"Think, think what you're doing, Dinah," pleaded Mr. Chaffe. "And haven't I thought, and don't I know a million times more than you can, or ever will? Understand before we go. This man was never false to any woman--never--never. He don't know the meaning of falseness. He never looked at me, John Bamsey, till I'd left you, and I never thought of him till long, long after I was free. And when I loved him, he told me he could not marry me--and why--and I saw that it was moonshine and only a pair of weak, worthless creatures would be frightened and part for that--only cowards feared of their neighbour and the laws--laws that selfish Christians bleat about and want kept, because to torture other people won't hurt their comfort, or cloud their homes. What do you know of marriage--one of you? What do you know of the dark, deadly things that may come between people and separate 'em far as heaven from hell, while parsons and lawyers and old bachelors and old women want 'em chained together to rot--for Christ's sake! Look deeper--look deeper!" While the men stood silent, Maynard picked up his stick and bag and Dinah's basket. Mr. Chaffe had sunk upon a stone and was wiping his eyes with a red pocket handkerchief. "You!" he said. "You brought up in a Christian home by God-fearing people, Dinah!" "And fear God I always shall; but not man," she answered scornfully. "Did these chaps do this because they feared God? Ask them!" She took her package from Maynard and he spoke. "Have no fear that any harm be done to righteousness," he said. "No woman knows her duty to her Maker better than this woman, or her duty to her neighbour. If ever I was in doubt, and I have been, my doubts be cleared afore what you men have done to-day, and I thank you for that. You've shown how paltry it was to doubt, I reckon, and I doubt no more. I be the better and stronger for seeing your minds, you well-meaning chaps! My life and thought and worship belong to Dinah; and where no secrets are hid, there's no blame counted against us, and never will be, I hope." They turned their backs upon the listeners and went away side by side; they moved among the stones and bushes until they sank out of sight and vanished for ever from that company. "To hell with them!" said John, "and curse all women for the sake of that blasted woman!" But the rest did not share his passion. Only Mr. Chaffe mourned; the others were impressed at what they had heard and the prize-fighter was amused. "A pretty parcel we look," said Callicott, "bested by that calm man and quick-tongued woman. And be damned if I ban't their side. We don't know naught about it, and if we did very like we'd praise 'em for a bit of pluck. Anyway she knows what she's doing all right."