"Nay, keep thy knowledge," cried the old woman, fiercely. "I know it, too. You will not live to enjoy it. Now, get thee gone." "What!" he said, jeeringly. "Shall I not share my riches with thee, my dear old partner? Shall we not join now in cheating and tricking some one better than the wretched village fools? I tell thee that Captain Gil is rich, and I have his secret: I have found his store." "And I tell thee, Abel Churr," cried the old woman, "that thou hast always been a villain, a brute, and a coward to me. If thou knowest aught of Captain Gil's secret, you will keep it, and share it with none. From this day I have neither truck nor trade with thee, so go thy way, and my curse go with thee. But take this to heart as thou goest: Captain Gil is a stern man, and if thou hast learned aught of his, and he knows it, look to thyself, or maybe thou'lt be sattled." Abel Churr uttered an impatient "Pish!" and left the place full of his discovery. Avoiding the cottages of the workpeople, he went round by the back of the Pool, to where, like a lawn in the wood, lay a few acres of grass cut down for hay, a part of which had been stacked, the remainder lying out to dry, for a heavy rain had checked the carrying for a day or two. Churr looked round, listened, made sure that the field was empty, and then started and looked timidly upwards as a jay uttered a loud harsh cry and flew towards the wood. Then, crawling to the half-made stack, he climbed upon it, separated the soft, sweet-scented hay, took a draught of the spirit, corked the bottle and thrust it in the heap, and then, nestling down and drawing the hay over him, he was in a few moments fast asleep. Volume 1, Chapter XV. HOW ABEL CHURR BOUGHT A SECRET. That was a bitter as well as a momentous day for Gil Carr. In the course of the morning he made his way to the Pool-house, determined to have a few words with Jeremiah Cobbe, and to talk calmly to him concerning Mace and the future. He felt, too, that a little sympathy was due to the founder after the late accident at his works. He went straight to the house, for he had taken Mace's words to heart, that he should go boldly to the place; but, on entering, he was only met by Janet, who came after he had walked in according to old familiar custom, and rapped loudly at an inner door. Janet came down, looking red-faced and guilty, from one of the upper chambers. "Why, Janet," he said, "the house is as quiet as if all were dead. Where have you been, lass? Why, that's thy mistress's kerchief on thy head!" The girl snatched it off, looking redder and more guilty than before, and hid it behind her. "I'd wager, Janet, that thou hast been upstairs trying on thy mistress's finery. I'll tell her so." "Nay, pray, Captain Gilbert," she cried, excitedly, "you would not make mischief between us. I did but--" "That's confession enough," said Gil, laughing. "Now, tell me where is thy master?"