‘But I did see every one of them,’ Stephen answered; ’and Tim knew all their voices; and there’ll be lots to tell who came up in the last skip.’

‘There’s nobody in Botfield will swear agen them,’ pleaded Bess.  ’Whose place is it to know who came up in the last skip, or who was at the fire last night?  Oh, Stephen, the Bible says we’re to do good to them that hate us.  And if father’s hated thee, thee canst save him now.’

‘Ay,’ said Tim, ’Bess is right; there’s not a mother’s son in Botfield to swear agen them for the master’s sake.  If he didn’t see them, nor Miss Anne, why need we know?  I’ll soon baffle the justice, I promise ye.  It’s a rare chance to forgive Black Thompson, anyhow.’

‘Bess and Tim,’ answered Stephen, in great distress, ’I can’t do it.  It isn’t that I bear a grudge against thy father—­I’ve almost forgotten that he ever did anything to me.  But it’s not true; it’s sure to come out somehow.  Why, I don’t even know what I said to Miss Anne last night; but if I hadn’t told a word to anybody, I’d be bound to tell the truth now.’

‘Only say thee aren’t certain,’ urged Bess.

‘Nay, lass,’ said Stephen, ’I am certain.  I’d do anything that was right for thy sake, and to save thy father; but I can’t do this, and it would be no use if I could.  God seeth in secret, and He will reward men openly.  He’s begun to reward the master already.  We can do nothing for thy father, but every one of us tell the truth, and pray to God for him.’

‘Father was good to thee when thou wert ill,’ said Bess.

‘Ay, I know it,’ he replied; ’but if he was my own father, I could not tell a lie to get him off.  I’d do anything I could.  Oh, Bess and Tim, don’t ask me to go agen the right!’

‘It’ll break mother’s heart,’ said Bess, bursting out into a loud crying.  ’We made sure of thee, because thee says so much about having thy enemies; and we were only afeared of Tim.  Thee says we are to do to another as we’d have them do to us.  If thee was in father’s place, thee’d want him to do as I ask thee.  Thee doesn’t think father wants thee to swear agen him?’

‘Nay,’ answered Stephen, ’the justice and Miss Anne would have me tell the truth.  It seems as if I can’t do to everybody as they’d like me; so I’ll abide by telling the truth.’

There was no time for further discussion, for the constable from Longville came in to conduct them before the magistrate, to give their separate evidence concerning the events of the past night.  Bess went with them, weeping all the way beside them, and grieving Stephen’s heart by her tears, though she dared not speak a word in the constable’s presence.  But he gave his testimony gravely and truthfully, and Tim and Martha followed his example; and, in consequence of their joint evidence, Black Thompson and Davies were fully committed to take their trial at the next assizes, and were removed that afternoon to the county jail.