“A very queer notion, indeed,” said Timothy, grimly. “Well, and now ye’ve lost the watch—and what be ye goin’ to do?” “Oh, I don’t know, I’m sure,” returned Ann-Car’line, sobbing afresh. “I shall never be able to look him in the face, when he comes for his answer.” “So much the better,” said Timothy, rigidly. “He’ll not be in such a hurry to meddle wi’ young maids again, p’raps.” “Oh, but he’ll be sure to think I sold it, or pawned it, or summat—he’ll maybe have the law on me.” “Is that all what’s troublin’ ye?” said the shepherd, fixing her with a piercing gaze. “If anybody was to find that watch for ye, you wouldn’t want to go turnin’ into a fairy or any sich tomfoolery?” “I shouldn’t—indeed I shouldn’t,” she cried earnestly. “Oh, Timothy, will ye help me to find it?” “I don’t know but what I will,” said he—“if you’ll promise me—promise me faithful—faithful, mind, not to take no more notice at all of that play-actin’ gentleman. I’ll find that watch if ye’ll let me take it back to the man myself, and tell en so.” “I will—I’ll promise,” sobbed she. “It’s a bargain!” said Timothy, firmly. “Now then—let’s see what can be done. Was there nobody at all in the field when you did chance to bury that watch? Somebody must ha’ see’d ye do it, ye see, and then so soon as your back was turned, gone and dug it up again.” “Oh, there was nobody there,” replied the girl, emphatically. “I watched and waited for ever so long before I made the hole—there wasn’t a sign of anybody. Your hut wasn’t up here then—I shouldn’t ha’ done it if it had a-been there, for I’d ha’ been afeard ye mid see me.” “Yes,” agreed Timothy, “that’s true. I mid ha’ seen ye.” “And nobody could tell where ’twas hid,” she pursued mournfully. “I scratched up the earth and made it look same as all the rest o’ the field. I shouldn’t ha’ found it myself if I hadn’t ha’ made a little sign to know it by.” “Sich as a mark in the hedge?” suggested Timothy. She stared at him. “A little cross, as mid be, cut in a holly stem?” continued the shepherd. “O-o-oh,” cried Ann-Car’line, “you horrid, unkind, teasin’ chap! I d’ ’low you was spyin’ on me all the time!” For all answer Timothy dived to the depths of his pocket and produced by slow degrees, first the chain, and then the watch itself. Ann-Car’line, uncertain whether to be more angry or relieved, burst into a series of disjointed exclamations, and finally ordered her lover to give her back that watch immediately. “Nothin’ of the kind,” replied he, dropping it into his pocket again. “I’ll keep it for ye same as I’ve a-been doin’ all along. Says I to mysel’ when I see’d what you was arter—‘That there maid’ll be gettin’ into trouble,’ I says, ‘wi’out somebody interferes.’ And so I—” “Oh, Timothy, did ye?” cried Ann-Car’line, melting all at once, “but ye needn’t ha’ gied me such a fright.”