ould have been amused if he could have read the real
subject of his meditations. But he could not do that, so he read the
proof-sheets of his new treatise on the digamma. The snow fell thicker,
and by the time they reached Penredding the country was covered with a
white sheet.

Mr Elliot, who had been warned of their coming, was ready to receive
them, and Lord Woodruff came forward with an inspector of rural police,
and told his story, which was written down by a clerk and read over.
Then the whole party set out on their travels again and drove to the
cottage of the wounded gamekeeper, where they were received by a young
woman, who had been crying her eyes red, and to the folds of whose dress
two little children clung, hiding their faces therein, but stealing shy
glances now and then at the quality, and the awful representative of the
law, who had come to visit them.

"The doctor has told us that it would do your husband no harm to say
before me what he has already told Lord Woodruff," said Mr Elliot to
her. "I was rejoiced to hear that he is doing so well. It was a most
shameful, brutal, and cowardly attack, and we are most anxious that the
offender should be brought to justice."

"Yes, sir," said the woman. "Doctor thinks it may quiet him like to
have his dispositions took, and then he may go to sleep."

"Exactly. Will you be so kind as to tell him that we are here?"

She pushed the children into an inner room, ran up-stairs, and presently
reappeared, asking them to walk up. Bradley was in bed, propped with
pillows. A handkerchief was tied round his head, and his face was pale
from loss of blood. Either from that cause, or on account of the shock
to the nervous system, he was also very weak.

"How do you feel now, Bradley?" asked Lord Woodruff gently, going to the
bed-head.

"Rayther queer as yet, my lord," was the reply.

"No doubt. But you have a good hard head, and there is nothing serious
the matter, the doctor says. But it may be some days before it will be
prudent for you to go out, so, as we want to get on the traces of the
fellow who struck you at once, Mr Elliot has kindly come over to take
your deposition here, instead of waiting till you were fit to go to
Penredding."

When Tom Buller saw the woman and children, and then afterwards their
strong bread-earner reduced to such a condition, he indeed felt heartily
glad that there was no truth in the accusation against him. To have had
any