"It isn't a stone, it's an unseemly insult--an outrage. Not the work of Shaugh men, I hope. I shall investigate the thing to the bottom," answered Dennis. "Let me see. Stay your hand, Lintern." The old man put on his glasses deliberately, and read the evil words. "Tear it down," he said. "That ban't all the truth about the man, and half the truth is none. Quick, away with it! There's my sister-in-law from Cadworthy coming into the gate." The burlesque tombstone was hurried away, and Masterman went into the vestry. Others entered church, and Heathman at last found himself alone. The bells stopped, the organ ceased to grunt, and the service proceeded; but young Lintern was only concerned with his own labours. He ransacked Mr. Gollop's tool-shed adjoining the vestry. It was locked, but he broke it open, and, finding a hatchet there, proceeded to make splinters of the offending inscription. He chopped and chopped until his usual equitable humour returned to him. Then, the work completed, he returned to his father's grave and repaired the broken mound. He was engaged upon this task to the murmur of the psalms, when Jack Head approached and bade him 'good-morning.' "A pretty up-store, I hear. And you in the midst of it--eh?" "I was, and I'd do the same for any chap that did such a beastly thing. If I thought you had any hand in it, Jack----" The other remembered that the son of the dead was speaking to him. "Not me," he answered. "I have a pretty big grudge against Nathan Baskerville that was, and I won't deny it; but this here--insults on his tomb--'tis no better than to kick the dead. Besides, what's the use? It won't right the wrong, or put my money back in my pocket. How did it go--the words, I mean?" "I've forgot 'em," answered Heathman. "Least said, soonest mended, and if it don't do one thing, and that is get Gollop the sack, I shall be a bit astonished." He laughed. "You should 'a' seen the old monkey just now! He was the first to mark this job, and he let it stand for all to see, and was glad they should see it--shame to him." "Wrote it himself so like as not." "Hadn't the wit to. But he left it, and he was well pleased at it. And then, when I ordered him as sexton to take it down, he wouldn't, and so I lost my head and gave him a tap on the ribs, and over he went into his sister's arms, as was standing screeching like a poll-parrot just behind him. Both dropped; then Tom Sparkes hit me in the mouth; and so we went on very lively till Mr. Masterman came." "Wouldn't have missed it for money," said Jack. "But just my luck to be t'other side the village at such a moment." He sat down on a sepulchre and filled his pipe. He knew well why Heathman had thrown himself so fiercely into this quarrel, and he admired him for it. The sight of the young man reminded him of his sister. "So your Cora is trying a third, she tells me?"