noon
And I never shall forget your goodness and loving-kindness , Aunt Sarah ; and the Lord wo n't forget 'em either . I 'll always pray for you in my prayers , and I 'll always pray for that poor chap , Nicholas Caunter , as saved me alive , because when it got to Mr. White 's ears as he 'd done so and kept me from a watery death , him and his sister turned against poor Nicholas and threw him over , and he 's a wanderer on the face of the earth this minute , though such a clever , big-hearted soul as him be sure to find a warm welcome somewhere , I hope . '' Well , Mrs. Dene , who was broke down by now and terrible wishful for Cora to stay , pleaded with her in vain to do so ; but the girl went on cooking to a marvel , and excelling in surprises , and being a proper angel in the house for a fortnight ; and then crying oceans of tears , she packed her belongings , and Farmer Maitland , the widower , carried her off to Moreton in his market cart on market day . 'T is said he offered her marriage before they were halfway up Merripit Hill and out of sight of her native village ; but he was unsuccessful , and afore noon Cora found herself in the arms of Nicholas Caunter . Two days after , the day being Sunday , him and her were married and off to Ashburton for a bit of a honeymoon . And then , when their united money was down to ten pounds , Cora struck her last stroke . She waited and watched the _ Moreton Trumpet _ , the paper her aunt took up , and then come the expected advertisement telling how Mrs. Sarah Dene of Little Silver was wishful to employ a man and his wife ; and on the day after it appeared , off she went along with Nicholas in a hired trap and drove into the village so bold as need be .