Q. I ask you again. You had better answer.
A. (After a scowling pause.) Setting snares, then. (Defiantly.) Weren’t it the open downs?
Q. I’m not entering into that question. We’ll assume, if you like, that the downs and your behaviour were equally open. You were setting snares, that’s enough. Did anything suddenly occur to interrupt you at your task?
A. Yes, it did.
Q. What was that?
A. The sound of a gun going off.
Q. From what direction?
A. From down among the trees near the road.
Q. Quite so. Now will you tell the Bench exactly what time it was when you heard that sound?
A. The time when I started to go home.