d of you and Charlie or mother. It seems to me he
wasn't fond of mother, and yet she does nothing but cry; I can't make
that out, can you?"

Ned did not answer; his mother's infatuation for Mr. Mulready had always
been a puzzle to him, and he could at present think of no reply which
would be satisfactory to Lucy.

A constable now came in and said that there were other visitors waiting
to see Ned. He then withdrew, leaving the lad to say goodby to his
brother and sister alone. Ned kept up a brave countenance, and strove
to make the parting as easy as possible for the others, but both were
crying bitterly as they went out.

Ned's next visitors were Dr. Green and Mr. Porson.

"We have only a minute or two, my boy," Mr. Porson said, "for the gig is
at the door. The chief constable is going to drive you to York himself.
You will go halfway and sleep on the road tonight. It is very good of
him, as in that way no one will suspect that you are any but a pair of
ordinary travelers. Keep up your spirits, my boy. We have sent to London
for a detective from Bow Street to try and ferret out something of this
mysterious business; and even if we do not succeed, I have every faith
that it will come right in the end. And now goodby, my boy, I shall see
you in a fortnight, for of course I shall come over to York to the trial
to give evidence as to character."

"And so shall I, Ned, my patients must get on without me for a day or
two," the doctor said. "Mr. Wakefield is waiting to see you. He has
something to tell you which may help to cheer you. He says it is of no
legal value, but it seems to me important."

CHAPTER XV: NOT GUILTY

As soon as Mr. Porson and the doctor had left him Mr. Wakefield
appeared.

"Well, Sankey, I hope you are not downcast at the magistrates' decision.
It was a certainty that they would have to commit you, as we could not
prove a satisfactory alibi. Never mind, I don't think any jury will find
against you on the evidence they have got, especially in the face of
those threatening letters and the fact that several men in Mulready's
position have been murdered by the Luddites."

"It won't be much consolation to me, sir, to be acquitted if it can't be
proved to the satisfaction of every one that I am innocent."

"Tut, tut! my boy; the first thing to do is to get you out of the hands
of the law. After that we shall have time to look about us and see if we
can lay our hands on the right man. A curi