hesitated for a comparison wherewith to finish, and then repeated,
"as steady as Lucifer, and he were an angel, you know. My Jem was
not one to quarrel about a girl."

"Ay, but it was that, though. They'd got her name quite pat. The
man had heard all they said. Mary Barton was her name, whoever she
may be."

"Mary Barton! the dirty hussy! to bring my Jem into trouble of this
kind. I'll give it her well when I see her: that I will. Oh! my
poor Jem!" rocking herself to and fro. "And what about the gun?
What did ye say about that?"

"His gun were found on th' spot where the murder were done."

"That's a lie for one, then. A man has got the gun now, safe and
sound. I saw it not an hour ago."

The man shook his head.

"Yes, he has indeed. A friend o' Jem's, as he'd lent it to."

"Did you know the chap?" asked the man, who was really anxious for
Jem's exculpation, and caught a gleam of hope from her last speech.

"No! I can't say as I did. But he were put on as a workman."

"It's maybe only one of them policemen, disguised."

"Nay; they'd never go for to do that, and trick me into telling on