' And I laughed so as he could hear as he walked away,
for I made no doubt but he'd come again so soon as I called mun. And I
mind well then that the old Betsy comed out of a hedge soon
afterward--she'd a been listening, I reckon--and saith she, 'Shall I
call mun back to 'ee now? Best lose no time,' she saith. But I let
mun go, for I depended that he'd come back, though I don't deny that I
wasn't easy.
"And it wasn't above a week afterward that the old Betsy cometh back
and saith, 'You'd best have let me call mun back when I told 'ee'; and
then she told me that a serjeant was come to Ashacombe and that Jan was
listed for a sojer and was agone. It was evening then and I heard
mother calling, so I went into house like a dumb thing, for I couldn't
think what I should do without Jan; and I minded the words that he had
said, that I must come and find mun if I wanted to see him more; and I
lay awake all night a-crying to think that I couldn't tell where to
seek for mun, for find mun I must. But next day when I went out I
glimpsed the old Betsy on the road not far away and whistled to her
(for she never showed herself about Loudacott if she could help, but
watched for me and whistled), and when she saw my face, 'Where's your
rosy cheeks gone, my dear?' she saith. 'A red coat's red enough
without they to dye mun, I reckon.' But she wouldn't tell me where he
was agone, till I said that if she did not I would go out to find mun
for myself.
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