THE FIELD-PLAT. 23 



of the rick with his stick, and as it had but just 

 caught he beat the flame out Then he dropped 

 senseless on the ground. Bill, awakened by Roberts' 

 awful yell or shriek of excitement, started to his feet, 

 heard a man rushing by in the darkness, and hurled 

 his heavy stick in that direction. By the thud which 

 followed and a curse, he knew it had hit the object, 

 but not with sufficient force to bring the scoundrel 

 down. The fellow escaped ; Bill went to his master 

 and lifted him up ; how he got Roberts home he did 

 not know, but it was hours before Roberts could speak. 

 Towards sunrise he recovered, and would go immedi- 

 ately to assure himself that the ricks were safe. Then 

 they found a man's hat Bill's stick had knocked it 

 off and by that hat and the red necktie the incen- 

 diary was brought to justice. The hat was big Mat's ; 

 he always wore a red necktie. 



Big Mat made no defence ; he was simply stolidly 

 indifferent to the whole proceedings. The only state- 

 ment he made was that he had not fired four of the 

 ricks, and he did not know who had done so. Example 

 is contagious; some one had followed the dynamite 

 lead, detection never took place, but the fires ceased. 

 Mat, of course, went for the longest period of penal 

 servitude the law allotted. 



I should say that he did not himself know why he- 

 did it. That intense, brooding moroseness, that worm- 

 wood hatred, does not often understand itsel So 

 much the more dangerous is it; no argument, no 

 softening influence can reach it. 



Faithful Bill, who had served Mr. Roberts almost 

 all his life, and who probably would have served him 



