CHAPTER L. THE PURSUIT AND ESCAPE

tyou’dhavebeenalittlemoregladtoseemethanthis,”repliedMr.Chitling,withamelancholyair. “Why,look’e,younggentleman,”saidToby,“whenamankeepshimselfsoveryex-clusiveasIhavedone,andbythatmeanshasasnughouseoverhisheadwithnobodyapryingandsmellingaboutit,it’sratherastartlingthingtohavethehonourofawisitfromayounggentleman(howeverrespectableandpleasantapersonhemaybetoplaycardswithatconweniency)circumstancedasyouare.” “Especially,whentheexclusiveyoungmanhasgotafriendstoppingwithhim,that’sarrivedsoonerthanwasexpectedfromforeignparts,andistoomodesttowanttobepresentedtotheJudgesonhisreturn,”addedMr.Kags. Therewasashortsilence,afterwhichTobyCrackit,seemingtoabandonashopelessanyfurtherefforttomaintainhisusualdevil-may-careswagger,turnedtoChitlingandsaid, “WhenwasFagintookthen?” “Justatdinner-time—twoo’clockthisafternoon.CharleyandImadeourluckyupthewash-uschimney,andBoltergotintotheemptywater-butt,headdownwardsbuthislegsweresopreciouslongthattheystuckoutatthetop,andsotheytookhimtoo.” “AndBet?” “PoorBet!ShewenttoseetheBody,tospeaktowhoitwas,”repliedChitling,hiscountenancefallingmoreandmore,“andwentoffmad,screamingandraving,andbeatingherheadagainsttheboardssotheyputastrait-weskutonherandtookhertothehospital—andtheresheis.” “Wot’scomeofyoungBates?”demandedKags. “Hehungabout,nottocomeoverhereaforedark,buthe’llbeheresoon,”repliedChitling.“There’snowhereelsetogotonow,forthepeopleattheCripplesareallincustody,andthebaroftheken—Iwentupthereandseeitwithmyowneyes—isfilledwithtraps.” “Thisisasmash,”observedToby,bitinghislips.“There’smorethanonewillgowiththis.” “Thesessionsareon,”saidKags:“iftheygettheinquestover,andBolterturnsKing’sevidence:asofcoursehewill,fromwhathe’ssaidalready:theycanproveFaginanaccessorybeforethefact,andgetthetrialononFriday,andhe’llswinginsixdaysfromthis,byG—!” “Youshouldhaveheardthepeoplegroan,”saidChitling“theofficersfoughtlikedevils,orthey’dhavetornhimaway.Hewasdownonce,buttheymadearingroundhim,andfoughttheirwayalong.Youshouldhaveseenhowhelookedabouthim,allmuddyandbleeding,andclungtothemasiftheywerehisdearestfriends.Icansee’emnow,notabletostanduprightwiththepressingofthemob,anddragginhimalongamongst’emIcanseethepeoplejumpingup,onebehindanother,andsnarlingwiththeirteethandmakingathimIcanseetheblooduponhishairandbeard,andhearthecrieswithwhichthewomenworkedthemselvesintothecentreofthecrowdatthestreetcorner,andsworethey’dtearhisheartout!” Thehorror-strickenwitnessofthisscenepressedhishandsuponhisears,andwithhiseyesclosedgotupandpacedviolentlytoandfro,likeonedistracted. Whilehewasthusengaged,andthetwomensatbyinsilencewiththeireyesfixeduponthefloor,apatteringnoisewashearduponthestairs,andSikes’sdogboundedintotheroom.Theyrantothewindow,downstairs,andintothestreet.Thedoghadjumpedinatanopenwindowhemadenoattempttofollowthem,norwashismastertobeseen. “What’sthemeaningofthis?”saidTobywhentheyhadreturned.“Hecan’tbecominghere.I—I—hopenot.” “Ifhewascominghere,he’dhavecomewiththedog,”saidKags,stoopingdowntoexaminetheanimal,wholaypantingonthefloor.“Here!Giveussomewaterforhimhehasrunhimselffaint.” “He’sdrunkitallup,everydrop,”saidChitlingafterwatchingthedogsometimeinsilence.“Coveredwithmud—lame—halfblind—hemusthavecomealongway.” “Wherecanhehavecomefrom!”exclaimedToby.“He’sbeentotheotherkensofcourse,andfindingthemfilledwithstrangerscomeonhere,wherehe’sbeenmanyatimeandoften.Butwherecanhehavecomefromfirst,andhowcomesheherealonewithouttheother!” “He”—(noneofthemcalledthemurdererbyhisoldname)—“Hecan’thavemadeawaywithhimself.Whatdoyouthink?”saidChitling. Tobyshookhishead. “Ifhehad,”saidKags,“thedog’udwanttoleadusawaytowherehedidit.No.Ithinkhe’sgotoutofthecountry,andleftthedogbehind.Hemusthavegivenhimtheslipsomehow,orhewouldn’tbesoeasy.” Thissolution,appearingthemostprobableone,wasadoptedastherightthedog,creepingunderachair,coiledhimselfuptosleep,withoutmorenoticefromanybody. Itbeingnowdark