BIRDS 3 NESTS. 215 



Having put up his horse at the inn, Mr. 

 Miller, still accompanied by his son, made 

 his way as well as he could through the rows 

 of baskets, and crowds of market-people, to 

 the Town Hall, an old but venerable building, 

 supported on pillars, the upper floor of which 

 was used as a room for the magistrates to meet 

 in, and the lower as a corn-market. 



It was now a few minutes past the usual 

 time of meeting, so that when they entered, 

 the magistrates had taken their seats, and 

 business was about to commence. 



A policeman made way through a crowd of 

 country people, and opened a barrier through 

 which the father and son passed, and seated 

 themselves on a bench a little to the left of the 

 magistrates. Mr. Miller was himself in the 

 commission of the peace ; but, for certain rea- 

 sons, he did not wish to act on that day, so he 

 simply bowed to his brother magistrates, and 

 continued a mere spectator. 



The first visit to a court of justice always 



