oke.

"Why, they say the fellow showed himself here some time ago, a year or
so, disguised as a farm laborer--confounded fools! Not but what he'd
have been the fool had he done it."

"To be sure he would," repeated Mr. Carlyle, "and he is not fool enough
for that, sir. Let West Lynne talk, Mr. Hare; but do not put faith in a
word of its gossip. I never do. Poor Richard, wherever he may be--"

"I won't have him pitied in my presence," burst forth the justice. "Poor
Richard, indeed! Villain Richard, if you please."

"I was about to observe that, wherever he may be--whether in the
backwoods of America, or digging for gold in California, or wandering
about the United Kingdom--there is little fear that he will quit his
place of safety to dare the dangerous ground of West Lynne. Had I been
you, sir, I should have laughed at Locksley and his words."

"Why does West Lynne invent such lies?"

"Ah, there's the rub. I dare say West Lynne could not tell why, if it
were paid for doing it; but it seems to have been a lame story it had
got up this time. If they must have concocted a report that Richard had
been seen at West Lynne, why put it back to a year ago--why not have
fixed it for to-day or yesterday? If I heard anything more, I would
treat it with the silence and contempt it deserves, justice."

Silence and contempt were not greatly in the justice's line; noise and
explosion were more so. But he had a high opinion of the judgment of Mr.
Carlyle; and growling a sort of assent, he once more set forth to pay
his evening visit.

"Oh, Archibald!" uttered Mrs. Hare, when her husband was half-way down
the path, "what a mercy that you were here! I should inevitably have
betrayed myself."

Barbara turned round from the window, "But what could have possessed
Locksley to say what he did?" she exclaimed.

"I have no doubt Locksley spoke with a motive," said Mr. Carlyle. "He
is not unfriendly to Richard, and thought, probably, that by telling Mr.
Hare of the report he might get it stopped. The rumor had been mentioned
to me."

Barbara turned cold all over. "How can it have come to light?" she
breathed.

"I am at a loss to know," said Mr. Carlyle. "The person to mention it to
me was Tom Herbert. 'I say,' said he meeting me yesterday, 'what's this
row about Dick Hare?' 'What now?' I asked him. 'Why, that Dick was at
West Lynne some time back, disguised as a farm laborer.' Just the same,
you see, that Locksley said to Mr. Hare.