hings be a-going on here; and as sure as he sees
as how you've gived yourself up and owed up as you ha' done it, he will
coom straight back again and say as how it were him."

"Maister Ned might ha' killed Foxey in a passion, but not loike this. He
didn't mean to kill him, but only vor to give him a shaake and frighten
him. But oi be sartin sure as he wouldn't let another be hoonged in his
place. So ye see thou'd do more harm nor good."

"Oi didn't think of that," Luke said, rubbing his chin. "That be so,
surely. He'd be bound to coom back agin. Well, lad, oi will think it
over agin avore moorning, and do thou do t' same. Thou know'st moi
wishes now. We ha' got atween us to get Maister Ned off--that be the
thing as be settled. It doan't matter how it's done, but it's got to be
done soomhow; and oi rely on thee to maake moi story good, whatever it
be.

"There can't be nowt wrong about it--a loife vor a loife be fair, any
way. There be more nor eno' in Yorkshire in these toimes, and one more
or less be of no account to any one."

"Oi be thy man, Luke," Bill said earnestly. "Whatever as thou sayest oi
will sweer to; but I would reyther change places."

"That caan't be, Bill, so it bain't no use thinking aboot it. Oi know
thou wilt do thy best vor Polly and t' young uns. It 'ull be rough on
her, but it bain't to be helped; and as she will be going away from
Varley and settling elsewhere, it wouldn't be brought up again her
as she had an uncle as were a Luddite and got hoong for killing a bad
maister. Goodnoight, lad! oi will see thee i' t' morning."

CHAPTER XIII: COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

After a talk with Luke Marner early in the morning Bill Swinton went
down into Marsden to hear if there was any news of Ned. He was soon back
again.

"Maister Ned's took," he said as he met Luke, who was standing in front
of his cottage awaiting his return before starting out to renew his
search for Ned.

"Oi hear, at noine o'clock last noight he walked in to Justice
Thompson's and said as he had coom to give hisself up. He said as how
he had been over at Painton, where the old woman as was his nurse lives;
and directly as the news coom in t' arternoon as Foxey had been killed
and he was wanted for the murder, he coom straight over."

"That's roight," Luke said heartily; "that settles it. He must ha' been
innocent or he would ha' bolted straight away, and not coom back and
gi'd hisself oop to justice. It were only his hidin