He arrested Krevin Crood in the passage leading from Bull's
Snug about 6.30 the previous evening, and Simon at his own home, half an
hour later. Krevin took the matter calmly, and merely remarked that he,
Hawthwaite, was making the biggest mistake he had ever made in his life;
Simon manifested great anger and indignation, and threatened an action
for false imprisonment. When actually charged neither of the accused
made any answer at all.

The superintendent stood down, and Meeking looked towards an inner door
of the court. An attendant came forward at his nod, bearing a heavy
package done up in Crown canvas and sealed. At the same moment a
smart-looking young man answered to the name of Samuel Owthwaite and
stepped alertly into the witness-box.

CHAPTER XXI

CORRUPTION

The tightly-wedged mass of spectators watched, open-mouthed and
quivering with anticipation, while the attendant, at Meeking's whispered
bidding, broke the seals and cut the strings of the package which he had
just carried in. Clearly, this was some piece of material evidence--but
what? A faint murmur of interest rose as the last wrappings fell aside
and revealed a somewhat-the-worse-for-wear typewriter. People glanced
from it to the witness: some of those present recognized him as a young
mechanic, a native of Hathelsborough, who had gone, a few years
previously, to work in the neighbouring manufacturing city of
Clothford--such began to ask themselves what he could have to do with
this case and waited eagerly for his evidence.

But Meeking, the battered typewriter before him, kept the witness
waiting. Turning to the bench, he put in the depositions taken at the
Coroner's inquest with respect to the typewritten threatening letter
sent to Wallingford and by him entrusted to Epplewhite; the letter
itself, and the facsimile of the letter published as a supplement by the
_Monitor_, with a brief explanation of his reasons for bringing them
into evidence. Then he addressed himself to his witness and got the
first facts from him--Samuel Owthwaite. Mechanic. Employed by Green &
Polford, Limited, of Clothford, agents for all the leading firms of
typewriter manufacturers.

"I believe you're a native of Hathelsborough, aren't you, Owthwaite?"
began Meeking.

"I am, sir."

"Keep up your interest in the old place, eh?"

"I do, sir."

"Have you any relations in the town?"

"Yes, sir, several."

"Do they send you the Hathelsborough paper, the _