married young Trudgian a year or so back? Husband a clay-labourer,
living somewhere outside Tregarrick."

"That's the woman. Young married couple--first quarrel. The wife,
on her own admission, had used her tongue pretty sharply, and, I
don't doubt, drove the man off to the public-house, where he sat
until sulky-drunk. A talking-to by the Chairman, if I might
suggest--"

"Yes, yes," agreed Parson Voisey. "And I'll have a word with Selina
afterwards. She used to attend my Young Women's Class--one of my
most satisfactory girls."

"We'll see--we'll see," said the Admiral. "Are we ready, gentlemen?"

He led the way into Court, where all rose in sign of respect--Mr.
Batty's confidential clerk, the Inspector, a solitary constable, a
tattered old man in the constable's charge, and the two Trudgians.
These last occupied extreme ends of the same form; the husband
sullen, with set jaw and eyes obstinately fixed on his boots, the
young wife flushed of face and tearful, stealing from time to time a
defiant glance at her spouse.

In face of this scanty audience the six Justices solemnly took their
seats.

"Thomas Edwards!" called the Clerk.

The tattered old man cringed up to the table, with an embarrassed
smile, which yet had a touch of impudence about the corners of the