Under the first grey of dawn, Maynard posted a letter in the empty wrens' nest and then proceeded down the hill to Lower Town. He was on an errand from Falcon Farm to Mr. Chaffe, and then he would proceed to a farm on the moor, about the purchase of two heifers. For Stockman had long since found that Lawrence knew as much concerning cattle as himself. The present arrangements had been made before the cowman gave notice, and his latest letter to Dinah chronicled the fact that he had done so. He answered also her last note. The letter-box worked well and many communications had been exchanged. Dinah's were full of love and ardour. Her plans amused him. They shared one determination; to take nothing with them. They would sail from Plymouth for Australia presently and they would be married at Sydney as soon as possible after landing. Maynard's money was more than enough and their passages would be state-aided. Preliminaries were complete and there remained only to fix their place of meeting and date of sailing. Then they would simultaneously disappear. Mr. Chaffe was already in his workshop when Maynard appeared. "Early birds both!" said he. "I know what you've come about, however. Joe wants me to look into his stables, where the dry rot have got, and see how much must come out and be made good." "That's right, Mr. Chaffe." "I've been waiting and expecting it since Palk made the sad discovery. But no doubt your master has his mind pretty full of greater things." "He has, I'm afraid. And it's making him fall short of his usual sense here and there." "A man full of sense, however." "So I've always found him, and full of human kindness also. I've a lot to thank him for--a very good friend to me. But a few days agone I gave notice, because I'm going farther afield before I'm too old, and he took it very bad indeed." "My! You going too? Where?" "To Australia. I want to see a bit of life and start fresh." "And Joe didn't like it?" "No; but he'll easily find a new cowman. There's nothing to get so savage about that I can see." "He'd come to look at you as part of his show. No doubt, falling on his other troubles---- But he knows where to look for comfort I should hope. After all, it's but a passing thing. I always say that we who live in a Vale ought to know what a vale means. Life's gone a thought too flowing and easy with Joe. This is all meant to make him think of Beyond." "Thought of the next world don't make trouble anything less than trouble." "It ought then." "Look after this world and the next will look after itself, Mr. Chaffe." "A very dangerous opinion, Maynard, and I'm sorry you think so. It shows a weakness in you. That ain't the Christian standpoint and you know it." "Your views are behind the times perhaps."