voured to explain to the young
man that as he had evidently consorted with the men who were, on the
strongest possible grounds, suspected to be the murderers, and as
he had certainly been with those men where he had no business to
be,--namely, in Mr. Fenwick's own garden at night,--he had no just
cause of complaint at finding his own liberty more crippled than that
of other people. No doubt Sam understood this well enough, as he was
sharp and intelligent; but he fought his own battle, declaring that
as the Vicar had not prosecuted him for being in the garden, nobody
could be entitled to punish him for that offence; and that as it had
been admitted that there was no evidence connecting him with the
murder, no policeman could have a right to confine him to one parish.
He argued the matter so well, that Mr. Fenwick was left without much
to say. He was unwilling to press his own responsibility in the
matter of the bail, and therefore allowed the question to fall
through,--tacitly admitting that if Sam chose to leave the parish,
there was nothing in the affair of the murder to hinder him. He went
back, therefore, to the inexpediency of the young man's departure,
telling him that he would rush right into the Devil's jaws. "May be
so, Mr. Fenwick," said Sam, "but I'm sure I'll never be out of 'em as
long as I stays here in Bullhampton."

"But what is it all about, Sam?" The Vicar, as he asked the question
had a very distinct idea in his own head as to the cause of the
quarrel, and was aware that his sympathies were with the son rather
than with the father. Sam answered never a word, and the Vicar
repeated his question. "You have quarrelled with your father before
this, and have made it up. Why should not you make up this quarrel?"

"Because he cursed me," said Sam.

"An idle word, spoken in wrath! Don't you know your father well
enough to take that for what it is worth? What was it about?"

"It was about Carry, then."

"What had you said?"

"I said as how she ought to be let come home again, and that if I was
to stay there at the mill, I'd fetch her. Then he struck at me with
one of the mill-bolts. But I didn't think much o' that."

"Was it then he--cursed you?"

"No; mother came up, and I went aside with her. I told her as I'd go
on speaking to the old man about Carry;--and so I did."

"And where is Carry?" Sam made no reply to this whatever. "You know
where she can be found, Sam?" Sam shook his head, but didn't sp