At this point the widow discovered herself to be shouting up into an empty room; for Catherine had come out and was standing behind her, with a scared face. Mrs. Cockshow turned on her. "Silly wench that ye be!" she exclaimed. "It's better to be sure than sorry. I tell ye 'e 'ates the very sight of ye now, an' no wonder too. Go an' get the dinner. It's nigh upon twelve, and Bungo 'asn't 'ad a bite to-day. Come in, ye whelp!" The last sentence was addressed, in a murderous tone, to the white dog, who wagged his tail. He took it for a caress. Mrs. Cockshow arose next morning in her most jovial humour. It was Thursday; and now, for the first time for months, she was dispensing with the services of that neighbour who called to take her eggs to market and was looking forward to carrying them there herself. Catherine also was happy; for the two Saunderses had driven by last evening on their return journey, without so much as a look at the toll-house windows, and she was sure the widow was right in saying that Charles now hated the sight of her. She was not afraid that Heber would pass, though she knew that he went on Thursdays to Llangarth; for his way thither from the hill farm joined the highroad some way east of the toll. She sighed. Could she see him, while remaining invisible herself, she knew that she would secretly be glad. But, admitting that, she put him from her thoughts with a heightened colour. Since Susannah's plain speaking, she had never let her mind dwell on the shepherd; yet she had learned of late that if her pride had been cruelly handled, her heart had fared little better. She could not think, looking back, how she had ever liked or tolerated Saunders. She was bitter against Black Heber, as well she might be; but she hated him and loved him at the same moment. For the first time, the simple girl was in a terribly complicated state of mind. Mrs. Cockshow had tied on her late husband's hat with a new piece of twine and loaded her person yet more completely with clothes. Before she climbed into the antiquated side-saddle on her pony's back, she went to the roadside and began to fill the most accessible of her pockets with stones. While so engaged, she directed Catherine, who looked on with astonishment, to shut the gate and tie the animal to it. The girl obeyed, and when the widow approached, bulging more strangely than usual, she helped her to mount. Mrs. Cockshow used the toll bars as a horse-block. Then the egg basket was handed up to her, a switch cut from the hedge, and Catherine was bidden to attend to the needs of passers and to suffer no one to shirk payment. Before the rider was out of sight, Bungo burst with a yell from the toll-house and began to follow, raising a trail of dust as he went.