CHAPTER VIII.

estimony,thoughheclutchedstronglyattheideaofthepedlar’sbeingtheculprit,ifonlybecauseitgavehimadefiniteimageofawhereaboutforhisgoldafterithadbeentakenawayfromitshiding-place:hecouldseeitnowinthepedlar’sbox.Butitwasobservedwithsomeirritationinthevillage,thatanybodybuta“blindcreatur”likeMarnerwouldhaveseenthemanprowlingabout,forhowcamehetoleavehistinder-boxintheditchcloseby,ifhehadn’tbeenlingeringthere?Doubtless,hehadmadehisobservationswhenhesawMarneratthedoor.Anybodymightknow—andonlylookathim—thattheweaverwasahalf-crazymiser.Itwasawonderthepedlarhadn’tmurderedhimmenofthatsort,withringsintheirears,hadbeenknownformurderersoftenandoftentherehadbeenonetriedatthe’sizes,notsolongagobutwhattherewerepeoplelivingwhorememberedit. GodfreyCass,indeed,enteringtheRainbowduringoneofMr.Snell’sfrequentlyrepeatedrecitalsofhistestimony,hadtreateditlightly,statingthathehimselfhadboughtapen-knifeofthepedlar,andthoughthimamerrygrinningfellowenoughitwasallnonsense,hesaid,abouttheman’sevillooks.Butthiswasspokenofinthevillageastherandomtalkofyouth,“asifitwasonlyMr.Snellwhohadseensomethingoddaboutthepedlar!”Onthecontrary,therewereatleasthalf-a-dozenwhowerereadytogobeforeJusticeMalam,andgiveinmuchmorestrikingtestimonythananythelandlordcouldfurnish.ItwastobehopedMr.GodfreywouldnotgotoTarleyandthrowcoldwateronwhatMr.Snellsaidthere,andsopreventthejusticefromdrawingupawarrant.Hewassuspectedofintendingthis,when,aftermid-day,hewasseensettingoffonhorsebackinthedirectionofTarley. ButbythistimeGodfrey’sinterestintherobberyhadfadedbeforehisgrowinganxietyaboutDunstanandWildfire,andhewasgoing,nottoTarley,buttoBatherley,unabletorestinuncertaintyaboutthemanylonger.ThepossibilitythatDunstanhadplayedhimtheuglytrickofridingawaywithWildfire,toreturnattheendofamonth,whenhehadgambledawayorotherwisesquanderedthepriceofthehorse,wasafearthaturgeditselfuponhimmore,even,thanthethoughtofanaccidentalinjuryandnowthatthedanceatMrs.Osgood’swaspast,hewasirritatedwithhimselfthathehadtrustedhishorsetoDunstan.Insteadoftryingtostillhisfears,heencouragedthem,withthatsuperstitiousimpressionwhichclingstousall,thatifweexpectevilverystronglyitisthelesslikelytocomeandwhenheheardahorseapproachingatatrot,andsawahatrisingaboveahedgebeyondanangleofthelane,hefeltasifhisconjurationhadsucceeded.Butnosoonerdidthehorsecomewithinsight,thanhisheartsankagain.ItwasnotWildfireandinafewmomentsmorehediscernedthattheriderwasnotDunstan,butBryce,whopulleduptospeak,withafacethatimpliedsomethingdisagreeable. “Well,Mr.Godfrey,that’saluckybrotherofyours,thatMasterDunsey,isn’the?” “Whatdoyoumean?”saidGodfrey,hastily. “Why,hasn’thebeenhomeyet?”saidBryce. “Home?no.Whathashappened?Bequick.Whathashedonewithmyhorse?” “Ah,Ithoughtitwasyours,thoughhepretendedyouhadpartedwithittohim.” “Hashethrownhimdownandbrokenhisknees?”saidGodfrey,flushedwithexasperation. “Worsethanthat,”saidBryce.“Yousee,I’dmadeabargainwithhimtobuythehorseforahundredandtwenty—aswingingprice,butIalwayslikedt