“Hogarth, it gives me the creeps to think of! Suddenly it looked as if the whole wood was lit up: there was the sky all cut up with streamers, I saw my Kit quite plain, then all at once there was a whishin' and a rushin' among the trees, like steam--and I saw my Kit drop smack. In two ticks my head was sober: but, as I ran to her, I staggered sideways upon my left hand, and I let such a _yell_ out of me--had put my hand upon something flamin' hot. “The minute I bent over my old woman I knew she was a deader; and I dropped down, and I called of her, and I shook of her, and it was quite two hours before I come to myself properly, by which time the affair what struck her down was gone out in darkness. Of course, the first thing I thought of was the old gent at Lagden. 'This should mean a cool thou', says I to myself. But I knew I should be arrested first thing in the morning, except I told plain out what had happened: and that, you bet, I didn't mean to do, for if once I mentioned that there piece of iron before I had it safe off the lord-o'-the-manor's land, I knew it 'ud be taken from me. But to take it off before another day or two was out of the question--it was too hot. So says I to myself: 'I'll _get_ convicted; and to-night I'll write a letter to Bob, telling him where to find the affair, how to get the thou, and _after_ he's got it, how to set about gettin' the case retried '. “Well, so said, so done. You know that old elm in the beech-wood? I dug a grave at the foot of it, and managed to kick and roll the affair into the grave, then I took up my Kit, carried her home, and by the time I pegged out the letter to Bob, I saw day breakin'. So I made paces for Beccles, knocked up old Harris, and gave him the letter for Bob. By eight o'clock I was arrested--” At this point the 5.15 recall-bell rang out, and there was falling into line. The next time that they had speech together, Hogarth said: “And were you such a clown, Fred Bates, as to imperil your life for a paltry thousand pounds?” “_Paltry_ thousand pounds?” answered Bates, surprised: “Hark at this! Didn't I peril my life ten times more in Egypt for a bob a day? I tell you I was certain in my own mind of getting out in a few weeks!” “Well, what happened to prevent you?” “Only this: Bob died on the troop-ship coming home; that's all”. “But you could write old Harris to open your letter to Bob, and act on it, or else hand it over to your father”. “My word, but haven't I wrote? Old 'Arris is either dead and buried, or gorn away, or somethin'. I've waited a year and nine months--good God! and no answer yet”. “Poor Fred! I could weep blood for you. Believe in God!” “More Devil than God about Colmoor, it strikes me”. “As though _you_ knew! Suppose I strike you blind--_now_--with a flash of Him?” “I don't take your meaning, sir”, said Bates, with a strange heart-bound and sense of awe. “Do you remember 33 of the quarry-gang, Fred?” “Yes”.