She rose and took down the half-knit stocking, but the spare needle was
missing. She felt with her hand upon the chimney-piece, but could not
find it. Then she mounted a chair and searched. It was nowhere to be
seen. "It may have slipped into the nick at the back," she thought, and
she got a skewer and poked it into the narrow groove. Out fell the
needle--and something else which made a clinking sound as it fell upon
the brick floor. She stooped to see what it was, _and there glittering
in the firelight lay the missing half-sovereign_.

* * * * *

When Fred Hurst had seen Messrs. Hermann and Scheiner, he was in the
highest possible spirits: a whole future seemed to open out before him.

It may appear that Fred was conceited, and "too sure;" but we must
record that he went to a jeweller's and bought a little pearl ring for
Nancy, meaning to place it on her third finger next day when her lips
should have given him the promise he knew her heart had long since
given. Having made his purchase he took train from Liverpool Street to
Exboro', from which place he would have to walk to Shenton, where he
could not arrive until one o'clock in the morning. He had performed some
miles of his walk across the hills, and was within an appreciable
distance of Braley Brook, when he observed a dark figure crouching on a
fallen tree. He was at first a little startled, for it was most unusual
to meet anyone in this place, above all at such an hour: it was after
midnight. On coming nearer he saw that the figure was that of a woman.
It might be one of the cottagers from Shenton--who had been to Exboro'
and been taken ill on the way home--he would see.