nd with some
suspicion; she was doubting whether this stranger were merely singing an
old song from recollection, or was composing one there and then for the
occasion. All were as perplexed at the obscure revelation as the guests
at Belshazzar's Feast, except the man in the chimney-corner, who quietly
said, 'Second verse, stranger,' and smoked on.

The singer thoroughly moistened himself from his lips inwards, and went
on with the next stanza as requested:-

'My tools are but common ones,
Simple shepherds all -
My tools are no sight to see:
A little hempen string, and a post whereon to swing,
Are implements enough for me!'

Shepherd Fennel glanced round. There was no longer any doubt that the
stranger was answering his question rhythmically. The guests one and all
started back with suppressed exclamations. The young woman engaged to
the man of fifty fainted half-way, and would have proceeded, but finding
him wanting in alacrity for catching her she sat down trembling.

'O, he's the--!' whispered the people in the background, mentioning the
name of an ominous public officer. 'He's come to do it! 'Tis to be at
Casterbridge jail to-morrow--the man for sheep-stealing--the poor clock-
maker we heard of; who used to live away at Shottsford and had no work to
do--Timothy Summers, whose family were a-starving, and so he went out of
Shottsford by the high-road, and took a sheep in open daylight, defying
the farmer and the farmer's wife and the farmer's lad, and every man jack
among 'em. He' (and they nodded towards the stranger of the deadly
trade) 'is come from up the country to do it because there's not enough
to do in his own county-town, and he's got the place here now our own
county man's dead; he's going to live in the same cottage under the
prison wall.'

The stranger in cinder-gray took no notice of this whispered string of
observations, but again wetted his lips. Seeing that his friend in the
chimney-corner was the only one who reciprocated his joviality in any
way, he held out his cup towards that appreciative comrade, who also held
out his own. They clinked together, the eyes of the rest of the room
hanging upon the singer's actions. He parted his lips for the third
verse; but at that moment another knock was audible upon the door. This
time the knock was faint and hesitating.

The company seemed scared; the shepherd looked with consternation towards
the entran