Sorrow of joy to himself. "Elizabeth! my word, but I'm bothered!
Here's Jonathan Clough murdered, and Ben Craven under lock and key
for it!"

"Why, father! Ben would never do a thing like that!"

"Not he! I'd be as like to do it mysen. Thou must go thy ways and see
Martha as soon as iver t' dinner is eat. I s'all stand by Martha and
Ben to t' varry last. Ben Craven murder any-body! Hee! I crack't out
laughing when I heard tell o' such nonsense."

In fact, the squire had been touched in a very tender spot. Martha
Craven's mother had been his nurse, and Martha herself, for many years,
his wife's maid and confidential servant. He felt the imputation as
a personal slander. The Cravens had been faithful servants of the
Hallams for generations, and Clough was comparatively a new-comer.
Right or wrong, the squire would have been inclined to stand by an
old friend, but he had not a doubt of Ben's innocence.

"What have you done about it?" asked Antony.

"I've been to see Israel Potter, and I've bound him to stand up for
Ben. What Israel doesn't know 'bout law, and what Israel can't do with
t' law, isn't worth t' knowing or t' doing. Then I went for t' Wesleyan
minister to talk a bit wi' Martha, poor body? She seemed to want
something o' t' kind; and I'm bound to say I found him a varry
gentlemanly, sensible fellow. He didn't think owt wrong o' Ben, no
more than I did."

"People would wonder to see you at the Wesleyan's door."