Part 28 (1/2)

”These are the three men, sir,” said he to Mr Rimbolt.

”Yes, sir, these are the parties,” said the inspector (who had never set eyes on the men before), advancing towards Corporal as he slowly raised himself from the ground.

Julius, greatly to the officers' alarm, made a last attempt to a.s.sert his property in the captives, and in Corporal in particular; and in so doing came very near doing a grievous injury to the arm of the law. But Jeffreys' authoritative order to him to come in and he down allowed the arrest to proceed without any further protest than a few discontented yaps as the cords were removed from the prisoners' legs, and they were led off by the force.

”We had better go to Overstone, too,” said Mr Rimbolt, ”and see these ruffians safely quartered. The a.s.sizes are coming on in a week or two.

Do you live anywhere near here?”

”No,” said Jeffreys. ”Julius and I are on a walking tour at present.”

Mr Rimbolt looked at his companion, and for the first time took notice of his travel-stained, shabby appearance.

”You mean,” said he, guessing the truth, ”you have no particular address at present?”

”Quite so,” replied Jeffreys, flus.h.i.+ng up uncomfortably.

Mr Rimbolt said nothing more just then. They had a busy hour or two at Overstone arranging for the comfortable housing of their three prisoners, until the law should decide as to their more permanent residence. Then, having taken farewell of the police, and returning towards the dog-cart, Jeffreys stopped abruptly and said, raising his hat,--

”Good-bye, sir.”

Mr Rimbolt looked at him in surprise.

”You are not going, surely!” said he. ”You must come back to the house with me.”

”Thank you; Julius and I have a long journey before us, and must be starting.”

”You are only on a walking tour, you know. There is a great deal to see round here. The place is worth exploring,” said Mr Rimbolt feeling almost as embarra.s.sed as his companion.

”We shall be back here for the a.s.sizes,” said Jeffreys.

”Nonsense, my friend!” said Mr Rimbolt, taking the bull by the horns; ”I insist on your coming back with me now, if it's only to ask how Percy is after his night's excitement. Besides, you have not half explored the library.”

Whether it was the cordiality of this delicate invitation, or the mention of the library, or both combined, I cannot say; but Jeffreys, with some misgivings, yielded, and ascended the dog-cart.

”The ladies would never forgive me,” said Mr Rimbolt rather unwisely, ”if I let you go without giving them an opportunity of thanking you for your goodness to Percy.”

Jeffreys was sorry he had yielded. Had he only had Mr Rimbolt and the cool Percy to deal with, he could have resigned himself to the ordeal.

But the threat of being thanked by the ladies quite disconcerted him.

”I'm--I'm afraid I'm not very--tidy,” stammered he. ”I'd really rather, if you don't object, go on. Besides, Julius--”

Mr Rimbolt laughed good-humouredly.

”Julius is not shy, and wants breakfast and a rest after his night's work, don't you, Julius?”

Julius could not deny that he was very ready for both. Jeffreys gave it up, and with much sinking of heart awaited their arrival at Wildtree Towers. To his infinite relief, the ladies were not visible. Mrs Rimbolt, it was reported, was confined to her bed by the effects of her recent agitation, and Miss Atherton was out. Master Percy was still fast asleep. It broke the fall considerably to find himself left still to the gentlemanly and unembarra.s.sing attentions of his host.

Julius was led with honour to the kitchen, there to be regaled in a baronial fas.h.i.+on, which it was well for his morals and digestion was not a daily festival. Jeffreys, having seen him comfortably curled up on a mat, returned to the library. His host was pacing up and down the floor, evidently a little nervous, and Jeffreys instinctively felt that the ordeal was upon him. Mr Rimbolt, however, began by a little fencing.

”I recollect taking a very pleasant tour through this district with two college friends when I was at Oxford. See, here is the map I had with me at the time, and the route marked. We were rather a rackety party, and boasted that we would go in a straight line from Ambleside to the sea, and stick at nothing. Here's the line, you see. That straight line took us over one or two places I wouldn't care to try now. But Oxford men, they said in those days, had no necks to break. Are you a University man?”