“Yes,” I reminded him—I fear I rather liked to air my learning before Jim, and to be sure I must do something to justify the reputation for scholarship Jim had fastened on me, will I, nill I—“don’t you remember ’twas the name Laban gave to the heap he set up to mark his covenant with Jacob, saying, ‘The Lord watch between me and thee when we are absent one from another.’”
“Aw n’er heard tell on it,” said Jim. “But if it’s in th’ Bible aw daresay it’s all reight, but it sounds heathenish.”
“Dr. Dean says the ring is an engagement ring, and thinks it may have been given by Mr. Garside to his wife in his courting days and left behind her when she fled the house.”
“More fool oo,” quoth Jim, “but what can yo’ expect from a woman. What abaart th’ brass?”
“There’s over four hundred pounds, what with notes and gold.”
“And dost ta tell me tha’rt huggin’ ovver four hundred pun’ at this very minute?”
I nodded.
“Four hundred pun’! An’ tha’s th’ heir to it if tha doesn’t find th’ lass?”
Again I nodded.
“Hast ta said thi prayer sin’ tha knew on ’t?”