The lovers began to plan daily meetings; and Sarah Jane allowed herself to think deliciously of all the friends to whom this great news must be broken. Daniel remarked that they were mostly of his sex, and remembered that she had told him how her friendships with women were few. "Every Dick, Tom, and Harry on the country side is to know about it seemingly," he said with a comical expression. "I hope they'll take the hint anyhow, and the less we see of 'em the better henceforward." Then it was that she astonished him again, and the humorous note was changed abruptly in his mind, though not in hers. "You men--so greedy you be--like a dog with a bone. 'Tis all or none with you." He stared. It sounded an unmaidenly speech to his ear. "By God! I should think so! All or none indeed. We don't share sweethearts, I believe." She enjoyed his tragical face. "'Twould be a poor look out for them as tried to come between me an' my gert monster," she said. "It would be." "An' for me too, I reckon?" "Yes," he admitted. "But don't be telling such nonsense--or thinking such folly. You've done with all men but me for evermore. The Lord help any man or woman who ever came between us in deed or thought, if I catched word of it." She nodded. "They'd be dust afore your wrath." Mr. Friend left them presently and went to a little room on the ground floor of Dunnagoat cot, where he pursued his business of testing peat for tar and gas. He never wearied of this occupation. Then, while Sarah Jane washed up the tea things, Brendon made an excuse to leave her and spoke with his future father-in-law. "Can 'e lend me a razor, master?" he said. "A razor? Yes. I don't use 'em of late years, but it happens I've got one. What for? Have you changed your mind and want to cut your throat for being a fool?" "No, indeed. I've only just begun to live; but she don't like my whiskers." "Ah! Take 'em off, and she'll want 'e to grow 'em again in a week. Wear a hard hat and she'll order a billycock; put on black gaiters and she'll cry out for yellow. God help you, poor giant of a man! You'll hear more about yourself from her fearless lips in the next fortnight, than ever you've found out yet all your life." "The razor be--where?" "Up in my sleeping chamber, in a little drawer under the looking-glass." "Thank you very much, master." "They'm like the false gods o' the Bible: they think nought of axing the men to gash themselves with knives. The biggest fool of a woman as ever cumbered earth can always be clever at inventing tortures for the men." "'Tis all very well; but if I take Sarah Jane, you'll have to marry again yourself, Mr. Friend," said Daniel. "Not me. I had one good one. I drew a prize, though she was always wrong about Amicombe Hill. Ban't in reason to expect two prizes." Presently Daniel appeared with shaven cheeks before Sarah Jane. He left her to discover the loss, and she did so in an instant.