"
She held out her hand. William took it.
"You're a great fool, 'Lizabeth."
"Good-bye, William."
She took up her basket and walked slowly back to the house; William
watched her for a moment or two, swore, and returned to his horse.
He did not ride home wards, but down the valley, where he spent the day
at the "Compton Arms." When he returned home, which was not before
midnight, he was boisterously drunk.
Now it so happened that when William dismounted at the gate Mrs. Hooper
had spied him from her bedroom window, and, guessing his errand, had
stolen down on the other side of the garden wall parallel with which the
peas were planted. Thus sheltered, she contrived to hear every word of
the foregoing conversation, and repeated it to her good man that very
night.
"An' I reckon William said true," she wound up. "If 'Lizabeth don't
know which side her bread's buttered she's no better nor a fool--an'
William's another."
"I dunno," said the farmer; "it's a queer business, an' I don't fairly
see my way about in it. I'm main puzzled what can ha' become o' that
will I witnessed for th' old man."
"She's a fool, I say."
"Well, well; if she didn't want the man I reckon she knows best.
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