The matter was very often discussed in the doctor’s house at Pollington,—­as it was, indeed, by the public generally, and especially in the eastern counties.  But in this house there a double interest attached to it.  In the first place, there was Maria’s escape,—­which the younger girls were accustomed to talk of as having been ’almost miraculous;’ and then there was Dick’s absolute disappearance.  It had been declared at the trial, on behalf of Caldigate, that if Dick could have been put into the witness-box, he would have been able to swear that there had been no such marriage ceremony as that which the four witnesses had elaborately described.  On the other hand, the woman and Crinkett had sworn boldly that Dick Shand, though not present at the marriage, had been well aware that it had taken place, and that Dick, could his evidence have been secured, would certainly have been a witness on their side.  He had been outside the tent,—­so said the woman,—­when the marriage was being performed, and had refused to enter, by way of showing his continued hostility to an arrangement which he had always opposed.  But when the woman said this, it was known that Dick Shand would not appear, and the opinion was general that Dick had died in his poverty and distress.  Men who sink to be shepherds in Australia because they are noted drunkards, generally do die.  The constrained abstinence of perhaps six months in the wilderness is agonising at first, and nearly fatal.  Then the poor wretch rushes to the joys of an orgy with ten or fifteen pounds in his pocket; and the stuff which is given to him as brandy soon puts an end to his sufferings.  There was but little doubt that such had been the fate of Dick,—­unless, perhaps, in the bosom of Maria and of his mother.

It was known too at Pollington, as well as elsewhere in the month of August, that efforts were still to be made with the view of upsetting the verdict.  Something had crept out to the public as to the researches made by Bagwax, and allusions had been frequent as to the unfortunate absence of Dick Shand.  The betting, had there been betting, would no doubt have been in favour of the verdict.  The four witnesses had told their tale in a straightforward way; and though they were, from their characters, not entitled to perfect credit, still their evidence had in no wise been shaken.  They were mean, dishonest folk, no doubt.  They had taken Caldigate’s money, and had still gone on with the prosecution.  Even if there had been some sort of a marriage, the woman should have taken herself off when she had received her money, and left poor Hester to enjoy her happiness, her husband, and her home at Bolton.  That was the general feeling.  But it was hardly thought that Bagwax, with his envelope, would prevail over Judge Bramber in the mind of the Secretary of State.  Probably there had been a marriage.  But it was singular that the two men who could have given unimpeachable evidence on the matter should both have vanished out of the world; Allan, the minister,—­and Dick Shand, the miner and shepherd.