Before noon , at latest , the whole village would know how Polly Ramage , madly in love with Tom Rodding , was half out of her mind with grief and trouble and fears for him .sx And when the time came - when the time came for him to deal with Polly Ramage somewhere in those same woods where Tom Rodding was still hiding - why then people would put two and two together .sx It would be another love tragedy -jealousy and anger - and so yet one more crime would be laid to Tom Rodding's shoulders .sx Cartwright strode along quite briskly in the bright sunshine towards the big house .sx Mavis , looking from her window very early that morning , saw a small , ragged figure hovering about on the edge of the wood .sx The figure loitered and stayed , went and came back again .sx Mavis felt that the girl was waiting for her , so she dressed hurriedly and went downstairs and out to the edge of the wood .sx " I've been looking for you , " Polly Ramage said .sx " I've got something for you !sx " She held out the folded letter to Mavis .sx " Seen him , I did , an hour ago .sx `Polly,' he says , `give this to my lady .sx ' Mavis flushed .sx She took the little folded note with a trembling hand , opened it , and read it .sx So Tom had found a new friend - one who would help him away .sx " Thank Heaven !sx " she whispered .sx " Thank Heaven !sx Was he alone ?sx " she said aloud .sx " Ay , that he was - as alone as alone could be !sx " the girl said .sx " But he says to me , `Polly , I've made a new friend , who is yet an old friend , this morning , and he be going to help I away from it all !sx ' " She paused .sx " `And who be the new friend as be an old one ?sx ' I asked him .sx " 'Old Caleb Tanner , the tinker,' he says .sx And wi' that I laughed , for a poacher he be , as I do know , and a rare good sort , too !sx " After midnight to-night he would be safe .sx Only another eighteen hours or so , and then the terrific strain would be ended - safe , safe , away -safe from Henry Cartwright , who alone , besides their two selves , knew that Tom was here yet .sx " You'll have little to worry about after to-night !sx " Polly said .sx " For I know he'll be all right wi' Caleb .sx A fine man be Caleb - true as steel hebe - a little fat , short man , with funny eyes and a great head .sx But a rare sort !sx So , after to-night , Tom'll be safe enough , and then one day back he will come , with the bells all ringing and everyone shouting for him , knowing him to be an innocent man !sx " Mavis smiled .sx " Oh , that that day might come soon !sx " she thought .sx " Thank you , thank you , Polly !sx " she said aloud .sx And then , for some reason that she could not explain , for some prompting of her mind that afterwards she remembered with a sense of gladness , she put her hands on the girl's ragged shoulders and drew her close and kissed her .sx A burning flush came into the oval face , and the dark eyes glittered .sx " And you - you a lady !sx " Polly gasped .sx And then she turned and darted away into the wood .sx With a sense of relief at her heart , Mavis went back to the house .sx In eighteen hours , when midnight struck , Tom would be safely away .sx Heaven send that this day might pass in peace and without calamity !sx And then the memory of Cartwright fell on Mavis like a heavy blow .sx If only the man could have waited until to-morrow - till after midnight was past , and Tom safely out of the way !sx But as she .sx entered the house she met him .sx He planted himself before her .sx He was here , demanding his answer and knowing full well that when she made that answer , she would abide by it faithfully .sx She wrung her hands in hopeless indecision .sx To give herself to such a man , to do this thing - that would mean the end of life for her - the end of hope !sx " Come !sx " he said roughly , " I am sick of fooling !sx You needn't pretend to be surprised .sx You know - this isn't the first time I've asked you the same question .sx Something happened that morning in the woods .sx I ain't made up my mind yet quite what it was , but I suspect that murdering villain was there .sx However , that don't matter now !sx What's it to be ?sx You say :sx `Yes,' Mavis , or the police will be scouring the woods within the next half-hour , and by thunder , this time they will get him .sx " He paused , then went on :sx " Aren't you a fool to care for such a man as that ?sx I suppose you know of his carrying on with that wench , Polly Ramage ?sx " .sx " It's a lie .sx She befriended him .sx " Mavis paused suddenly .sx Cartwright smiled evilly .sx " Oh , so Polly Ramage knows about him , eh ?sx " " Yes .sx " " You admit that ?sx Well , it's proof of what Isay - there's something between those two !sx Tom Rodding's got eyes in his head - and that gipsy girl is darned pretty !sx " .sx Mavis' face flamed .sx " How dare you !sx You would not dare to speak of him like this - tell those lies about him - if he were here .sx " " Shouldn't I ?sx Well , he couldn't deny it on oath .sx Everyone in the village knows of his love affair with that Ramage girl , and everyone knows that she's madly jealous because of you .sx But all this has nothing to do with what I asked you , and the answer I'm waiting for here and now .sx What is it to be - yes or no ?sx " .sx She stood there silent , her little hands clenched , her face white and strained .sx She knew that what he said about Tom and Polly Ramage was lies .sx She did not give credence to it for one moment .sx It would have been unworthy of her if she had even given one thought to such a baseless slander .sx " I am pretty patient , " he said quietly .sx " I've been patient for years , Mavis - ever since that day in the wood , when I first discovered that I loved you .sx " He smiled down at her .sx " I'm ambitious - I would be a fool if I wasn't .sx I'd like to find myself master here .sx That would be all right , but there's .sx one thing I want more even than money - more than even position - and that's you - you !sx " He took a step towards her .sx She looked so slight , so slender , so fragile , so defenceless and above all , so beautiful , that his blood was fired .sx He exulted in his power over her :sx something - some instinct at that moment - told him that she would give way .sx It angered him to think that he would owe his success to this girl's love for another man .sx Yet , after all , what did it matter so that he succeeded ?sx Mavis saw all this in his eyes and a great and deadly fear came to her .sx She thrust out her hands suddenly as if to force him away , but he caught them and held them and dragged her to him .sx " You must - you know you've got to give way !sx " he cried .sx " You can't help yourself .sx Supposing you don't - then he's taken - arrested , tried - and hanged afterwards , you'll remember that , but for you - " .sx One minute and sixteen hours yet to go !sx She fought against him , but she was so weak and powerless , and he exulted in his strength .sx " Say , yes - yes , " he cried .sx " Say , yes - you can't fight against it .sx Do you want to see him taken ?sx He'll thank you when he knows you might have saved him .sx I'll give you one minute - no more !sx See , I'll count the seconds and I'll take your answer !sx " " One - two - three - " he began to count and .sx the girl stood staring at him with dilated eyes , both her hands imprisoned in his .sx One minute and sixteen hours yet to go !sx Sixteen hours !sx What a cruel trick of Fate it was !sx If it were only to-morrow - if Time could leap forward twenty-four hours !sx If - .sx " Fifty !sx " he counted slowly .sx " Fifty-one - " .sx His eyes seemed to burn into hers ; he broke off for a moment at fifty-five .sx " I can ring the police from here and tell them to hold themselves ready .sx We'll have a fine gang of them ready to scour the woods inside half an hour .sx Fifty-five - six - seven - " .sx She began to struggle against him , weakly and futilely .sx " Have some - some pity !sx " she said .sx " I - I do not love you !sx If I loved you - " .sx " I'll wait for that !sx " .sx " You are too honourable and good a man !sx " -She tried flattery .sx It was pitiful to hear her - " Too good a man to force a girl against her will !sx " .sx He smiled down at her .sx " Fifty-eight - nine - " .sx It was a long , long minute , perhaps he had spun it out purposely .sx During the last second of that , long drawn-out minute , her brain worked quickly .sx She saw Tom taken - dragged off to prison and to trial - condemned to death !sx " Sixty !sx Well ?sx " She flung her head back , her eyes filled with a new expression for her - hate glared into his .sx " I will marry you !sx " she said .sx " I knew you would , " he said .sx He nodded .sx He pulled her nearer to him , and now she resisted with all her might and , with a new strength born of her terror for him , she fought against him .sx She dragged one of her hands free and in her blind fear of him , struck out at his face .sx The little hand fell across his eyes , staggering him for a moment by the unexpected strength of the blow , and then , when he had recovered himself , she was gone .sx He went to the door , which she had left open .sx A manservant was in the hall - Williams , the butler .sx Williams should be the first to hear who his new master was to be .sx Cartwright stopped .sx His manner was affable and a little patronising .sx It was changed , as Williams recognised , in some subtle way .sx " Miss Mavis has gone upstairs , eh ?sx " Cartwright asked .sx " Yes , Mr. Cartwright .sx I saw her go up not two moments ago .sx " Cartwright laughed .sx " Quite so - quite so - didn't want you to see her blushes , eh , Williams ?sx " .sx " I don't understand , Mr. Cartwright .sx " " Well , " Cartwright paused .sx " I may tell you , Williams , that Miss Mavis has done me the honour to accept me as her future husband !sx " .sx " Miss Mavis ?sx " For once in his life Williams was utterly taken aback .sx He opened his mouth and stared at Cartwright .sx " Of course , " Cartwright said as he swaggered back to the door , " I shall make very few changes here , Williams .sx Your place , my good fellow , will be quite secure .sx " Williams said nothing .sx He stared after the man - saw Cartwright pause and turn to admire his new possessions - then he hurriedly slammed the door and hastened away to carry the astonishing news .sx CHAPTER XXIV .sx SPREADING THE NEWS .sx NEWS flies , but nowhere so fast as in a little country village , where folk have little of their own business to attend to , and are generous and ready enough to give much of their time and attention to the affairs of other folk .sx Williams had taken the news imparted to him by Henry Cartwright down to the kitchen .sx Tongues wagged :sx they were frankly incredulous .sx It was the afternoon out of two of the maids .sx Within a quarter of an hour , the news was being discussed in the village .sx It spread from house to house , cottage to cottage .sx It reached the alehouse , Mrs. Ruggett's little general stores , Ambleton's butcher's shop .sx People stood about in little knots and discussed it .sx " Miss Mavis to marry the steward , Mr. Cartwright !sx Well , who would have thought it !sx And after all that had been said about Miss Mavis and .sx Tom Rodding .sx It showed what wrong conclusions people were apt to arrive at !sx " .sx So the news was spread at the alehouse - Black Ferd and Slocomb and Barley , the landlord , discussed it .sx " A proud , set-up fool !sx " said Barley .sx " That's what he be !sx Where can the lass' eyes be ?sx " " Lasses be fools !sx " said Black Ferd .sx " A scraper and a saver !sx " said Barley .sx " 'Twill be a bad look-out for some of you - up in the woods yonder !sx " Ferd laughed .sx " I'll back myself against Cartwright , or any like him , " he said , as he rose .sx