I did not stay long with Parson Thomas after this, although his hospitality seemed to know no bounds. I had heard enough to set me thinking, and I determined to go to Mawgan that very evening. The time was now three in the afternoon, and soon night would be upon us. Still, there would be another hour of daylight, and I started to walk in the direction of Mawgan Forth, while Eli trudged close by my heels. We had been walking, perhaps, half an hour, when I saw, as I was passing by a farmhouse close to which the road ran, a woman on horseback. Below us we saw the sands of Mawgan Forth, but no house was near save the farmhouse to which I have referred. "It is some woman riding home from St. Columb Market, I suppose," I said as her horse climbed the hill. "No," said Eli; "no, Maaster Jasper. 'Tes Tamsin Triscott, Tamsin Fraddam; that's who et es." "Tamsin!" I cried; "surely no!" A few seconds later, however, I saw that Eli was right. "Master Jasper Pennington!" she cried, as she saw me, and the blood mounted violently to her face. "You are free, then?" This she said in a tone of disappointment almost amounting to anger. "Yes, Tamsin," I replied. "What do you know about my imprisonment?" "I suppose you got him away?" she said to Eli, angrily, without noticing my question. "Iss," grunted Eli; "I ded, ded'n I, Jasper?" and the dwarf laughed gleefully. "And I meant to have done it," she said, as if musing to herself. "I have travelled a long way." "What do you mean, Tamsin?" I asked. She hesitated a minute, then she spoke like one in pain. "I did my best, Jasper--believe that. But for me you would have been killed. Israel Barnicoat and others vowed it, but I persuaded father. I heard about your coming back, and I tried to find out where you had been taken. As soon as I knew I started to come. I would have set you free; I would, Jasper, I would." My slow-thinking mind was trying to find its way to Tamsin's motives for acting thus, when she went on if possible more earnestly than before. "She didn't care for you, Jasper; if she did, why were you imprisoned in her house?" "Tamsin," I said, for I began to see her meaning, "do you know what is become of Naomi Penryn?" "No," she said, sullenly. "Tamsin," I went on, "I thank you for your goodness to me; I am glad I had a friend willing to travel so far to help me. But I am in great sorrow, Tamsin. I may tell you about it, I know; I love Naomi Penryn--love her like my own life. I have heard strange rumours about her, and my heart is very sad. I can trust you, Tamsin, I know that. Have you heard anything about her?" She became very pale as I spoke, and I thought she would have fallen from her horse, but she recovered herself presently. "Israel Barnicoat told me that she would not marry young Tresidder," she replied, "and that she asked to be taken to a convent until she came of age." "Yes," I said, eagerly, "and what then?" "I heard that she died there."