"Well and well an' well. Can ta say nowt but well? Doesn't ta know what aw mean, or mun I tell thee straight out?" "Aw've no' more notion nor th' babe unborn," I said. "Yo' know Mr. Scott o' Woodsome?" "Of course aw do. Didn't aw sit next to him at th' audit, last year?" "Well yo' know he's a magistrate, an' main good to th' poor folk, everyone says he is. He's everyone's good word, an' that's summat out o' th' common for a justice." "And how can Mr. Scott help us in our troubles? I fear they're a bit aboon his power." "Why, he can untwist thee, mon." "Untwist?" "Aye! untwist! There's Doad o' Jamie's an' Lijah o' Mo's an' a seet more on 'em 's gate untwisted, an' it costs nowt, an's just as easy as sinnin', an' a heap more comfortin' by what they say." "And what in the name o' wonder is it?" I asked, thinking 'Siah might have penetrated deeper into the mysteries of the law than I, and having much respect for him, as one who had more than once slipped through the constable's hands and left him clinkin'. "Yo' know th' oath we took at th' Buck," replied 'Siah, lowering his voice and looking cautiously round. I nodded. "Well, Mr. Scott's untwisting th' oath off th' Luds for miles around. Yo'n nowt to do but go to Woodsome an' say yo'r soary an' let on to tell all yo' know, an' that needn't be more nor yo' can see wi' both e'en shut, an' he untwists yo'. It's same as th' Catholics, tha knows." "Why that's king's evidence," I cried. "Yo' may call it what yo' like, but it's cheap an' easy, an' 'll do nobody any harm." "What give evidence again mi own cousin? I'd be as bad as Ben Walker." "Nowt o' th' sort. They'n getten witnesses enew baht thee, an' Mr. Scott 's a friend o' thi father's, an' 'll let thee dahn soft for auld acquaintance sake. It isn't as if tha wer' th' first to split, nor as if owt tha can other say or do 'ud pull George out o' th' boil or thrust him further in." "I'll ha none of it, 'Si," I cried. "And what's more yo' an' me quarrel if yo' do owt o' th' sort thissen. Why man, aw sud nivver sleep another wink nor howd up mi head agen if aw lowered misen to that, an' whativver tha does, 'Si, keep thissen cleaner nor Ben Walker. Aw'd never speak to thee agen, no more would any on us'. Has ta' spoke to Martha on it?" "Well awm not free to say but what aw han." "And what does Martha say?" "Well if aw mun speak th' truth she says th' same as thee. All fools in a lump, say I, but gang thi own gate, an' dunnot fear aw'st cross thi will. But its hard liggin' for all that." So I got no comfort from 'Siah.