w my father was behind us that night when Clare saw the ghost
and heard all we said before the fire burst out. It is no use trying to
conceal anything from him. Well as you are in an awful state I will tell
you all about it. After you left Ripton I had a conversation with Austin
and he persuaded me to go down to old Blaize and ask him to help off
Tom. I went for I would have done anything for Tom after what he said
to Austin and I defied the old churl to do his worst. Then he said if
my father paid the money and nobody had tampered with his witnesses he
would not mind if Tom did get off and he had his chief witness in called
the Bantam very like his master I think and the Bantam began winking at
me tremendously as you say, and said he had sworn he saw Tom Bakewell
but not upon oath. He meant not on the Bible. He could swear to it but
not on the Bible. I burst out laughing and you should have seen the rage
old Blaize was in. It was splendid fun. Then we had a consultation at
home Austin Rady my father Uncle Algernon who has come down to us again
and your friend in prosperity and adversity R.D.F. My father said he
would go down to old Blaize and give him the word of a gentleman we had
not tampered with his witnesses and when he was gone we were all talking
and Rady says he must not see the farmer. I am as certain as I live that
it was Rady bribed the Bantam. Well I ran and caught up my father and
told him not to go in to old Blaize but I would and eat my words and
tell him the truth. He waited for me in the lane. Never mind what passed
between me and old Blaize. He made me beg and pray of him not to press
it against Tom and then to complete it he brought in a little girl a
niece of his and says to me, she's your best friend after all and told
me to thank her. A little girl twelve years of age. What business had
she to mix herself up in my matters. Depend upon it Ripton, wherever
there is mischief there are girls I think. She had the insolence to
notice my face, and ask me not to be unhappy. I was polite of course but
I would not look at her. Well the morning came and Tom was had up before
Sir Miles Papworth. It was Sir Miles gout gave us the time or Tom would
have been had up before we could do anything. Adrian did not want me to
go but my father said I should accompany him and held my hand all the
time. I shall be careful about getting into these scrapes again. When
you have done anything honourable you do not mind but gett