J. S. Fletcher

“ Noo—I don't count as how any well-disposed, law abiding citizen have any call to 'criminate his-self—'tis agin religion and nature, which is powerful commodities. Noo!—I reckon that if Mistress Braxfield done this, accidental like, wi' that pistol what Bill Carver refer to, she say to herself 'Well,' she say, 'this here is a sad misfortune to happen to me, but I ain't no call to tell about it,' she say, and then, of course, she say nothing. That be the way of it—common-sense, like. And we all knows that accidents does happen to the meekest of us! ”

“ Mistress Braxfield, she say nothing o' that, so far."
"'Tain't likely as her would," declared Bill Carver. "Her've more sense! Ain't no 'casion as I knows on for any man or woman to go for to accuse theirselves o' terrible doings. Wouldn't be a common-sense thing for anybody as that happened to come for'rard and say as they done it! Ain't Christian conduck for anybody to walk into a trap wi' his eyes open, I do reckon."
"'Tis very true!" ”

“ Braxfield with unmistakable asperity. "It strikes me that some folk, when they say 'between ourselves' mean a good deal of the very opposite. I believe some of you"—here she gave Blick an indignant glance—"some of you have been talking about me, behind my back! Here's my charwoman just come up from the village, and she says there's talk going on down there about me and the murder! ”

“ Braxfield, we must show our hand a little more openly. Now, Mrs. Braxfield, listen to me; we know certain things. You've been in the habit of going to that spinney, or round about it, very early of a morning, to have a shot at foxes; the foxes, we hear, have given you trouble about your fowls. ”

“ You no doubt think you're being very plain, and outspoken, and all that, but if you want any information out of me, you'll have to be a good deal plainer! And I'll tell you straight out that you're not going to get me to incriminate myself! ”

“ Blick put the automatic pistol back in his pocket, and laid his hand on Carver's arm.
"Now, look here!" he said. "Just you keep all this to yourself, there's a good man! Don't say a word about it to anybody—not even to your wife. I hope you won't get into trouble by being late for your supper. But—silence, now—not a word!"
"I understand 'ee, master," responded Carver, with a knowing grin. "And I 'on't go for to breathe a syllable till you tells I 'tis convenient. ”