"'Twould be wisht to have all blank," declared Sarah Jane. "Take the mothers an' wives. What's the joy of heaven to them if they don't know things is going well with their children an' husbands?" "'Tis almost too high a subject for common people, though I could wish for light upon it myself," said her father. "Of course they know!" cried the woman. "Don't you believe as mother holds us in her thoughts and watches our goings? Such a worrying spirit as hers! Heaven wouldn't be no better than a foreign country, where she couldn't get letters, if you an' me was hidden from her." Daniel felt uneasy. "Knowing what she knows now, she would be content to leave it with God," he said. "Not her," answered Sarah Jane. "A very suspicious nature, where those she loved was concerned." "True. My wife could believe nought but her own eyes. She was built so. That's why she never would share my great opinions of Amicombe Hill. A very damping woman to a hopeful heart. A great trust in arithmetic she had; but for my part nought chills me like black figures on white paper. You can't draw much comfort from 'em most times." "I'm like her," said Sarah Jane. "All for saying what I think. Father here's a dreamer." "Hope's very good to work on, however; I hold with Mr. Friend there." "Not so good as wages," said Sarah Jane. "Sometimes in my uplifted moments I've wondered whether truth's made known to my wife now, and whether, looking down 'pon Dartymoor, she knows that I was right touching Amicombe Hill, and she was wrong," mused Gregory. "Perhaps she knows she was right and you are wrong, my old dear," suggested Sarah Jane. But her father shook his head. "I ban't feared of that," he answered. After a cup of tea, Daniel Brendon made a faltering proposal, and met with a startling reply. "I wonder now, if you and Miss here would take a walk along o' me next Sunday?" he asked. "I'll meet 'e where you please. And I'm sure I should be terrible proud if you could lend me your company." "I can't--not next Sunday," declared the girl. "'Tis like this: I'm going to Lydford to spend the day along with the Weekes family. And Jarratt Weekes be going to ax me to marry him." Dan's eyes grew round. "Good Lord!" he said, with surprise and reverence mingled. "That's what the man's going to do, if I know him. 'Tis all planned out in his mind. I could most tell the words he'm going to say it in--knowing him so well as I do." A natural question leapt to Brendon's lips, but he restrained it. He wanted to ask, "And shall you take him?" but resisted the burning temptation. This news, however, was a source of very active disquiet. He drank his tea, and was glad when Gregory Friend broke the silence. "And you'll do well to think twice afore you say 'yes,' Sarah Jane. A successful and a church-going man. A good son, I believe, and honest--as honesty goes in towns. But----" "I'd never get a husband if I waited for you to find one, faither."