suggestion,
tending to imply that everything must be done by human hands, and that
there was no power which could make away with the guineas without
moving the bricks. Nevertheless, he turned round rather sharply on Mr.
Tookey, when the zealous deputy, feeling that this was a view of the
case peculiarly suited to a parish-clerk, carried it still farther, and
doubted whether it was right to inquire into a robbery at all when the
circumstances were so mysterious.

"As if," concluded Mr. Tookey--"as if there was nothing but what could
be made out by justices and constables."

"Now, don't you be for overshooting the mark, Tookey," said Mr. Macey,
nodding his head aside admonishingly. "That's what you're allays at;
if I throw a stone and hit, you think there's summat better than
hitting, and you try to throw a stone beyond. What I said was against
the tinder-box: I said nothing against justices and constables, for
they're o' King George's making, and it 'ud be ill-becoming a man in a
parish office to fly out again' King George."

While these discussions were going on amongst the group outside the
Rainbow, a higher consultation was being carried on within, under the
presidency of Mr. Crackenthorp, the rector, assisted by Squire Cass and
other substantial parishioners. It had just occurred to Mr. Snell, the
landlord--he being, as he observed, a man accustomed to put two and two
together--to connect with the tinder-box, which, as deputy-constable,
he himself had had the honourable distinction of finding, certain
recollections of a pedlar who had called to drink at the house about a
month before, and had actually stated that he carried a tinder-box
about with him to light his pipe. Here, surely, was a clue to be
followed out. And as memory, when duly impregnated with ascertained
facts, is sometimes surprisingly fertile, Mr. Snell gradually recovered
a vivid impression of the effect produced on him by the pedlar's
countenance and conversation. He had a "look with his eye" which fell
unpleasantly on Mr. Snell's sensitive organism. To be sure, he didn't
say anything particular--no, except that about the tinder-box--but it
isn't what a man says, it's the way he says it. Moreover, he had a
swarthy foreignness of complexion which boded little honesty.

"Did he wear ear-rings?" Mr. Crackenthorp wished to know, having some
acquaintance with foreign customs.

"Well--stay--let me see," said Mr. Snell, like a docile clairvoyant