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1 MARCH THE TWENTY-THIRD MIDDAY Thirty-six hours had elapsed since Manston's escape

It was market-day at the county-town The fare looked at their samples of wheat, and poured theht and spoke of Manston Grocers serving behind their counters, instead of using their constant phrase, 'The next article, please?' substituted, 'Have you heard if he's caught?' Dairy beside the sheep and cattle pens, spread their legs firmly, readjusted their hats, thrust their hands into the lowest depths of their pockets, regarded the animals with the utmost keenness of which the eye was capable, and said, 'Ay, ay, so's: they'll have hirove passed along the street hurriedly and anxiously 'Well, have you heard any more?' he said to an acquaintance who accosted hi rant first told them that Manston had passed a rick at daybreak, under which thisThey followed the track he pointed out and ultimately came to a stile On the other side was a heap of half-hardened mud, scraped from the road On the surface of the heap, where it had been smoothed by the shovel, was distinctly imprinted the form of a man's hand, the buttons of his waistcoat, and his watch-chain, showing that he had stu over the stile, and fallen there The pattern of the chain proved the man to have been Manston They followed on till they reached a ford crossed by stepping-stones--on the further bank were the same footmarks that had shown themselves beside the stile The whole of this course had been in the direction of Budmouth On they went, and the next clue was furnished them by a shepherd He said that wherever a clear space three or four yards wide ran in a line through a flock of sheep lying about a ewe-lease, it was a proof that somebody had passed there not more than half-an-hour earlier

At twelve o'clock that day he had noticed such a feature in his flock Nothing ot into Budmouth The steam-packet to the Channel Islands was to start at eleven last night, and they at once concluded that his hope was to get to France by way of Jersey and St Malo--his only chance, all the railway-stations being watched

'Well, they went to the boat: he was not on board then They went again at half-past ten: he had not come Two men now placed theway Another stayed by the office door, and one or two ht cut to the quay At a quarter to eleven the s were put on board Whilst the attention of the idlers was directed to the mails, down Mary Street caait was Manston's, but not the clothes He passed over to the shaded part of the street: heads were turned I suppose this warned hied from the shadow They watched and waited, but the steward did not reappear The alarh and low--no Manston All this n of him anywhere