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'No； not there。 I am only going to see the end of this day's
business。'
He did not answer to this； and she moved towards the door slowly； as
if waiting for him to say something more。
'You don't offer to come with me；' she added at last。 'I suppose
that's because you hate me after all this？'
'Can you say it； Lizzy； when you know I only want to save you from
such practices？ Come with you of course I will； if it is only to
take care of you。 But why will you go out again？'
'Because I cannot rest indoors。 Something is happening； and I must
know what。 Now； come！' And they went into the dusk together。
When they reached the turnpike…road she turned to the right； and he
soon perceived that they were following the direction of the
excisemen and their load。 He had given her his arm； and every now
and then she suddenly pulled it back； to signify that he was to halt
a moment and listen。 They had walked rather quickly along the first
quarter of a mile； and on the second or third time of standing still
she said； 'I hear them aheaddon't you？'
'Yes；' he said； 'I hear the wheels。 But what of that？'
'I only want to know if they get clear away from the neighbourhood。'
'Ah；' said he； a light breaking upon him。 'Something desperate is
to be attempted！and now I remember there was not a man about the
village when we left。'
'Hark！' she murmured。 The noise of the cartwheels had stopped； and
given place to another sort of sound。
''Tis a scuffle！' said Stockdale。 'There'll be murder！ Lizzy； let
go my arm； I am going on。 On my conscience； I must not stay here
and do nothing！'
'There'll be no murder； and not even a broken head；' she said。 'Our
men are thirty to four of them： no harm will be done at all。'
'Then there IS an attack！' exclaimed Stockdale； 'and you knew it was
to be。 Why should you side with men who break the laws like this？'
'Why should you side with men who take from country traders what
they have honestly bought wi' their own money in France？' said she
firmly。
'They are not honestly bought；' said he。
'They are；' she contradicted。 'I and Owlett and the others paid
thirty shillings for every one of the tubs before they were put on
board at Cherbourg； and if a king who is nothing to us sends his
people to steal our property； we have a right to steal it back
again。'
Stockdale did not stop to argue the matter； but went quickly in the
direction of the noise； Lizzy keeping at his side。 'Don't you
interfere； will you； dear Richard？' she said anxiously； as they drew
near。 'Don't let us go any closer： 'tis at Warm'ell Cross where
they are seizing 'em。 You can do no good； and you may meet with a
hard blow！'
'Let us see first what is going on；' he said。 But before they had
got much further the noise of the cartwheels began again； and
Stockdale soon found that they were coming towards him。 In another
minute the three carts came up； and Stockdale and Lizzy stood in the
ditch to let them pass。
Instead of being conducted by four men； as had happened when they
went out of the village； the horses and carts were now accompanied
by a body of from twenty to thirty； all of whom； as Stockdale
perceived to his astonishment； had blackened faces。 Among them
walked six or eight huge female figures； whom； from their wide
strides； Stockdale guessed to be men in disguise。 As soon as the
party discerned Lizzy and her companion four or five fell back； and
when the carts had passed； came close to the pair。
'There is no walking up this way for the present；' said one of the
gaunt women； who wore curls a foot long； dangling down the sides of
her face； in the fashion of the time。 Stockdale recognized this
lady's voice as Owlett's。
'Why not？' said Stockdale。 'This is the public highway。'
'Now look here； youngster；' said Owlett。 'O； 'tis the Methodist
parson！what； and Mrs。 Newberry！ Well； you'd better not go up that
way； Lizzy。 They've all run off； and folks have got their own
again。'
The miller then hastened on and joined his comrades。 Stockdale and
Lizzy also turned back。 'I wish all this hadn't been forced upon
us；' she said regretfully。 'But if those excisemen had got off with
the tubs； half the people in the parish would have been in want for
the next month or two。'
Stockdale was not paying much attention to her words； and he said；
'I don't think I can go back like this。 Those four poor excisemen
may be murdered for all I know。'
'Murdered！' said Lizzy impatiently。 'We don't do murder here。'
'Well； I shall go as far as Warm'ell Cross to see；' said Stockdale
decisively； and； without wishing her safe home or anything else； the
minister turned back。 Lizzy stood looking at him till his form was
absorbed in the shades； and then； with sadness； she went in the
direction of Nether…Moynton。
The road was lonely； and after nightfall at this time of the year
there was often not a passer for hours。 Stockdale pursued his way
without hearing a sound beyond that of his own footsteps； and in due
time he passed beneath the trees of the plantation which surrounded
the Warm'ell Cross…road。 Before he had reached the point of
intersection he heard voices from the thicket。
'Hoi…hoi…hoi！ Help； help！'
The voices were not at all feeble or despairing； but they were
unmistakably anxious。 Stockdale had no weapon； and before plunging
into the pitchy darkness of the plantation he pulled a stake from
the hedge； to use in case of need。 When he got among the trees he
shouted'What's the matterwhere are you？'
'Here；' answered the voices； and； pushing through the brambles in
that direction； he came near the objects of his search。
'Why don't you come forward？' said Stockdale。
'We be tied to the trees！'
'Who are you？'
'Poor Will Latimer the exciseman！' said one plaintively。 'Just come
and cut these cords； there's a good man。 We were afraid nobody
would pass by to…night。'
Stockdale soon loosened them； upon which they stretched their limbs
and stood at their ease。
'The rascals！' said Latimer； getting now into a rage； though he had
seemed quite meek when Stockdale first came up。 ''Tis the same set
of fellows。 I know they were Moynton chaps to a man。'
'But we can't swear to 'em；' said another。 'Not one of 'em spoke。'
'What are you going to do？' said Stockdale。
'I'd fain go back to Moynton； and have at 'em again！' said Latimer。
'So would we！' said his comrades。
'Fight till we die！' said Latimer。
'We will； we will！' said his men。
'But；' said Latimer； more frigidly； as they came out of the
plantation； 'we don't KNOW that these chaps with black faces were
Moynton men？ And proof is a hard thing。'
'So it is；' said the rest。
'And therefore we won't do nothing at all；' said Latimer； with
complete dispassionateness。 'For my part； I'd sooner be them than
we。 The clitches of my arms are burning like fire from the cords
those two strapping women tied round 'em。 My opinion is； now I have
had time to think o't； that you may serve your Gover'ment at too
high a price。 For these two nights and days I have not had an
hour's rest； and； please God； here's for home…along。'
The other officers agreed heartily to this course； and； thanking
Stockdale for his timely assistance； they parted from him at the
Cross； taking themselves the western road； and Stockdale going back
to Nether…Moynton。
During that walk the minister was lost in reverie of the most
painful kind。 As soon as he got into the house； and before entering
his own rooms； he advanced to the door of the little back parlour in
which Lizzy usually sat with her mother。 He found her there alone。
Stockdale went forward； and； like a man in a dream； looked down upon
the table that stood between him and the young woman； who had her
bonnet and cloak still on。 As he did not speak； she looked up from
her chair at him； with misgiving in her eye。
'Where are they gone？' he then said listlessly。
'Who？I don't know。 I have seen nothing of them since。 I came
straight in here。'
'If your men can manage to get off with those tubs； it will be a
great profit to you； I suppose？'
'A share will be mine； a share my cousin Owlett's； a share to each
of the two farmers； and a share divided amongst the men who helped
us。'
'And you still think；' he went on slowly； 'that you will not give
this business up？'
Lizzy rose； and put her hand upon his shoulder。 'Don't ask that；'
she whispered。 'You don't know what you are asking。 I must tell
you； though I meant not to do it。 What I make by that trade is all
I have to keep my mother and myself with。'
He was astonished。 'I did not dream of such a thing；' he said。 'I
would rather have swept the streets； had I been you。 What is money
compared with a clear conscience？'
'My conscience is clear。 I know my mother； but the king I have
never seen。 His dues are nothing to me。 But it is a great deal to
me that my mother and I should live。'
'Marry me； and promise to give it up。 I will keep your mother。'
'It is good of you；' she said； trembling a little。 'Let me think of
it by myself。 I would rather not answer now。'
She reserved her answer till the next day；