’“Hoi，yerself!“saysthecorporalincharge。
’“We’vegotyourman，“saystheconstable。
’“Where？“saysthecorporal。
’“Here，betweenus，“saidtheconstable。“Onlyyoudon’trecognizehimouto’uniform。“
’ThecorporallookedatGeorgyhardenough；thenshookhisheadandsaidhewasnottheabsconder。
’“ButtheabsconderchangedclotheswithFarmerJollice，andtookhishorse；andthismanhas’em，d’yesee!“
’“’Tisnotourman，“saidthesoldiers。“He’satallyoungfellowwithamoleonhisrightcheek，andamilitarybearing，whichthismandecidedlyhasnot。“
’“Itoldthetwoofficersofjusticethat’twastheother!“pleadedGeorgy。“Buttheywouldn’tbelieveme。“
’Andsoitbecameclearthatthemissingdragoonwasthetallyoungfarmer，andnotGeorgyCrookhill——afactwhichFarmerJollicehimselfcorroboratedwhenhearrivedonthescene。AsGeorgyhadonlyrobbedtherobber，hissentencewascomparativelylight。ThedeserterfromtheDragoonswasnevertraced：hisdoubleshiftofclothinghavingbeenofthegreatestadvantagetohimingettingoff；thoughheleftGeorgy’shorsebehindhimafewmilesahead，havingfoundthepoorcreaturemorehindrancethanaid。’
ThemanfromabroadseemedtobelessinterestedinthequestionablecharactersofLongpuddleandtheirstrangeadventuresthanintheordinaryinhabitantsandtheordinaryevents，thoughhislocalfellow-travellerspreferredtheformerassubjectsofdiscussion。Henowforthefirsttimeaskedconcerningyoungpersonsoftheoppositesex——orratherthosewhohadbeenyoungwhenhelefthisnativeland。
Hisinformants，adheringtotheirownopinionthattheremarkablewasbetterworthtellingthantheordinary，wouldnotallowhimtodwelluponthesimplechroniclesofthosewhohadmerelycomeandgone。
TheyaskedhimifherememberedNettySargent。
’NettySargent——Ido，justrememberher。ShewasayoungwomanlivingwithherunclewhenIleft，ifmychildishrecollectionmaybetrusted。’
’Thatwasthemaid。Shewasaoneyer，ifyoulike，sir。Notanyharminher，youknow，butuptoeverything。Yououghttohearhowshegotthecopyholdofherhouseextended。Oughtn’the，Mr。Day？’
’Heought，’repliedtheworld-ignoredoldpainter。
’Tellhim，Mr。Day。Nobodycandoitbetterthanyou，andyouknowthelegalpartbetterthansomeofus。’
Dayapologized，andbegan：-
NETTYSARGENT’SCOPYHOLD
’Shecontinuedtolivewithheruncle，inthelonelyhousebythecopse，justasatthetimeyouknewher；atallspryyoungwoman。
Ah，howwellonecanrememberherblackhairanddancingeyesatthattime，andherslywayofscrewinguphermouthwhenshemeanttoteaseye!Well，shewashardlyoutofshortfrocksbeforethechapswereafterher，andbylongandbylateshewascourtedbyayoungmanwhomperhapsyoudidnotknow——JasperCliffwashisname——and，thoughshemighthavehadmanyabetterfellow，hesogreatlytookherfancythat’twasJasperornobodyforher。Hewasaselfishcustomer，alwaysthinkinglessofwhathewasgoingtodothanofwhathewasgoingtogainbyhisdoings。Jasper’seyesmighthavebeenfixeduponNetty，buthismindwasuponheruncle’shouse；
thoughhewasfondofherinhisway——Iadmitthat。
’Thishouse，builtbyhergreat-great-grandfather，withitsgardenandlittlefield，wascopyhold——granteduponlivesintheoldway，andhadbeensograntedforgenerations。Heruncle’swasthelastlifeupontheproperty；sothatathisdeath，iftherewasnoadmittanceofnewlives，itwouldallfallintothehandsofthelordofthemanor。But’twaseasytoadmit——aslight“fine，“as’twascalled，ofafewpounds，wasenoughtoentitlehimtoanewdeedo’
grantbythecustomofthemanor；andthelordcouldnothinderit。
’Nowtherecouldbenobetterprovisionforhisnieceandonlyrelativethanasurehouseoverherhead，andNetty’suncleshouldhaveseentotherenewalintime，owingtothepeculiarcustomofforfeiturebythedroppingofthelastlifebeforethenewfinewaspaid；fortheSquirewasveryanxioustogetholdofthehouseandland；andeverySundaywhentheoldmancameintothechurchandpassedtheSquire’spew，theSquirewouldsay，“Alittleweakerinhisknees，alittlecrookederinhisback——andthereadmittancenotappliedfor：ha!ha!Ishallbeabletomakeacompleteclearingofthatcornerofthemanorsomeday!“
’’Twasextraordinary，nowwelookbackuponit，thatoldSargentshouldhavebeensodilatory；yetsomepeoplearelikeit；andheputoffcallingattheSquire’sagent’sofficewiththefineweekafterweek，sayingtohimself，“Ishallhavemoretimenextmarket-daythanIhavenow。“Oneunfortunatehindrancewasthathedidn’tverywelllikeJasperCliff；andasJasperkepturgingNetty，andNettyonthataccountkepturgingheruncle，theoldmanwasinclinedtopostponethere-liveingaslongashecould，tospitetheselfishyounglover。
AtlastoldMr。Sargentfellill，andthenJaspercouldbearitnolonger：heproducedthefine-moneyhimself，andhandedittoNetty，andspoketoherplainly。
’“Youandyouruncleoughttoknowbetter。Youshouldpresshimmore。There’sthemoney。Ifyouletthehouseandgroundslipbetweenye，Iwon’tmarry；hangmeifIwill!Forfolkswon’tdeserveahusbandthatcandosuchthings。“
’Theworriedgirltookthemoneyandwenthome，andtoldherunclethatitwasnohousenohusbandforher。OldMr。Sargentpooh-poohedthemoney，fortheamountwasnotworthconsideration，buthedidnowbestirhimself；forhesawshewasbentuponmarryingJasper，andhedidnotwishtomakeherunhappy，sinceshewassodetermined。ItwasmuchtotheSquire’sannoyancethathefoundSargenthadmovedinthematteratlast；buthecouldnotgainsayit，andthedocumentswerepreparedforonthismanorthecopy-holdershadwritingswiththeirholdings，thoughonsomemanorstheyhadnone。OldSargentbeingnowtoofeebletogototheagent’shouse，thedeedwastobebroughttohishousesigned，andhandedoverasareceiptforthemoney；thecounterparttobesignedbySargent，andsentbacktotheSquire。
’TheagenthadpromisedtocallonoldSargentforthispurposeatfiveo’clock，andNettyputthemoneyintoherdesktohaveitcloseathand。Whiledoingthissheheardaslightcryfromheruncle，andturninground，sawthathehadfallenforwardinhischair。Shewentandliftedhim，buthewasunconscious；andunconsciousheremained。
Neithermedicinenorstimulantswouldbringhimtohimself。Shehadbeentoldthathemightpossiblygooffinthatway，anditseemedasiftheendhadcome。Beforeshehadstartedforadoctorhisfaceandextremitiesgrewquitecoldandwhite，andshesawthathelpwouldbeuseless。Hewasstone-dead。
’Netty’ssituationroseuponherdistractedmindinallitsseriousness。Thehouse，garden，andfieldwerelost——byafewhours——
andwiththemahomeforherselfandherlover。ShewouldnotthinksomeanlyofJasperastosupposethathewouldadheretotheresolutiondeclaredinamomentofimpatience；butshetrembled，nevertheless。Whycouldnotherunclehavelivedacoupleofhourslonger，sincehehadlivedsolong？Itwasnowpastthreeo’clock；
atfivetheagentwastocall，and，ifallhadgonewell，bytenminutespastfivethehouseandholdingwouldhavebeensecurelyhersforherownandJasper’slives，thesebeingtwoofthethreeproposedtobeaddedbypayingthefine。HowthatwretchedoldSquirewouldrejoiceatgettingthelittletenancyintohishands!Hedidnotreallyrequireit，butconstitutionallyhatedthesetinycopyholdsandleaseholdsandfreeholds，whichmadeislandsofindependenceinthefair，smoothoceanofhisestates。
’ThenanideastruckintotheheadofNettyhowtoaccomplishherobjectinspiteofheruncle’snegligence。ItwasadullDecemberafternoon：andthefirststepinherscheme——sothestorygoes，andIseenoreasontodoubtit——’
’’Tistrueasthelight，’affirmedChristopherTwink。’Iwasjustpassingby。’
’Thefirststepinherschemewastofastentheouterdoor，tomakesureofnotbeinginterrupted。Thenshesettoworkbyplacingheruncle’ssmall，heavyoaktablebeforethefire；thenshewenttoheruncle’scorpse，sittinginthechairashehaddied——astuffedarm-
chair，oncasters，andratherhighintheseat，soitwastoldme——
andwheeledthechair，uncleandall，tothetable，placinghimwithhisbacktowardthewindow，intheattitudeofbendingoverthesaidoaktable，whichIknewasaboyaswellasIknowanypieceoffurnitureinmyownhouse。OnthetableshelaidthelargefamilyBibleopenbeforehim，andplacedhisforefingeronthepage；andthensheopenedhiseyelidsabit，andputonhimhisspectacles，sothatfrombehindheappearedforalltheworldasifhewerereadingtheScriptures。Thensheunfastenedthedoorandsatdown，andwhenitgrewdarkshelitacandle，andputitonthetablebesideheruncle’sbook。
’Folkmaywellguesshowthetimepassedwithhertilltheagentcame，andhow，whenhisknocksoundeduponthedoor，shenearlystartedoutofherskin——atleastthat’sasitwastoldme。Nettypromptlywenttothedoor。
’“Iamsorry，sir，“shesays，underherbreath；“myuncleisnotsowellto-night，andI’mafraidhecan’tseeyou。“
’“H’m!——that’saprettytale，“saysthesteward。“SoI’vecomeallthiswayaboutthistrumperylittlejobfornothing!“
’“Ono，sir——Ihopenot，“saysNetty。“Isupposethebusinessofgrantingthenewdeedcanbedonejustthesame？“
’“Done？Certainlynot。Hemustpaytherenewalmoney，andsigntheparchmentinmypresence。“
’Shelookeddubious。“Uncleissodreadfulnervousaboutlawbusiness，“saysshe，“that，asyouknow，he’sputitoffandputitoffforyears；andnowto-dayreallyI’vefeareditwouldverilydrivehimoutofhismind。HispoorthreeteethquitechatteredwhenIsaidtohimthatyouwouldbeheresoonwiththeparchmentwriting。
Healwayswasafraidofagents，andfolksthatcomeforrent，andsuch-like。“
’“Pooroldfellow——I’msorryforhim。Well，thethingcan’tbedoneunlessIseehimandwitnesshissignature。“
’“Suppose，sir，thatyouseehimsign，andhedon’tseeyoulookingathim？I’dsoothehisnervesbysayingyouweren’tstrictabouttheformofwitnessing，anddidn’twishtocomein。Sothatitwasdoneinyourbarepresenceitwouldbesufficient，woulditnot？Ashe’ssuchanold，shrinking，shiveringman，itwouldbeagreatconsideratenessonyourpartifthatwoulddo？“
’“Inmybarepresencewoulddo，ofcourse——that’sallIcomefor。
ButhowcanIbeawitnesswithouthisseeingme？“
’“Why，inthisway，sir；ifyou’llobligemebyjuststeppinghere。“
Sheconductedhimafewyardstotheleft，tilltheywereoppositetheparlourwindow。Theblindhadbeenleftuppurposely，andthecandle-lightshoneoutuponthegardenbushes。Withintheagentcouldsee，attheotherendoftheroom，thebackandsideoftheoldman’shead，andhisshouldersandarm，sittingwiththebookandcandlebeforehim，andhisspectaclesonhisnose，asshehadplacedhim。
’“He’sreadinghisBible，asyousee，sir，“shesays，quiteinhermeekestway。
’“Yes。Ithoughthewasacarelesssortofmaninmattersofreligion？“
’“HealwayswasfondofhisBible，“Nettyassuredhim。“ThoughI