He received a short note from her, as follows:
"SIR--You must meet me to-night, at the same place, eight o'clock. If
you do not come it will be the worse for you.
"M. W."
Richard Bassett's inclination was to treat this summons with contempt;
but he thought it would be wiser to go and see whether the girl had any
hostile intentions. Accordingly he went to the tryst. He waited for
some time, and at last he heard a quick, firm foot, and Mary Wells
appeared. She was hooded with her scarlet shawl, that contrasted
admirably with her coal-black hair; and out of this scarlet frame her
dark eyes glittered. She stood before him in silence.
He said nothing.
She was silent too for some time. But she spoke first.
"Well, sir, you promised one, and you have married another. Now what
are you going to do for me?"
"What _can_ I do, Mary? I'm not the first that wanted to marry for
love, but money came in his way and tempted him."
"No, you are not the first. But that's neither here nor there, sir.
That chalk-faced girl has bought you away from me with her money, and
now I mean to have my share on't."
"Oh, if that is all," said Richard, "we can soon settle it. I was
afraid you were going to talk about a broken heart, and all that stuff.
You are a good, sensible girl; and too beautiful to want a husband
long.
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