Raising suspicions

It was while on manoeuvres in rural England, and
a soldier was being tried for the shooting of a chicken
on prohibited ground. "
Look here, my man," said the commanding officer
to the farmer who brought the accusation, "are you
quite certain that this is the man who shot your bird?
Will you swear to him?"

"No, I won't do that," replied the farmer, "but I
will say he's the man I suspect o' doing it." "
That's, not enough to convict a man," retorted the C. O.,
considerably nettled. "What raised your suspicions ?" "
Well," replied the sturdy yeoman, "it was this way • —
I see 'im on my property with a gun; then I heerd
the gun go off; then I see 'im putting the chicken in
his knapsack; and it didn't seem sense nohow to think
the bird committed suicide."