietengagementtomarryexistedbetweenherandhercousinOwlett，andhadexistedforsometime。
