And here he stopped.

Thereupon one of the three magistrates who were present asked me whether I chanced to have any more of these spurious notes in my possession.

He had certainly a right to ask the question, but there was something peculiar in his tone--insinuating suspicion.

It is certainly difficult to judge of the motives which rule a person's conduct, but I cannot help imagining that he was somewhat influenced in his behaviour on that occasion, which was anything but friendly, by my having refused to sell him the horses at a price less than that which I expected to get at the fair; be this as it may, the question filled me with embarrassment, and I bitterly repented not having at first been more explicit.

Thereupon the magistrate, in the same kind of tone, demanded to see my pocket-book.
I knew that to demur would be useless, and produced it, and forthwith amongst two or three country notes, appeared the fourth which I had received from the Horncastle dealer.