"The barron-ite one," she asked, "or the young one as be master?"
"The young one."
"Aye, I hev met he and spoke to he and a very pleasant spoken gentleman he be."
"Oh he be a very pleasant spoken gentleman—a very pleasant spoken one, I du know!" A spasm seemed to pass across the man's face, his fingers clenched suddenly, she heard his long nails rasp over the leather cover of the book. Looking she could see a series of deep scratches they had furrowed in the stout leather.
"Why Abram bain't 'ee well to-day?"
"I be very well, I thank 'ee, Mrs. Hanson, I be enjoying unusual good health, I thank 'ee. I did not come to Church this marning because—because in the dark last night—I did stumble and fell as 'ee may have noticed, Mrs. Hanson."
That he was lying, that it was no stumble, no fall, she knew. Had it something to do with Betty and why had he asked her if she knew Allan Homewood?
"And as 'ee said 'ee must be getting along——" he suggested. She rose to her feet, it was a hint, a broad one and she took it.
"Aye! I must be getting along, Abram," she said.
He saw her to the door, he went to the gate and opened it for her.