roken itself."

"But don't you think, Master Tom, as it might have gone down when you
leaned over the wrapper?"

"Impossible," said Uncle Richard quickly. "The glass was far too heavy,
as we well know, eh, Tom? Here, let's look out outside."

He led the way through the open door, and round to the window beneath
which the speculum had lain upon the bench, and examined the lately made
flower-bed, in which various creepers had been planted to run up the
wall.

"There's no need to be in doubt," said Uncle Richard, pointing; and Tom
uttered an excited cry, for there, deeply-marked beneath the window were
the prints of heavy-nailed boots, doubled--by the toes pointing toward
the mill, and by the appearance as of some one stepping partly into them
again.

"Are those your footmarks, David?" said his master.

"Mine, sir? No. Mine's got tips on the toes. Look."

He lifted one leg across the other, as if he were going to be shod by a
blacksmith, showing that his soles would have made a very different
impression upon the soft earth.

"Why, sir," continued David with a smile, "I never leaves no footmarks.
Natur' meant a man's hands to be used as rakes, or they would not 'a
been this shape. I always gives the place a touch over where I've
been."

"Yes," said Uncle Richard, nodding. "I have seen you."

"You ayve, sir, many times," said David, bending down; "and these here
couldn't have been made by Master Tom, anyhow."

"Lend me your knife, David," said Uncle Richard.

"Knife, sir? Oh, I'll soon smooth them marks out."

"Stop!" cried Uncle Richard, and only just in time, for David's
finger-rake was within an inch. "We may want to compare those with
somebody's boots."

"Why o' course, sir," said the gardener, handing his knife already
opened; when, placing one foot close against the bricks, Uncle Richard
leaned across the bed, inserted the blade of the knife beside the iron
casement frame, and with it lifted the fastening with the greatest ease.

David gave his leg a heavy slap.

"That was some 'un artful, sir, and he got in."

"Slipped in descending inside, and dragged the speculum on the floor,"
said Uncle Richard, frowning. "Now the question is, who was it?"

"Ah, who was it, sir?" said David. "Arn't such a great many folk in
Furzebrough, and I should say as it lies between Parson Maxted and Pete
Warboys, and it warn't parson, 'cause of the boots."

"I don't like to suspect unjustly," said Uncle Ri