I know nout o' sich a place,
though 'appen I maught a' bin there; Knowl, ye ca't. I was ne'er out o'
Derbyshire but thrice to Warwick fair wi' horses be rail, an' twice to
York.'
'You're certain, Tom?'
'Sartin sure, ma'am.'
And Tom made another loutish salute, and cut the conference short by
turning off the path and beginning to hollo after some trespassing cattle.
I had not felt anything like so nearly sure in this essay at identification
as I had in that of Dudley. Even of Dudley's identity with the Church
Scarsdale man, I had daily grown less confident; and, indeed, had it been
proposed to bring it to the test of a wager, I do not think I should,
in the language of sporting gentlemen, have cared to 'back' my original
opinion. There was, however, a sufficient uncertainty to make me
uncomfortable; and there was another uncertainty to enhance the unpleasant
sense of ambiguity.
On our way back we passed the bleaching trunks and limbs of several ranks
of barkless oaks lying side by side, some squared by the hatchet, perhaps
sold, for there were large letters and Roman numerals traced upon them in
red chalk.
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