Thou'st heerd, oi suppose, as the crowner's jury ha found as Foxey wer murdered by him; but it bain't true, you know, Luke--be it ?" Bill made the assertions stoutly, but there was a tremulous eagerness in the question which followed it; He was fagged and exhausted.

His faith in Ned was strong, but he had found the opinion in the town so unanimous against him that he longed for an assurance that some one beside himself believed in Ned's innocence.
"Oi doan't know, Bill," Luke Marner said, stroking his chin as he always did when he was thinking; "oi doan't know, Bill--oi hoape he didn't do it, wi' all my heart.

But oi doan't know aboot it.

He war sorely tried--that be sartain.

But if he did it, he did it; it makes no difference to me.