"Hold your tongue, sir," roared his master; "if your further evidence is wanted, you'll be asked for it. As to this defence"--and the Major turned to his brother-magistrates with a scornful smile--"it is quite ingenious; one of the clever excuses we usually get here. But it will not serve your turn, George Reed. When the sanctity of the Sabbath is violated----" "Reed is not a man to say he did not do a thing if he did," interrupted Tod. The Major glared at him for an instant, and then put out of hand a big gold pencil he was waving majestically. "Clear the room of spectators," said he to the policeman. Which was all Tod got for interfering. We had to go out: and in a minute or two Reed came out also, handcuffed as before; not in charge of old Jones, but of the county police. He had been sentenced to a month's imprisonment. Major Parrifer had wanted to make it three months; he said something about six; but the other two thought they saw some slightly extenuating circumstances in the case. A solicitor who was intimate with the Sterlings, and knew Reed very well, had been present towards the end. "Could you not have spoken in my defence, sir?" asked Reed, as he passed this gentleman in coming out. "I would had I been able. But you see, my man, when the law gets broken----" "The devil take the law," said Reed, savagely. "What I want is justice." "And the administrators of it are determined to uphold it, what can be said?" went on the solicitor equably, as if there had been no interruption. "You would make out that I broke the law, just doing what I did; and I swear it was no more? That I can be legally punished for it?" "Don't, Reed; it's of no use. The Major and his witnesses swore you were at work. And it appears that you were." "I asked them to take a fine--if I must be punished. I might have found friends to advance it for me." "Just so. And for that reason of course they did not take it," said the candid lawyer. "What is my wife to do while I am in prison? And the children? I may come out to find them starved. A month's long enough to starve them in such weather as this." Reed was allowed time for no more. He would not have been allowed that, but for having been jammed by the crowd at the doorway. He caught my eye as they were getting clear. "Master Johnny, will you go to the Court for me--your own place, sir--and tell the master that I swear I am innocent? Perhaps he'll let a few shillings go to the wife weekly; tell him with my duty that I'll work it out as soon as I am released. All this is done out of revenge, sir, because Major Parrifer couldn't get me from my cottage. May the Lord repay him!"