“You have.  You bought from him that which did not belong to him.  You received, and the receiver is as bad as the rogue.  So the law has it.  The shadow of the law is great.”

Festus Clasby came down from his cart, his face troubled.  “I am not used to this,” he said.

“You are a handsome man, a man thought well of.  You have great provisions upon your cart.  This man has nothing but the unwashed shirt which hangs on his slack back.  It will not become you to march handcuffed with his like, going between two policemen to the bridewell.”

“What are you saying of me, woman?”

“It will be no token of business to see your cart and the provisions it contains driven into the yard of the barracks.  All the people of this town will see it, for they have many eyes.  The people of trade will be coming to their doors, speaking of it.  ‘A man’s property was molested,’ they will say.  ‘What property?’ will be asked.  ’The Can with the Diamond Notch,’ they will answer; ’the man of substance conspired with the thief to make away with it.’  These are the words that will be spoken in the streets.”

Festus Clasby set great store on his name, the name he had got painted for the eye of the country over his door.

“I will be known to the police as one extensive in my dealings,” he said.  “They will not couple me with this man who is known as one living outside of the law.”

“It is not for the Peelers to put the honest man on one side and the thief on the other.  That will be for the court.  You will stand with him upon my charge.  The Peelers will say to you, ’We know you to be a man of great worth, and the law will uphold you.’  But the law is slow, and a man’s good name goes fast.’”

Festus Clasby fingered his money in his pocket, and the touch of it made him struggle.  “The can may be this man’s for all I know.  You have no brother, and I believe you to be a fraud.”

“That, too, will be for the law to decide.  If I have a brother, the law will produce him when his fever is ended.  If I have no brother the law will so declare it.  If my brother makes a Can with the Diamond Notch, the law will hear of its value.  If my brother does not make a Can with the Diamond Notch you will know me as one deficient in truth.  There is no point under the stars that the law cannot be got to declare upon.  But as is right, the law is slow, and will wait for a man to come out of his fever.  Before it can decide, another man’s good name, like a little cloud riding across the sky, is gone from the memory of the people and will not come riding back upon the crest of any wind.”

“It will be a great price to be paying for a tin can,” said Festus Clasby.  He was turning around with his fingers the coins in his pocket.

The woman put the can on her arm, then covered it up with her shawl, like a hen taking a chick under the protection of her wing.