Because Jenny knew folk went
mad and then recovered. So she was pretty cheerful again afore she
alighted off the train at Okehampton; and then she hired a trap down to
the 'White Hart' hotel, and drove out to Meldon Quarry with a fine trust
in her Maker. She left the trap in the vale and climbed over a fence and
began to look about her.
'Twas a great big place with scores of men to work nigh a mighty railway
bridge of steel that be thrown over the river valley and looks no more
than a thread seen up in the sky from below. And then, just when she began
to feel it was a pretty big task to find her husband among that dollop of
navvies and quarrymen, if she didn't run right on top of him! He was the
first man of the lot she saw, and the shock took her in the breathing
parts and very near dropped her. But she soon found that she'd have to
keep all her wits if she wanted to get Nicky back, and the line she took
from the first showed her a fierce battle of wills lay afore 'em.
It was going round a corner into the mouth of the quarries that she ran
upon Spider wheeling a barrow; and she saw he was but little changed, save
that he looked a good bit dirtier and wilder than of old. His hair was
longer than ever and his eyes shone so black as sloes; and to Jenny's mind
there was a touch of stark madness in 'em without doubt. He was strong and
agile seemingly, and he began to gibber and cuss and chatter like an ape
the moment he catched sight of her.
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