she always felt—perhaps； indeed； would have been rather glad to
have had him at hand。 But there was something of coarse bold
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admiration in his look； which terrified her very much。 She glanced
timidly towards him； uncertain whether to go forward or retreat；
and he stood gazing at her like a handsome satyr； and so they
remained for some short time without stirring or breaking silence。
At length Dolly took courage； shot past him； and hurried on。
‘Why do you spend so much breath in avoiding me？’ said Hugh；
accommodating his pace to hers； and keeping close at her side。
‘I wish to get back as quickly as I can； and you walk too near
me； answered Dolly。’
‘Too near！’ said Hugh； stooping over her so that she could feel
his breath upon her forehead。 ‘Why too near？ You’re always proud
to me； mistress。’
‘I am proud to no one。 You mistake me；’ answered Dolly。 ‘Fall
back； if you please； or go on。’
‘Nay； mistress；’ he rejoined； endeavouring to draw her arm
through his； ‘I’ll walk with you。’
She released herself and clenching her little hand； struck him
with right good will。 At this； Maypole Hugh burst into a roar of
laughter； and passing his arm about her waist； held her in his
strong grasp as easily as if she had been a bird。
‘Ha ha ha！ Well done； mistress！ Strike again。 You shall beat my
face； and tear my hair； and pluck my beard up by the roots； and
welcome； for the sake of your bright eyes。 Strike again； mistress。
Do。 Ha ha ha！ I like it。’
‘Let me go；’ she cried； endeavouring with both her hands to
push him off。 ‘Let me go this moment。’
‘You had as good be kinder to me； Sweetlips；’ said Hugh。 ‘You
had； indeed。 Come。 Tell me now。 Why are you always so proud？ I
don’t quarrel with you for it。 I love you when you’re proud。 Ha ha
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ha！ You can’t hide your beauty from a poor fellow； that’s a
comfort！’
She gave him no answer； but as he had not yet checked her
progress； continued to press forward as rapidly as she could。 At
length； between the hurry she had made； her terror； and the
tightness of his embrace； her strength failed her； and she could go
no further。
‘Hugh；’ cried the panting girl； ‘good Hugh； if you will leave me I
will give you anything—everything I have—and never tell one
word of this to any living creature。’
‘You had best not；’ he answered。 ‘Harkye； little dove； you had
best not。 All about here know me； and what I dare do if I have a
mind。 If ever you are going to tell； stop when the words are on
your lips； and think of the mischief you’ll bring； if you do； upon
some innocent heads that you wouldn’t wish to hurt a hair of。
Bring trouble on me； and I’ll bring trouble and something more on
them in return。 I care no more for them than for so many dogs； not
so much—why should I？ I’d sooner kill a man than a dog any day。
I’ve never been sorry for a man’s death in all my life； and I have
for a dog’s。’
There was something so thoroughly savage in the manner of
these expressions； and the looks and gestures by which they were
accompanied； that her great fear of him gave her new strength；
and enabled her by a sudden effort to extricate herself and run
fleetly from him。 But Hugh was as nimble； strong； and swift of
foot； as any man in broad England； and it was but a fruitless
expenditure of energy； for he had her in his encircling arms again
before she had gone a hundred yards。
‘Softly； darling—gently—would you fly from rough Hugh； that
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loves you as well as any drawing…room gallant？’
‘I would；’ she answered； struggling to free herself again。 ‘I will。
Help！’
‘A fine for crying out；’ said Hugh。 ‘Ha ha ha！ A fine； pretty one；
from your lips。 I pay myself！ Ha ha ha！’
‘Help！ help！ help！’ As she shrieked with the utmost violence she
could exert； a shout was heard in answer； and another； and
another。
‘Thank Heaven！’ cried the girl in an ecstasy。 ‘Joe； dear Joe； this
way。 Help！’
Her assailant paused； and stood irresolute for a moment； but
the shouts drawing nearer and coming quick upon them； forced
him to a speedy decision。 He released her； whispered with a
menacing look； ‘Tell him： and see what follows！’ and leaping the
hedge； was gone in an instant。 Dolly darted off； and fairly ran into
Joe Willet’s open arms。
‘What is the matter？ are you hurt？ what was it？ who was it？
where is he？ what was he like？’ with a great many encouraging
expressions and assurances of safety； were the first words Joe
poured forth。 But poor little Dolly was so breathless and terrified
that for some time she was quite unable to answer him； and hung
upon his shoulder； sobbing and crying as if her heart would break。
Joe had not the smallest objection to have her hanging on his
shoulder； no； not the least； though it crushed the cherry…coloured
ribbons sadly； and put the smart little hat out of all shape。 But he
couldn’t bear to see her cry； it went to his very heart。 He tried to
console her； bent over her； whispered to her—some say kissed her；
but that’s a fable。 At any rate he said all the kind and tender things
he could think of and Dolly let him go on and didn’t interrupt him
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once； and it was a good ten minutes before she was able to raise
her head and thank him。
‘What was it that frightened you？’ said Joe。
A man whose person was unknown to her had followed her； she
answered； he began by begging； and went on to threats of robbery；
which he was on the point of carrying into execution； and would
have executed； but for Joe’s timely aid。 The hesitation and
confusion with which she said this； Joe attributed to the fright she
had sustained； and no suspicion of the truth occurred to him for a
moment。
‘Stop when the words are on your lips。’ A hundred times that
night； and very often afterwards； when the disclosure was rising to
her tongue； Dolly thought of that； and repressed it。 A deeply
rooted dread of the man； the conviction that his ferocious nature；
once roused； would stop at nothing； and the strong assurance that
if she impeached him； the full measure of his wrath and vengeance
would be wreaked on Joe； who had preserved her； these were
considerations she had not the courage to overcome； and
inducements to secrecy too powerful for her to surmount。
Joe； for his part； was a great deal too happy to inquire very
curiously into the matter； and Dolly being yet too tremulous to
walk without assistance； they went forward very slowly； and in his
mind very pleasantly； until the Maypole lights were near at hand；
twinkling their cheerful welcome； when Dolly stopped suddenly
and with a half scream exclaimed；
‘The letter！’
‘What letter？’ cried Joe。
‘That I was carrying—I had it in my hand。 My bracelet too；’ she
said； clasping her wrist。 ‘I have lost them both。’
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‘Do you mean just now？’ said Joe。
‘Either I dropped them then； or they were taken from me；’
answered Dolly； vainly searching her pocket and rustling her
dress。 ‘They are gone； both gone。 What an unhappy girl I am！’
With these words poor Dolly； who to do her justice was quite as
sorry for the loss of the letter as for her bracelet； fell a…crying
again； and bemoaned her fate most movingly。
Joe tried to comfort her with the assurance that directly he had
housed her in the Maypole； he would return to the spot with a
lantern （for it was now quite dark） and make strict search for the
missing articles； which there was great probability of his finding；
as it was not likely that anybody had passed that way since； and
she was not conscious that they had been forcibly taken from her。
Dolly thanked him very heartily for this offer； though with no
great hope of his quest
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