been no such marriage ceremony as that which the four
witnesses had elaborately described. On the other hand, the woman and
Crinkett had sworn boldly that Dick Shand, though not present at the
marriage, had been well aware that it had taken place, and that Dick,
could his evidence have been secured, would certainly have been a
witness on their side. He had been outside the tent,--so said the
woman,--when the marriage was being performed, and had refused to enter,
by way of showing his continued hostility to an arrangement which he had
always opposed. But when the woman said this, it was known that Dick
Shand would not appear, and the opinion was general that Dick had died
in his poverty and distress. Men who sink to be shepherds in Australia
because they are noted drunkards, generally do die. The constrained
abstinence of perhaps six months in the wilderness is agonising at
first, and nearly fatal. Then the poor wretch rushes to the joys of an
orgy with ten or fifteen pounds in his pocket; and the stuff which is
given to him as brandy soon puts an end to his sufferings. There was but
little doubt that such had been the fate of Dick,--unless, perhaps, in
the bosom of Maria and of his mother.

It was known too at Pollington, as well as elsewhere in the month of
August, that efforts were still to be made with the view of upsetting
the verdict. Something had crept out to the public as to the researches
made by Bagwax, and allusions had been frequent as to the unfortunate
absence of Dick Shand. The betting, had there been betting, would no
doubt have been in favour of the verdict. The four witnesses had told
their tale in a straightforward way; and though they were, from their
characters, not entitled to perfect credit, still their evidence had in
no wise been shaken. They were mean, dishonest folk, no doubt. They had
taken Caldigate's money, and had still gone on with the prosecution.
Even if there had been some sort of a marriage, the woman should have
taken herself off when she had received her money, and left poor Hester
to enjoy her happiness, her husband, and her home at Bolton. That was
the general feeling. But it was hardly thought that Bagwax, with his
envelope, would prevail over Judge Bramber in the mind of the Secretary
of State. Probably there had been a marriage. But it was singular that
the two men who could have given unimpeachable evidence on the matter
should both have vanished out of the world; Allan, the