'Yes, your worship,' answered Lance, bringing out the last two words with apparent difficulty.
'You are aware that I had the bay horse in my possession for some weeks at Growlers', and rode him openly there?'
'Yes, certainly.'
'Then why did you not arrest me there?'
'I had my reasons, one of which was that I had not received an answer from Mr. Jeffreys—the breeder of the horse.'
'Was that with reference to the hundred pound reward offered on conviction of any one proved to have stolen one of his horses?'
'No!'
'That reward did not actuate you in arresting me on a charge of which you must know that I am innocent, if you have watched my conduct at all?'
'I have watched your conduct, and know you to be an habitual associate of the Lawlesses, who, as a family, are known to be among the most clever horse and cattle stealers in New South Wales. I have known you to make a practice of gambling with them for large sums. It has been stated to me that you have lost as much as five hundred pounds to them at a sitting.'
'Did you not know that I had come straight from Ballarat when I rode up to the camp at Balooka?'