This intelligence seemed to surprise and displease the traveller.

"What the deuce!" he muttered; "does Jason mistrust me? Has he set
another dog on the scent? Humph!" He drained off his brandy, and
sallied forth to confer with the hostler.

"Well, my friend," said Mr. Grabman,--for the traveller was no other than
that worthy,--"well, so you remember Mrs. Joplin more than twenty years
ago, eh?"

"Yees, I guess; more than twenty years since she left the pleck
[Lancashire and Yorkshire synonym for place]."

"Ah, she seems to have been a restless body. She had a child with her?"

"Yees, I moind that."

"And I dare say you heard her say the child was not her own,--that she
was paid well for it, eh?"

"Noa; my missus did not loike me to chaffer much with neighbour Joplin,
for she was but a bad 'un,--pretty fease, too. She lived agin the wogh
[Anglice, wall] yonder, where you see that gent coming out."

"Oho! that is the gent who was asking after Mrs. Joplin?"

"Yes; and he giv' me half-a-croon!" said the clever hostler, holding out
his hand.

Mr. Grabman, too thoughtful, too jealous of his rival, to take the hint