. There is a party of that name
residin' here."

The squire suddenly guessed what was coming, or at least a possibility of
it crossed his mind. If Mr. Gall had been a more observant man he would
have seen that Mr. Juxon grew a shade paler and changed one leg over the
other as he sat. But in that moment he had time to nerve himself for the
worst.

"And what is the name, if you please?" he asked calmly.

"The name in the general orders is Goddard, sir--Walter Goddard. He was
convicted of forgery three years ago, sir, a regular bad lot. But
discretion is recommended in the orders, sir, as the business is not
wanted to get into the papers."

The squire was ready. If Gall did not know that Mary Goddard was the wife
of the convict Walter, he should certainly not find it out. In any other
country of Europe that would have been the first fact communicated to the
local police. Very likely, thought Mr. Juxon, nobody knew it.

"I do not see," he said very slowly, "that the fact of there being a Mrs.
Goddard residing here in the least proves that she is any relation to
this criminal. The name is not so uncommon as that, you know."

"Nor I either, sir. In point of fact, sir, I was only thinking. It's what
you may call a striking coincidence, that's all."

"It would have been a still more striking coincidence if his name had
been Juxon like mine, or Ambrose like the vicar's," said the squire
calmly. "There are other people of the name in England, and the local
policemen will be warned to be on the lookout. If this fellow was called
Juxon instead of Goddard, Gall, would you be inclined to think he was a
relation of mine?"

"Oh no, sir. Ha! ha! Very good sir! Very good indeed! No indeed, sir, and
she such a real lady too!"

"Well then, I do not see that you can do anything more than keep a sharp
look-out. I suppose they sent you some kind of description?"

"Well, yes. There was a kind of a description as you say, sir, but I'm
not anyways sure of recognising the party by it. In point of fact, sir,
the description says the convict is a fair man."

"Is that all?"

"Neither particular tall, nor yet particular short, sir. Not a very big
'un nor a very little 'un, sir. In point of fact, sir, a fair man. Clean
shaved and close cropped he is, sir, being a criminal."

"I hope you may recognise him by that account," said the squire,
suppressing a smile. "I don't believe I should."

"Well, sir, it does say as he's a fair man," re