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The letter mystified Dickie Blue–the author of the communication; but he had no difficulty in surmising the contents of the box to his own satisfaction.

“‘Tis a ring,” he determined.

By that time the day was near spent. Dusk would fall within the hour. Already the wide flare of light above the wilderness had failed to the dying ashes of its fire. Prudence urged a return to the cottage at Point-o’-Bay Cove for the night. True, it was not far from Black Cliff across the run to the first rocks of Scalawag. It was short of a mile, at any rate. Dickie could glimpse the lights of the Scalawag hills–the folk were lighting the lamps in the kitchens; and he fixed his eyes on Peggy Lacey’s light, in the yellow glow of which, no doubt, pretty Peggy was daintily busied with making a supper of no dainty proportions; and he cocked his head and scowled in deliberation, and he stood irresolute on the brink of the cliff, playing with the temptation to descend and cross, as though a whiff from Peggy Lacey’s kitchen stove had invited and challenged him over. It was not so much the visionary whiff of Peggy Lacey’s supper, however, that challenged his courage: it was Peggy Lacey’s letter in the pack on his back, and Peggy Lacey’s suggestive packet, that tantalized him to reckless behavior. Ah-ha, he’d show Peggy Lacey what it was to carry the mail in a way that a man should carry it! He’d put the love-letter an’ the ring in her hand forthwith. His Majesty’s mail would go through that night.

“Ha!” he gloated. “I’ll further her courtship. An’ that’ll settle her, ecod! I’ll show her once an’ for all that ’tis no matter t’ me whom she weds.”

There were stout reasons, however, against attempting to cross the run that night. The lane was filled from shore to shore with fragments of ice. Moreover, fog was blowing in from the east in the wake of the departing day, and rain threatened–a cold drizzle. All this being patent, the rain and peril of the passage in contrast with the dry, lighted kitchens of Point-o’-Bay Cove, Dickie Blue crossed Scalawag Run that night notwithstanding; and the mere circumstance of the crossing, where was no haste that he knew of, indicated at least the perturbation of his emotions. Well, Peggy Lacey might wed whom she pleased, an’ he’d further her schemes, too, at the risk of his life. She should have her letter at once–her ring without delay; an’ as for Dickie Blue, ’twas a closed book of romance–there were other maids at Scalawag Run, fairer maids, more intellectual maids, an’ he’d love one o’ them soon enough.

When Dickie Blue entered, Skipper John looked up, amazed.

“Did ye cross the run this night?” said he.

“I’ll leave you, sir,” Dickie answered curtly, “t’ solve that deep riddle for yourself. You’ll not be needing my help.”

Skipper John reflected.

“Was there a letter for Peggy Lacey?” said he. “She’ve been eager for a message from St. John’s.”

“There was.”

“Nothin’ else, I ‘low?”

“There was. There was a packet.”

“Whew!” Skipper John ejaculated. “That’s a pity. I been fearin’ an outcome o’ that sort. An I was you, Dick,” he advised, “I’d lose no time in that direction.”

“‘Tis not my purpose to.”

“Ye’ll wed the maid?”

“I will not.”

“Ye obstinate dunderhead!” Skipper John scolded. “I believes ye! Dang if I don’t! Go to! Shift them wet clothes, sir, an’ come t’ supper. I hopes a shrew hooks ye. Dang if I don’t!”

* * * * *

In gloomy perturbation, in ill humor with the daft dealings of the world he lived in, Dickie Blue left the soggy road and sad drizzle of the night for the warm, yellow light of Peggy Lacey’s kitchen, where pretty Peggy, alone in the housewifely operation, was stowing the clean dishes away. Yet his course was shaped–his reflections were determined; and whatever Peggy Lacey might think to the contrary, as he was no better, after all, than a great, blundering, obstinate young male creature, swayed by vanity and pique, and captive of both in that crisis, Peggy Lacey’s happiness was in a desperate situation. It was farther away at the moment of Dickie Blue’s sullen entrance than ever it had been since first she flushed and shone with the vision of its glorious approach.