Mrs. Gell raised herself in her easy chair. "Was it your girl, then..." she began.
"It was, ma'am. Bessie Corteen—Collister, they're calling her."
"What's all this to me?" said the Speaker.
"She's telling me it's a mistake about the Dempster's son, Sir. It was somebody else's lad did the mischief."
"I see you are well informed," said the Speaker. "Well, what of it?"
"Cæsar Qualtrough might have prosecuted but he didn't, out of respect for the Dempster," said Dan.
"So they say," said the Speaker.
"But if somebody gave him a scute into the truth he mightn't be so lenient with another man—one other anyway."
The Speaker was silent.
"There have been bits of breezes in the Kays, they're telling me."