"
With that they praised the Lord for all His mercies and the man went on
his way, to tramp to Moreton and Cora returned home. But the river ran at
the bottom of her aunt's garden and she popped down and dipped in it,
clothes and all, before she returned to Mrs. Dene.
The old woman was sitting up in a bit of a stew, because the hour grew
late and she minded what her niece had threatened. In fact, she was
half-inclined to go down to the police-station when the girl came in,
soaking from head to heel, and told her story.
"I flinged myself in, as I ordained to do," she said, "and by the wisdom
of God a man was passing and heard the splash and saved me. 'Twas Nicholas
Caunter, the cowman at Hartland, who fought for my life, and he made me
promise faithful I wouldn't go in no more. So I've got to live after all,
Aunt Sarah."
"In that case, you'd best to unray and get out of them clothes and go to
bed," said the old woman, hiding her relief, "else you'll very likely die
in earnest--and no great loss if you did."
So Cora went to her chamber after a busy day; but she was one of them
terrible clear-minded women who work when they work and sleep when they
sleep, and she never had a better night's rest.
Two days later came news of where Nicholas was stopping; and there also
arrived for Cora a little box left by a farm-hand from Hartland.
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