A GAMEKEEPER SHOT. 179 



their propensity on sites where it is more plentiful. 

 The game stealers of whom I am about to speak were 

 reared, as far as their illegal avocation went, on 

 the unprotected lands of Lord De Grey and Mr. 

 Alston. Some time after 1 came to Harrold the 

 Eev. Mr. Magenis, who then lived at Sharnbrook, had 

 the shootin«T under Lord De Grev of the Harrold 

 Woods, and put on a man named Coles, who was 

 called a gamekeeper. Coles was not a gamekeeper, 

 because he was hardly ever sober, and consequently 

 much neglected his business. The Harrold AVoods 

 were only separated from the Odell Woods, attached 

 to Harrold Hall, by a high road ; so that my preserve 

 might be said to join the woods over which Coles was 

 supposed to attend to the interests of the game. 



One morning in winter my keeper, William Savage, 

 came to me with a face of consternation, stating that 

 the gang of poachers for whom we had been on the 

 look out had paid Mr. Magenis's woods a visit, and 

 had shot his keeper. Coles. Directly I heard of it I 

 despatched a letter to Mr. Magenis to say, that if my- 

 self or any of my men could aid him in searching for 

 the offenders, we were all at his service. On this 

 Ave communicated further. Coles, with one of his 

 arms shattered to pieces, was sent to the infirmary 

 at Bedford ; and his life being in imminent danger, 

 his deposition under the circumstances was carefully 

 taken. Xow, in all cases of murder any observant 

 person must have seen that there is invariably 

 the finger of heaven, I know not how I can more 

 aptly describe it, pointed in the right direction. 

 Some circumstance in no wise resulting from any evi- 

 dence of man, hangs on the guilty skirts, dogs the 

 murderer's heels, and tends to put the avenger of 



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