a little proud; he couldn't help feeling it, but he didn't show it in
his ways and talk, as little as any man I ever saw.

He's asked by the Crown Prosecutor if he's seen the bull outside of the
court this day.

'Yes; he has seen him.'

'Has he ever seen him before?'

'Never, to his knowledge.'

'He doesn't, then, know the name of his former owner?'

'Has heard generally that he belonged to Mr. Hood, of Momberah; but does
not know it of his own knowledge.'

'Has he ever seen, or does he know either of the prisoners?'

'Knows the younger prisoner, who has been in the habit of working for
him in various ways.'

'When was prisoner Marston working for him last?'

'He, with his brother James, who rendered his family a service he
shall never forget, was working for him, after last shearing, for some
months.'

'Where were they working?'

'At an out-station at the back of the run.'

'When did they leave?'

'About April or May last.'

'Was it known to you in what direction they proceeded after leaving your
service?'

'I have no personal knowledge; I should think it improper to quote
hearsay.'

'Had they been settled up with for their former work?'

'No, there was a balance due to them.'

'To what amount?'

'About twenty pounds each was owing.'

'Did you not think it curious that ordinary labourers should leave so
large a sum in your hands?'

'It struck me as unusual, but I did not attach much weight to the
circumstance. I thought they would come back and ask for it before the
next shearing. I am heartily sorry that they did not do so, and regret
still more deeply that two young men worthy of a better fate should have
been arraigned on such a charge.'

'One moment, Mr. Falkland,' says our counsel, as they call them, and
a first-rate counsellor ours was. If we'd been as innocent as two
schoolgirls he couldn't have done more for us. 'Did the prisoner Marston
work well and conduct himself properly while in your employ?'

'No man better,' says Mr. Falkland, looking over to me with that pitying
kind of look in his eyes as made me feel what a fool and rogue I'd been
ten times worse than anything else. 'No man better; he and his brother
were in many respects, according to my overseer's report, the most
hard-working and best-conducted labourers in the establishment.'

Chapter 18

Mr. Runnimall, the auctioneer, swore that the older prisoner placed
certain cattle in his hands, to arrive, for sa