nspector to Moreton, an' his men
be out beatin' the country. But I'm here, wi' my staff, for William
Blanchard. March!"

Lamacraft, thus addressed, proceeded a pace or two until stopped by Mr.
Lyddon.

"No call to go in. He'll come down. But I'm sore puzzled to knaw what
this means, for awnly last night I heard tell from Jan Grimbal's awn
lips that he'd chaanged his mind about a private matter bearin' on
this."

"I want the man, anyways, an' I be gwaine to have un," declared
Inspector Chown. He brought a pair of handcuffs from his pocket and gave
them to the constable.

"Put up them gashly things, Abraham Chown," said the miller sternly.
"Doan't 'e knaw Blanchard better 'n that?"

"Handcuffed he'll be, whether he likes it or not," answered the other;
"an' if theer's trouble, I bid all present an' any able-bodied men 'pon
the premises to help me take him in the Queen's name."

Billy hobbled round the corner, thrust two fingers into his mouth, and
blew a quavering whistle; whereupon two labourers, working a few hundred
yards off, immediately dropped their tools and joined him.

"Run you here," he cried. "P'lice be corned to taake Will Blanchard, an'
us must all give the Law a hand, for theer'll be blows struck if I knaw
un."

"Will Blanchard! What have he done?"

"Been under a alias--that's the least of it, but--God, He knaws--it may
rise to murder. 'T is our bounden duty to help Chown against un."

"Be danged if I do!" said one of the men.

"Nor me," declared the other. "Let Chown do his job hisself--an' get his
jaw broke for his trouble."

But they followed Mr. Blee to where the miller still argued against
Lamacraft's entrance.

"Why didn't they send soldiers for un? That's what he reckoned on,"
said Mr. Lyddon.

"'T is my job fust."

"I'm sorry you've come in this high spirit. You knaw the man and ought
to taake his word he'd go quiet and my guarantee for it."

"I knaw my duty, an' doan't want no teachin' from you."

"You're a fule!" said Miller, in some anger. "An' 't will take more 'n
you an' that moon-faced lout to put them things on the man, or I'm much
mistaken."

He went indoors while the labourers laughed, and the younger constable
blushed at the insult.

"How do 'e like that, Peter Lamacraft?" asked a labourer.

"No odds to me," answered the policeman, licking his hands nervously and
looking at the door. "I ban't feared of nought said or done if I've got
the Law behind me. An' you'm