“How many were there of them?” inquired the magistrate. “Were there more than one?”
“Only one,” muttered the unfortunate man.
“Was there any peculiarity in his dress or appearance that struck you?” asked the fiscal.
He mumbled a reply, but none of the bystanders could make it out. The question was again put, and both the magistrate and fiscal stooped down simultaneously to catch the answer. After an interval it came—and what think you it was, good reader? Why, “top boots,” distinctly and unequivocally. The fiscal and magistrate looked at each other for a second, but neither durst venture to hint at the astounding suspicion which the mention of these remarkable objects forced upon them.
“He wore top boots, you say?” again inquired the fiscal, to make sure that he had heard aright.
“Y-e-s, t-o-p b-o-o-ts,” was again the reply.
“Was he a thin man, or a stout man?”
“A stout man.”
“Young or middle-aged?”
“Middle-aged.”