For a moment Minnie seemed to be forgotten. Then she went quietly to her weeping aunt and kissed her.
“I be going now,” she said.
“Going—going where, you poor, deserted, tibby lamb? Where should you go?”
“To my home,” answered the girl. “I’m Mrs Daniel Sweetland now. I’ve got to keep up Dan’s name afore the world an’ be the mistress of his house. ’Tis waiting for me. I’ll have it vitty for him when he comes backalong.”
“Go up there all alone to that wisht hovel in the middle of them deadly bogs? You sha’n’t do it, Minnie—I won’t let you.”
“An’ the name of the place!” groaned Mr Beer. “I prayed un to alter it too. ’Twas bound to bring ill fortune. Now ’tis an omen.”
“I’m going, however. ’Tis my duty. An’ so soon as may be I’ll get down to Plymouth to see him,” declared the girl.
A cab, that was to have driven Daniel and Minnie, still waited. Now she walked to it and opened the door.
“Drive me up to Warren Inn ’pon Dartymoor, my boy,” she said. “From there I can walk.”