THE IRR1 GA Tl OX A GE. 3. 1" 



of sheet lead in the bottom, but not a trace of blood, none of its cake 

 of dirt having been disturbed by anything but lead. 



The police inspector who questioned the man, did not hurt his 

 feelings in the least by asking him of what his "swag"' consisted that 

 he hid it under a cloth in his van that day in particular? 



His answer was: "That is what I pay rates for, to keep you blues 

 to find out;" and he put his tongue to bulge his cheek out at his inter- 

 rogator 



"I have found out; it was lead," said the inspector. "Where did 

 you get it from'?'' The man winked his eye and said. 



' 'I have not got it now, it went to the melting pot that's enough 

 for you, and ends it. You blooming 'blues' look another way though 

 the furnaces and crucicles are always going, for 'swag' gold and silver. 

 You are afraid to tackle the big bugs, because they are big tradesmen, 

 perhaps town-councillors and the like, but you are sharp on us if you 

 get a chance. We cannot put any of you into better berths as those 

 chaps have so many chances to do. If I were a villa-cove, you would 

 not go into my coach house and nose about, though you knew that I 

 kept a 'fence' running night and day." 



The inspector asked about Alton's hat that was lost in the wood. 



"About my cap, that was lost in the wood, you do not bother. 

 Jumbo found the hat I winged it, and as I cannot swear it is mine. yon 

 can have it. What a difference it makes, what you find, and who you 

 are that finds something. If old 'money-grabber,' my landlord, Sir 

 Josiah Rangstan, found out a bucket of water on his land, though he 

 had stolen the land, or w.hat's the same thing to those who are 

 starved off the land bought it of the County Council, as he has done 

 the road waste, they call it, or the road to Moxbridge. That water 

 would be his and his'ns forever; and if made into big water- works, he 

 could charge the people fir his water, what he liked, or they might 

 famish if they could not pay his rates. They are the coves you bow 

 timidly to, though you know their big games at swag, and the devil 

 roast those who can't get any." 



"Anything else about what was done in the wood where you found 

 the hat?" 



"What was done there?" asked Slimy Sam. 



"A murder, just about the time you say you and your Jumbo were 

 there, " 



"Is there any reward offered yet?" asked the man. 



"Yes, two hundred for the young woman alive or dead, or for the 

 discovery of the murderer." 



"That's my blooming chance to have been so near and not in at the 

 death, or in time to baulk the murderer before tried. For that, the 

 best of the doing, you see, I should have got nothing, perhaps have 

 been fined for trespass. The parsons are fly, they let wrong be done 



