The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 378: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

LINKS IN THE CHAIN OF EVIDENCE 361 he unrolled and shook out a large eloak, and then a pair of pantaloons. In the midst were a pair of boots, a couple of stockings, and a large stone. The cloak was evidently a man’s, and the stone had no doubt been placed in the bundle in order to sink it when thrown into the river. The labouring man now explained that, having to wade into the water for the purpose of pursuing his employment in height- ening the bank, his foot had come in contact with a soft object, which he at first fancied was a dead body, but put- ting down his hand, he drew up the bundle now produced. Neither he nor the other labourers seemed able to compre- hend how this bundle could be in any way connected with the pistol, so far as links in the chain of evidence were con- cerned. ‘They were therefore somewhat surprised when Mr. Hawkshaw, in a low, deep voice, which was full of painful emotion, said, ‘*‘ Heaven is working out its own inscrutable ways, and the river is made to give up its secrets in order to bring the foulest of crimes home to its perpetrator.’ There was a solemn pause, during which the labourers stood with their eyes wandering with an expression of awful horror from the pistol to the clothes, and back again to the pistol. ~ “Fold up those garments again,’ said Mr. Hawkshaw. “T will take charge of them likewise. Here, you can en- velop them in my handkerchief; it is large enough for the purpose.’ His orders were executed, and, having distributed some money amongst the men, the squire rode off with the bundle and the weapon. But he did not pursue his way to Gains- borough; he turned his horse’s head in another direction, and rode straight, at a brisk gallop, back to his own residence. On arriving there, he gave the bundle of clothes to one of the servants, with instructions to cleanse and dry them thor- oughly. He then proceeded to his own chamber, where he set himself busily to work, with oil and a piece of leather, to remove the rust from that part of the pistol where the maker’s name was engraved. In about half an hour he succeeded in deciphering that name, and it was indeed the one which he had from the very first expected to find there. He now sent off a groom with a note to Mr. Denison, request- ing an immediate visit from that gentleman, on business of the utmost importance. COME DOOKS (C(O)