CHAPTER XXXI. INVOLVES A CRITICAL POSITION

mwasaactiveofficer),andtellshimtogoandassistMr.Chickweedinapprehendingthemanasrobbedhishouse.‘Iseehim,Spyers,’saidChickweed,‘passmyhouseyesterdaymorning,’‘Whydidn’tyouup,andcollarhim!’saysSpyers.‘Iwassostruckallofaheap,thatyoumighthavefracturedmyskullwithatoothpick,’saysthepoorman‘butwe’resuretohavehimforbetweentenandeleveno’clockatnighthepassedagain.’Spyersnosoonerheardthis,thanheputsomecleanlinenandacomb,inhispocket,incaseheshouldhavetostopadayortwoandawayhegoes,andsetshimselfdownatoneofthepublic-housewindowsbehindthelittleredcurtain,withhishaton,allreadytoboltout,atamoment’snotice.Hewassmokinghispipehere,lateatnight,whenallofasuddenChickweedroarsout,‘Hereheis!Stopthief!Murder!’JemSpyersdashesoutandthereheseesChickweed,a-tearingdownthestreetfullcry.AwaygoesSpyersongoesChickweedroundturnsthepeopleeverybodyroarsout,‘Thieves!’andChickweedhimselfkeepsonshouting,allthetime,likemad.Spyerslosessightofhimaminuteasheturnsacornershootsroundseesalittlecrowddivesin‘Whichistheman?’‘D—me!’saysChickweed,‘I’velosthimagain!’Itwasaremarkableoccurrence,buthewarn’ttobeseennowhere,sotheywentbacktothepublic-house.Nextmorning,Spyerstookhisoldplace,andlookedout,frombehindthecurtain,foratallmanwithablackpatchoverhiseye,tillhisowntwoeyesachedagain.Atlast,hecouldn’thelpshutting’em,toease’emaminuteandtheverymomenthedidso,hehearsChickweeda-roaringout,‘Hereheis!’Offhestartsoncemore,withChickweedhalf-waydownthestreetaheadofhimandaftertwiceaslongarunastheyesterday’sone,theman’slostagain!Thiswasdone,onceortwicemore,tillone-halftheneighboursgaveoutthatMr.Chickweedhadbeenrobbedbythedevil,whowasplayingtrickswithhimarterwardsandtheotherhalf,thatpoorMr.Chickweedhadgonemadwithgrief.” “WhatdidJemSpyerssay?”inquiredthedoctorwhohadreturnedtotheroomshortlyafterthecommencementofthestory. “JemSpyers,”resumedtheofficer,“foralongtimesaidnothingatall,andlistenedtoeverythingwithoutseemingto,whichshowedheunderstoodhisbusiness.But,onemorning,hewalkedintothebar,andtakingouthissnuffbox,says‘Chickweed,I’vefoundoutwhodonethishererobbery.’‘Haveyou?’saidChickweed.‘Oh,mydearSpyers,onlyletmehavewengeance,andIshalldiecontented!Oh,mydearSpyers,whereisthevillain!’‘Come!’saidSpyers,offeringhimapinchofsnuff,‘noneofthatgammon!Youdidityourself.’Sohehadandagoodbitofmoneyhehadmadebyit,tooandnobodywouldneverhavefounditout,ifhehadn’tbeensopreciousanxioustokeepupappearances!”saidMr.Blathers,puttingdownhiswine-glass,andclinkingthehandcuffstogether. “Verycurious,indeed,”observedthedoctor.“Now,ifyouplease,youcanwalkupstairs.” “Ifyouplease,sir,”returnedMr.Blathers.CloselyfollowingMr.Losberne,thetwoofficersascendedtoOliver’sbedroomMr.Gilesprecedingtheparty,withalightedcandle. Oliverhadbeendozingbutlookedworse,andwasmorefeverishthanhehadappearedyet.Beingassistedbythedoctor,hemanagedtositupinbedforaminuteorsoandlookedatthestrangerswithoutatallunderstandingwhatwasgoingforward—infact,withoutseemingtorecollectwherehewas,orwhathadbeenpassing. “This,”saidMr.Losberne,speakingsoftly,butwithgreatvehemencenotwithstanding,“thisisthelad,who,beingaccidentlywoundedbyaspring-guninsomeboyishtrespassonMr.What-d’ye-call-him’sgrounds,atthebackhere,comestothehouseforassistancethismorning,andisimmediatelylaidholdofandmaltreated,bythatingeniousgentlemanwiththecandleinhishand:whohasplacedhislifeinconsiderabledanger,asIcanprofessionallycertify.” Messrs.BlathersandDufflookedatMr.Giles,ashewasthusrecommendedtotheirnotice.ThebewilderedbutlergazedfromthemtowardsOliver,andfromOlivertowardsMr.Losberne,withamostludicrousmixtureoffearandperplexity. “Youdon’tmeantodenythat,Isuppose?”saidthedoctor,layingOlivergentlydownagain. “Itwasalldoneforthe—forthebest,sir,”answeredGiles.“IamsureIthoughtitwastheboy,orIwouldn’thavemeddledwithhim.Iamnotofaninhumandispositi