"Dear Friend in Grace" it began, "we have been married ten years, and neither has broken the other; until which happens, it must be hell between us. We see no way out but to part for ten years more, going our paths without news of each other. When that time's up, we promise to meet here, by our door, on the morning of the first Monday in October month, and, try again. And to this we set our names."—here the two names followed.
They must have set out by night; for an extinguished candle stood by the letter, with inkpot and pen. Probably they had parted just outside the house, the one going inland up the hill, the other down the street towards the. harbour. Nothing more was heard of them. Their furniture went to pay the quarter's rent due to the Squire, and the cottage, six months later, passed into the occupation of Simon Hancock, waterman.
At this point Simon shall take up the narrative:—
"I'd been tenant over there"—with a nod
