“Silence!” ordered the magistrate. “The witness is not to be interfered with.” “Please, your worship, I won’t have her slandering an innocent girl just because I gave her a workbox as a fairing.” The justice endeavoured, but in vain, to get a connected story out of Rose. That Kitty was at the bottom of the fight, guilty of setting the young men boxing and belabouring each other: that was the burden of her evidence. “A word with John Pooke,” said the justice, “whilst we are waiting for the other witness.” Jan was put into the dock again. “Is it your intention to summons Flood for assault?” “What--Noah?” “Yes, on account of your head being cut open.” “My head is sewn up.” “But you have suffered loss of blood.” “The nuts did that, not Noah.” “Then you forgive him?” “Whom?” “Noah Flood.” “There is nothing to forgive. The nuts were terrible hard. He’ll never buy any more.” Kate Quarm was now brought into court, and placed in the witness-box. She was bidden to give a succinct account of the quarrel. “I was standing looking at the bear,” she said, “and someone knocked my workbox from under my arm. I do not know who did it, there was such a crowd, and all were in motion because the bear had got free of his chain and muzzle. Then I ran to pick up what was fallen, and when next I looked about me, Jan Pooke and Noah Flood were fighting.” “What made them fight?” “I do not know, sir. Perhaps Jan thought Noah had knocked my workbox from under my arm. But I cannot tell. I had gone after my scattered things, and then I was drawn away to be taken to my father.” “You did not hear Pooke say anything to Flood, or _vice versâ_, about cracking nuts?” “Not then, sir; a little before, Rose had asked to have the Brazil nuts cracked, and Noah had promised to crack them when the opportunity came.” “I told you so, your worship,” threw in Pooke. “Well,” said the magistrate, “this girl Kate Quarm is the only one among you who seems to have her wits about her, and can tell a simple tale in an intelligent way. As for you, John Pooke, and you, Noah Flood, I shall bind you over to keep the peace, and dismiss you with a caution.” END OF VOL. I. MORRISON AND GIBB, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH. A LIST OF NEW BOOKS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS OF METHUEN AND COMPANY PUBLISHERS: LONDON 36 ESSEX STREET W.C. CONTENTS PAGE FORTHCOMING BOOKS, 2 POETRY, 13 GENERAL LITERATURE, 15 THEOLOGY, 17 LEADERS OF RELIGION, 18 WORKS BY S. BARING GOULD, 19