Just then the crowd parted and a woman came through. A shawl was wrapped about her head and face. Only her eyes were seen, dark under dark hair. A moment she stood surrounded by the four men who had desired or possessed her. Then she put her hand on the shirt-sleeve of her husband. "Ern," she said, and turned away. He followed her submissively through the crowd, slipping his shirt over his head. Swiftly the woman walked away up the hill. Her scarecrow, his trousers sopping and sagging about his boots, trudged behind. The crowd looked after them in silence. Then Joe broke away and followed at a distance. Ruth looked back and saw him. "Let us be, Joe," she called. Joe turned away. His eyes were full of tears. CHAPTER XXI THUNDER The two brothers had to appear before the Bench on Monday. As it chanced Mr. Pigott, Colonel Lewknor and Mr. Trupp were the only magistrates present. Ernie, who appeared with his head bandaged, admitted his mistake. "Went to pass the time o day with my brother," he said. "And all he done was to lean out of the window and crash the crockery down on the roof o me head. Did upset me a bit, I admit." "He meant murder all right," was Alf's testimony, sullenly given. "He knows that." Joe corroborated Ernie's statement. He had been in the Saffrons on Saturday afternoon and had seen Ernie coming down the hill from Old Town. Having a message to give him he had started to meet him. Ernie had gone up the steps of his brother's house; and as he did so, Alf had leaned out of the upper window and thrown a jug down on his brother. Alf's solicitor cross-examined the engineer at some length. "What were you doing on the Saffrons?" "Watching the football." "You were watching the football; and yet you saw Caspar coming down Church Street?" "I did." "I suggest that you did nothing of the sort; and that you only appeared on the scene at the last moment." "Well," retorted Joe, good-humouredly. "A don't blame you for that. It's what you're paid to suggest." A witness who was to have given evidence for Alf did not appear; and the Bench agreed without retiring. Neither of the brothers had been up before the magistrates before and both were let off with a caution, Ernie having to pay costs. "_Your_ tongue's altogether too long, Alfred Caspar," said Mr. Pigott, the Chairman, and added--quite unjudicially--"always was. And _you're_ altogether too free with your fists, Ernest Caspar." Ernie left the court rejoicing; for he knew he had escaped lightly. Outside he waited to thank his friend for his support. "Comin up along?" he coaxed. "Nay, ma lad," retorted the engineer with the touch of brutality which not seldom now marked his intercourse with the other. "You must face the missus alone. Reck'n A've done enough for one morning."