part in bringing about such a scene of family distress would have
been too much for him.

The wounded man told his story clearly enough, and then Tom Buller was
told to stand in the light where he could see him clearly.

"Noa," said the wounded man, "I could not say who it wor. There was a
bright moon, but the boy was in the shadow, and I got no clear look at
his face; but he wor one of the Weston young gentlemen, I am sartin of
that. A bit bigger than him, I should say, but I couldn't say for sure.
He wor a strong un, I know that."

When all this was written down, back they went to Penredding again,
slower now, for the snow was getting deep, and assembled once more in
Mr Elliot's study, where Buller was warned against criminating himself,
and then allowed to speak. He had been out that night, but in a
contrary direction, skating; no one had seen him, and he had no
witnesses.

"There is hardly any case," said Mr Elliot. "The boy owns that he was
out the night of the assault, and the gamekeeper swears he was
struggling with a boy, whom he thinks was rather bigger. But there are
no marks of any struggle having taken place upon the lad. There may be
reason for suspicion, but nothing more."

"Exactly; and I do not ask for a committal, but only for a remand, to
give the police an opportunity of collecting further evidence," said
Lord Woodruff.

"And I do not oppose the remand," said Dr Jolliffe. "I am perfectly
convinced of the boy's complete innocence; but in his interest I should
like the matter to be gone into further, now the accusation has once
been made."

"Very good; this day week, then. And I will take your bail for his
appearance, Dr Jolliffe."

And it being so arranged, everybody went home through the snow; and the
police took up a wrong scent altogether, that, namely, of the gang that
had been taking game in another part of the preserves earlier in the
night, and to which it was somewhat naturally supposed the other two
belonged. And one of them was traced, and a reward, together with
impunity, was offered to him if he would turn queen's evidence, and say
who had struck down the keeper. But the man, of course, could tell
nothing about it.

As for Tom Buller, he went back to his lessons as usual, and was a hero.
It was something novel to have a fellow out of prison on bail at
Weston, and the boys racked their brains for some evidence in his
favour. His flogging was put off _sine die_, for the