Mr. Elster said he supposed his brother was walking
home, and he should drive slowly back and look out for him. Later Mr.
Elster returned: he had several servants with him then and lanterns; they
had come out to look for Lord Hartledon, but could not find him. It was
only just after they had gone away again that the Irish harvest-men came
up and found the body.
This was the substance of the miller's evidence; it was all he knew:
and the next witness called was the boy David Ripper, popularly styled
in the neighbourhood young Rip, in contradistinction to his father, a
day-labourer. He was an urchin of ten or twelve, with a red, round face;
quite ludicrous from its present expression of terrified consternation.
The coroner sharply inquired what he was frightened at; and the boy burst
into a roar by way of answer. He didn't know nothing, and hadn't seen
nothing, and it wasn't him that drowned his lordship; and he couldn't
tell more if they hanged him for it.
The miller interposed. The boy was one of the idlest young vagabonds he
had ever had the luck to be troubled with; and he thought it exceedingly
likely he had been off that afternoon and not near the mill at all. He
had ordered him to take two sacks into Calne; but when he reached home he
found the sacks untouched, lying where he had placed them outside. Mr.
Ripper had no doubt been playing truant on his own account.
Pages:
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172