h his money
to everybody around.

"Jack Beard," cried Deacon to a man in the crowd, "just go down to
Asheldham and telephone to Superintendent Warden at Maldon. Ask him to
send me over three men at once, will you?"

"All right, Sam," was the prompt reply, and the man went off, while the
sergeant took the resentful Italian into the house to await an escort.

Deacon called the assistance of two men and invited them in. Then, while
they mounted guard over the prisoner, Fetherston addressed the little
knot of amazed men who had been alarmed by the Italian's statement.

"Listen, gentlemen," he said. "We shall in a couple of hours' time expect
the return of Mr. Bailey, the tenant of this house. There is a very
serious charge against him. I therefore put everyone of you upon your
honour to say no word of what has occurred here to-night--not until Mr.
Bailey arrives. I should prefer you all to remain here and wait;
otherwise, if a word be dropped at Southminster, he may turn back and fly
from justice."

"What's the charge, sir?" asked one man, a bearded old labourer.

"A very serious one," was Walter's evasive reply.

Then, after a pause, they all agreed to wait and witness the dramatic
arrest of the man who was charged with some mysterious offence.
Speculation was rife as to what it would be, and almost every crime in
the calendar was cited as likely.

Meanwhile Fetherston, returning to the barely-furnished sitting-room,
interrogated Pietro in Italian, but only obtained sullen answers. A
loaded revolver had been found upon him by Deacon, and promptly
confiscated.

"I have already searched the place," Walter said to the prisoner, "and I
know what it contains."

But in response the man who had posed as servant, but who, with his
"master," was the custodian of the place, only grinned and gave vent to
muttered imprecations in Italian.

Fetherston afterwards left the small assembly and made examination of
some bedrooms he had not yet inspected. In three of these, the locks of
which he broke open, he discovered quantities of interesting papers,
together with another mysterious-looking press.

While trying to decide what it all meant he suddenly heard a great
shouting and commotion outside, and ran down to the door to ascertain its
cause.

As he opened it he saw that in the darkness the crowd outside had grown
excited.

"'Ere you are, sir," cried one man, ascending the steps. "'Ere are two
visitors. We found 'em co