"The thing for us to do is to keep it quiet--to keep it quiet, sir," said Tozer, lowering his voice as he spoke. "Nothing must be said about it--no more nor can be helped, Mr. Vincent. As far as it has gone, there's nobody as has heard but me. If it could be kept private from the Salem folks," continued the butterman, taking a seat at the table, and looking cautiously round him, as if to make sure that no one was within hearing, "it would be for the best. Them women do make such a talk about everything. Not to tell a falsehood, sir, as I wouldn't, not to save my own, if so be as my own could be in such a position--we'll say as your sister's took bad, sir, that's what we'll say. And no lie neither--hear to her, poor soul!-- But, Mr. Vincent," said Tozer, drawing closer, and confiding his doubt in a whisper, "what she says is best not to be listened to, if you'll take my advice. It ain't to be built upon what a poor creature says in a fever, but them sort of words and screechings don't come out of nothing but a troubled mind. She was aggravated awful--so the man tells me." "Who was the man?" asked Vincent, hurriedly. "The man? oh!--which man was you meaning, sir?" asked Tozer, with a little fright, recurring to his more generous intention of keeping this intruder altogether from the knowledge of the minister; "nobody in particular, Mr. Vincent--nobody as is worth mentioning. One as was sent to inquire--that's all. I've cleared him away out of the road," said the butterman, not without some natural complacency: "there ain't no matter about him. Don't ask me no more, Mr. Vincent, for it's losing time as is precious. If there's anything as can be done, it's best to do it directly. I'd speak to John Brown as is the cleverest attorney in Carlingford, sir, if I was you. She's young, and, as I was saying, she was aggravated awful. She might be got off." "Hush!" said Vincent, who had to put a desperate curb upon himself, lest the restrained rage with which he heard this implication of guilt should burst out; "you think there is something in this horrible business--that my sister has something to do with it. It is all a frightful delusion--an infernal----"