下载辰思小说免费APP
Bythistimenotamalevillagerwastobeseenintheparish。
Owlettwasnotathismill，thefarmerswerenotintheirfields，theparsonwasnotinhisgarden，thesmithhadlefthisforge，andthewheelwright’sshopwassilent。
’Wherethedivilarethefolkgone？’saidLatimer，wakinguptothefactoftheirabsence，andlookinground。’I’llhave’emupforthis！Whydon’ttheycomeandhelpus？There’snotamanabouttheplacebuttheMethodistparson，andhe’sanoldwoman。Idemandassistanceintheking’sname！’
’Wemustfindthejineralpublicaforewecandemandthat，’saidhislieutenant。
’Well，well，weshalldobetterwithout’em，’saidLatimer，whochangedhismoodsatamoment’snotice。’Butthere’sgreatcauseofsuspicioninthissilenceandthiskeepingoutofsight，andI’llbearitinmind。NowwewillgoacrosstoOwlett’sorchard，andseewhatwecanfindthere。’
Stockdale，whoheardthisdiscussionfromthegarden-gate，overwhichhehadbeenleaning，wasratheralarmed，andthoughtitamistakeofthevillagerstokeepsocompletelyoutoftheway。Hehimself，liketheexcisemen，hadbeenwonderingforthelasthalf-
hourwhatcouldhavebecomeofthem。Somelabourerswereofnecessityengagedindistantfields，butthemaster-workmenshouldhavebeenathome；thoughoneandall，afterjustshowingthemselvesattheirshops，hadapparentlygoneofffortheday。HewentintoLizzy，whosatatabackwindowsewing，andsaid，’Lizzy，wherearethemen？’
Lizzylaughed。’Wheretheymostlyarewhenthey’rerunsohardasthis。’Shecasthereyestoheaven。’Upthere，’shesaid。
Stockdalelookedup。’What——onthetopofthechurchtower？’heasked，seeingthedirectionofherglance。
’Yes。’
’Well，Iexpecttheywillsoonhavetocomedown，’saidhegravely。
’Ihavebeenlisteningtotheofficers，andtheyaregoingtosearchtheorchardoveragain，andtheneverynookinthechurch。’
Lizzylookedalarmedforthefirsttime。’Willyougoandtellourfolk？’shesaid。’Theyoughttobeletknow。’Seeinghisconsciencestrugglingwithinhimlikeaboilingpot，sheadded，’No，nevermind，I’llgomyself。’
Shewentout，descendedthegarden，andclimbedoverthechurchyardwallatthesametimethatthepreventive-menwereascendingtheroadtotheorchard。Stockdalecoulddonolessthanfollowher。
Bythetimethatshereachedthetowerentrancehewasatherside，andtheyenteredtogether。
Nether-Moyntonchurch-towerwas，asinmanyvillages，withoutaturret，andtheonlywaytothetopwasbygoinguptothesingers’
gallery，andthenceascendingbyaladdertoasquaretrap-doorinthefloorofthebell-loft，abovewhichapermanentladderwasfixed，passingthroughthebellstoaholeintheroof。WhenLizzyandStockdalereachedthegalleryandlookedup，nothingbutthetrap-doorandthefiveholesforthebell-ropesappeared。Theladderwasgone。
’There’snogettingup，’saidStockdale。
’Oyes，thereis，’saidshe。’There’saneyelookingatusatt
