The woman wanted sadly to tell me more, which made Mrs. Jewkes threaten
her, suspecting still the more; and away the woman went, having told Nan
her fortune, and she would be drowned.

This thing ran strongly in all our heads; and we went, an hour after, to
see if the woman was lurking about, and took Mr. Colbrand for our guard.
Looking through the iron gate, he spied a man sauntering about the middle
of the walk; which filled Mrs. Jewkes with still more suspicions; and she
said, Mr. Colbrand, you and I will walk towards this fellow, and see what
he saunters there for: And, Nan, do you and madam stay at the gate.

So they opened the iron gate and walked down towards the man; and
guessing the woman, if employed, must mean something by the tuft of
grass, I cast my eye that way, whence she pulled it, and saw more grass
seemingly pulled up: then I doubted not something was there for me; and I
walked to it, and standing over it, said to Nan, That's a pretty sort of
wild flower, that grows yonder, near the elm, the fifth from us on the
left; pray pull it for me. Said she, It is a common weed. Well, said I,
but pull it for me; there are sometimes beautiful colours in a weed.

While she went on, I stooped, and pulled up a good handful of the grass,
and in it a bit of paper, which I put instantly in my bosom, and dropt
the grass: and my heart went pit-a-pat at the odd adventure. Said I,
Let's go in, Mrs. Anne. No, said she, we must stay till Mrs. Jewkes
comes.

I was all impatience to read this paper: and when Colbrand and she
returned, I went in. Said she, Certainly there is some reason for my
master's caution: I can make nothing of this sauntering fellow; but, to