ls. Whether they believe your story or not, it
is quite evident that more than one person was concerned in the
affair. Their theory, of course, is that you quarrelled with the
others over the division of the spoil; and got that knock on the
head, which is a very severe one. I went down yesterday with Jones,
to see the spot where you said you were assaulted. There were marks
where the horse stopped, and marks of feet in the field, and a
patch of blood; all of which goes to prove that your story may be
true, but unfortunately it doesn't prove that it was because,
according to the theory against you, you might have been assaulted
after the robbery, as well as before it."

"But in that case," Reuben said, "why should they have taken the
trouble to carry me twenty miles away?"

"Yes, there is of course that question," the schoolmaster said
thoughtfully; "but then, on the other hand, why did they take the
trouble in case you were not an accomplice? In both cases the
answer is the same--they did it to prevent your giving the alarm,
until they had got far away from the scene. They didn't like to
murder you, because of the consequences to themselves; but they
would not risk your recovering consciousness and getting up an
early pursuit. It cuts both ways, you see."

"So it does," Reuben assented. "It's just a question of belief; and
I own, myself, that that old dog business is very much against me;
and that I can't blame anyone who considers me guilty."

Reuben's was the last case taken at the assizes, and occasioned a
good deal of interest in that part of Sussex, partly owing to the
position of Squire Ellison, partly to the nature of the defence set
up, as to which opinion was a good deal divided. The evidence for
the prosecution was, to a great extent, similar to that given at
the inquiry before the magistrates. Unfortunately for Reuben, the
judge was notoriously a severe one; and his bias, from the first,
appeared to be against the prisoner. Mr. Ellison was closely
questioned by the prosecutor as to the poisoning of his dog, as
this was considered to show a particular animus on the part of
Reuben. He again repeated his conviction of Reuben's innocence in
that affair.

"But what reason have you, Mr. Ellison," the counsel for the
prosecution asked blandly, "for changing your opinion on the
subject?"

This was just the question which the squire could not answer
satisfactorily; and was a particularly irritating one, becau