“Well, I don’t mind saying,” Rose replied,’“that is, if you will hear’but it was fancy, I reckon.” “What was fancy?” “Thinking we saw him. I had told Noah to propose to Kate, and to get her into proper humour for accepting, first by making her cry, and then I told him he could make her cry by speaking in a sort of sympathising way about her father; and like an old buffle-head he went and said he had seen his ghost.” “His ghost?” exclaimed Zerah, and Pasco drew back in the settle with a scared expression on his face. “We were coming down the road from Noah’s, and before us was the fork of the lane,” said Rose. “Well, then, if you will hear all, Noah and me, us thought us see’d someone in the lane as went towards Jane Redmore’s cottage. The night was dark, but there was light at the end of the lane because of the Teign, which was full of the tide; and there was, sure enough, someone walking down that road. Us see’d him, whoever he was. He walked like a lapwing.” “’Twas Jones Maker, the roadman,” said Pasco in a voice that was not firm. “He’s lame.” “He goes on a crutch,” answered Rose. “What we saw was different, was it not so, Noah?” “Yes,” assented the young man. “He walked lop o’ this side like, just the same as Jason Quarm.” “’Twas Jonas Maker,” persisted Pasco. “It can’t ha’ been Jonas,” answered Rose; “Jonas is tall, and this we saw was stout and thickset.” “Did he speak?” asked Zerah breathlessly. Pasco fidgeted in his seat. “No, he did not; us weren’t very near, and I axed Noah to run on and catch him up, and ax him questions why he walked, but he wouldn’t.” “I reckon Mr. Pepperill would ha’ been shy to do that,” growled Noah. Then a dead silence fell on all; and in that dead silence a sound like the tread of a man with a limp was audible, coming up the steps to the door. Next as if a hand were laid on the door-hasp, and all saw that the latch was raised, and cautiously lowered, without the door being opened. Then ensued the halting hobble down the steps again. No one stirred. Every face was blank. Possibly one of those present would have started up and gone to the door to look forth into the black night, but at this moment Kate entered, and, going up to a crook, took down a lantern. “Jane Redmore is going home,” she said, “and she’s axed me just to show her off the premises and into the lane, with a light; it’s too dark to find the way at once, when one has been in the room with plenty of light.” Kate opened the lantern and looked in. “There is a candle,” she said, and proceeded to ignite it. Rose looked at Noah, and Noah at Rose. “I think,” said the girl, “we will ask you, Kate, to show us a light on our way presently, after you have put Jane Redmore into hers.” “I will do so cheerfully,” answered Kitty, and went back with the lighted lantern into the kitchen to fetch Jane. Then the two passed through the room where the rest sat, and Mrs. Redmore wished them all a good-night.