CHAPTER VII.

eizinghisdrinking-canasadefensiveweapon. “Ifitwasyoustolemymoney,”saidSilas,claspinghishandsentreatingly,andraisinghisvoicetoacry,“giveitmeback—andIwon’tmeddlewithyou.Iwon’tsettheconstableonyou.Giveitmeback,andI’llletyou—I’llletyouhaveaguinea.” “Mestoleyourmoney!”saidJem,angrily.“I’llpitchthiscanatyoureyeifyoutalko’mystealingyourmoney.” “Come,come,MasterMarner,”saidthelandlord,nowrisingresolutely,andseizingMarnerbytheshoulder,“ifyou’vegotanyinformationtolay,speakitoutsensible,andshowasyou’reinyourrightmind,ifyouexpectanybodytolistentoyou.You’reaswetasadrowndedrat.Sitdownanddryyourself,andspeakstraightforrard.” “Ah,tobesure,man,”saidthefarrier,whobegantofeelthathehadnotbeenquiteonaparwithhimselfandtheoccasion.“Let’shavenomorestaringandscreaming,elsewe’llhaveyoustrappedforamadman.ThatwaswhyIdidn’tspeakatthefirst—thinksI,theman’srunmad.” “Aye,aye,makehimsitdown,”saidseveralvoicesatonce,wellpleasedthattherealityofghostsremainedstillanopenquestion. ThelandlordforcedMarnertotakeoffhiscoat,andthentositdownonachairalooffromeveryoneelse,inthecentreofthecircleandinthedirectraysofthefire.Theweaver,toofeebletohaveanydistinctpurposebeyondthatofgettinghelptorecoverhismoney,submittedunresistingly.Thetransientfearsofthecompanywerenowforgottenintheirstrongcuriosity,andallfaceswereturnedtowardsSilas,whenthelandlord,havingseatedhimselfagain,said— “Nowthen,MasterMarner,what’sthisyou’vegottosay—asyou’vebeenrobbed?Speakout.” “He’dbetternotsayagainasitwasmerobbedhim,”criedJemRodney,hastily.“WhatcouldIha’donewithhismoney?Icouldaseasystealtheparson’ssurplice,andwearit.” “Holdyourtongue,Jem,andlet’shearwhathe’sgottosay,”saidthelandlord.“Nowthen,MasterMarner.” Silasnowtoldhisstory,underfrequentquestioningasthemysteriouscharacteroftherobberybecameevident. Thisstrangelynovelsituationofopeningh