, 1865-12-12

cows, aud sheep, and dogs. If he dies, theeIl have to be an inquest
held
Mrs. Treddock Rugged her child to her breast, while she bent over
the injured man but she answered that she could not so away, unless
TreddOCk went with her; everybody, she said, had better go, and leave
the place to itself The servants, short as the time was, were already
acting upon that conviction some were bringing boxes down stairs, and
one Or two had got their bonnets on. This last horrible affair occurring
IN broad day, had broken down the courage Of everybody, and the whole
premises had instantly been thrown into confusion, no one daring to ven
ture now from room into another alone. Meanwhile, the constable
continued to breathe, and more heavily now and then, he tossed about
his arms, but he seemed to be quite unconscious. Very shortly, people
came hurryng up from the village, the messenger sent for The doctor
was filled with persons quickly. ! suggested that the police should be
sent for from the county town, and Ireddock asserting, a second mes
spnser was ordered to saddle the black mare, and hurry away on this
GRAND, with a whispered injunction from me, at which he gave me a
wanted a tumble. The man, a few minutes afterwards, shouted in at
the ktchen-door that the mare had got loose in the upper field, and
would not let a dozen of them catch her. He was angrly bado to take
one of the cart-horses. By and by, though the interval seemed cruelty
long, the surgeon arr ed, and after haty examination, he pronounced
that the constables head was fractured in two places. In answer to a
question from Treddock, he said hat, as far as he could judge, the blows
had been struck with a dull-edged metal instrument. Under the doctors
Instructions, the old man was removed to a couch in another room, which
could be kept free from intruderS; for by this time the crowd had about
taken possession of the whole place, neither Treddock nor his wife seem
ing greatly TO object to it. The presence Of the crowd appeared to give
something like a sense of security, or it at least mtigated the feeling of
danger. My big strong friend stood with a palid face amidst The Gob
of his male neighbours; and Mrs Treddock, with her frightened child,
made another centre for the moaning circle of women. Occasionally,
Treddock would turn to me, and, in a mechanical way, express his hope
for the arrival of the police but the mystery was to be explained with
out their aid, and, as fate would have it, | had a principal part to play
in the solution. Tredd0ck, after making another effort, finally succeed
ed, by the aid of the chorusng women, in persuadng his wife to take
the child away from the Grange down into the village. She went up
stairs for her own bonnet and sh WI and for Master Charles hat, and
was shortly fully dressed and ready To start. A big servant-gil had the
baby in her arms, and after he had received the fathers showers of
kisses, she set of with him in advance of her mistress, who turned back
for another little fit of hysterical sohbng on Treddocks broad shoulder.
'The black mare-the black mareH was the next moment yelled in
a score of terrified voices. and a catter of hoofs dashed past the front