"Well, I'll tell you," she answered. "I believe him to be a man that I have seen about this here neighbourhood two or three times during this last eighteen months or so. If you really want to know, I'm a good deal about them moors o' nights; old as I am, I'm very active, and I go about a goodish bit--why not? And I have seen a man about now and then--months between, as a rule--that I couldn't account for--and I believe it's this fellow that was with Harborough." "And you say they went away in the direction of Hexendale?" said Brereton. "Where is Hexendale?" The old woman pointed westward. "Inland," she answered. "Over yonder. Miss there knows Hexendale well enough." "Hexendale is a valley--with a village of the same name in it--that lies about five miles away on the other side of the moors," said Avice. "There's another line of railway there--this man Mrs. Hamthwaite speaks of could come and go by that." "Well," remarked Brereton presently, "we're very much obliged to you, ma'am, and I'm sure you won't have any objection to telling all this again at the proper time and place, eh?" "Eh, bless you, no!" answered Mrs. Hamthwaite. "I'll tell it wherever you like, master--before Lawyer Tallington, or the magistrates, or the crowner, or anybody! But I'll tell you what, if you'll take a bit of advice from an old woman--you're a sharp-looking young man, and I'll tell you what I should do if I were in your place--now then!" "Well, what?" asked Brereton good-humouredly. Mrs. Hamthwaite clapped him on the shoulder as she opened the door for her visitors. "Find that tall man in the grey clothes!" she said. "Get hold of him! He's the chap you want!" Brereton went silently away, meditating on the old woman's last words. "But where are we to find him?" he suddenly exclaimed. "Who is he?" "I don't think that puzzles me," remarked Avice. "He's the man who sent the nine hundred pounds." Brereton smote his stick on the heather at their feet. "By George!--I never thought of that!" he exclaimed. "I shouldn't wonder!--I shouldn't wonder at all. Hooray!--we're getting nearer and nearer to something." But he knew that still another step was at hand--an unpleasant, painful step--when, on getting back to Bent's, an hour later, Bent told him that Lettie had been cajoled into fixing the day of the wedding, and that the ceremony was to take place with the utmost privacy that day week. CHAPTER XX AT BAY It was only by an immense effort of will that Brereton prevented an exclamation and a start of surprise. But of late he had been perpetually on the look-out for all sorts of unforeseen happenings and he managed to do no more than show a little natural astonishment. "What, so soon!" he said. "Dear me, old chap!--I didn't think of its being this side of Christmas."