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as if she had not sufficiently considered her act of coming out； she
drew herself back； saying with some constraint； 'Mr。 Stockdale！'
'You knew it was；' said Stockdale； taking her hand。 'I wrote to say
I should call。'
'Yes； but you did not say when；' she answered。
'I did not。 I was not quite sure when my business would lead me to
these parts。'
'You only came because business brought you near？'
'Well； that is the fact； but I have often thought I should like to
come on purpose to see you 。 。 。 But what's all this that has
happened？ I told you how it would be； Lizzy； and you would not
listen to me。'
'I would not；' she said sadly。 'But I had been brought up to that
life； and it was second nature to me。 However； it is all over now。
The officers have blood…money for taking a man dead or alive； and
the trade is going to nothing。 We were hunted down like rats。'
'Owlett is quite gone； I hear。'
'Yes。 He is in America。 We had a dreadful struggle that last time；
when they tried to take him。 It is a perfect miracle that he lived
through it； and it is a wonder that I was not killed。 I was shot in
the hand。 It was not by aim； the shot was really meant for my
cousin； but I was behind； looking on as usual； and the bullet came
to me。 It bled terribly； but I got home without fainting； and it
healed after a time。 You know how he suffered？'
'No；' said Stockdale。 'I only heard that he just escaped with his
life。'
'He was shot in the back； but a rib turned the ball。 He was badly
hurt。 We would not let him be took。 The men carried him all night
across the meads to Kingsbere； and hid him in a barn； dressing his
wound as well as they could； till he was so far recovered as to be
able to get about。 He had gied up his mill for some time； and at
last he got to Bristol； and took a passage to America； and he's
settled in Wisconsin。'
'What do you think of smuggling now？' said the minister gravely。
'I own that we were wrong；' said she。 'But I have suffered for it。
I am very poor now； and my mother has been dead these twelve months
。 。 。 But won't you come in； Mr。 Stockdale？'
Stockdale went in； and it is to be supposed that they came to an
understanding； for a fortnight later there was a sale of Lizzy's
furniture； and after that a wedding at a chapel in a neighbouring
town。
He took her away from her old haunts to the home that he had made
for himself in his native county； where she studied her duties as a
minister's wife with praiseworthy assiduity。 It is said that in
after years she wrote an excellent tract called Render unto Caesar；
or； The Repentant Villagers； in which her own experience was
anonymously used as the introductory story。 Stockdale got it
printed； after making some corrections； and putting in a few
powerful sentences of his own； and many hundreds of copies were
distributed by the couple in the course of their married life。
April 1879。
End