to go to
the judge with the deeds of his property, and though Holmes, who was
evidently watching every move of the other side closely, scowled and
looked as if he would like to make some protest, there was nothing to
be done. He and his lawyers had no official standing in the case--they
could only consult with and advise Niles in an unofficial fashion.
And, though Niles held a long conference with Holmes and his party
before the bail bond was signed, it proved to be impossible for the
court to decline to accept it. Some things the law made imperative,
and, much as Niles might feel that he was being tricked, he could not
help himself.

Once he was free, as he was when the bail bond was signed, Jamieson
wasted no time. He saw Eleanor and the two girls settled in the one
good hotel of Hamilton, and then rushed back to the court house. And
there he found a strange state of affairs. Holmes had brought with him
from the city two lawyers, though Isaac Brack, the shyster, was not one
of them. And the leader, a man well known to Jamieson, John Curtin by
name, now appeared boldly as the lawyer for the accused gypsies.
Moreover, he refused absolutely to allow Charlie to see his clients.

In answer to Charlie's protests he merely looked wise, and refused to
say anything more than was required to reiterate his refusal. But
Charlie had other sources of information, and an hour after his
release, meeting Eleanor, who had walked down to look around the town,
leaving the girls behind at the hotel, he gave her some startling news.

"They're trying to get those gypsies out right now," he said. "They
were indicted, you know, for kidnapping. Now Curtin has got a writ of
habeas corpus, and he's kept it so quiet that it was only by accident I
found it was to be argued."

"What does that mean?" asked Eleanor. "I don't know as much about the
law as you do, you know."

"It means that a judge will decide whether they are being legally held
or not, Nell. And it looks very much to me as if Holmes had managed to
fix things so that they'll get off without ever going before a jury at
all! Niles isn't handling the case right. He's allowed Holmes and his
crowd to pull the wool over his eyes completely. If we had some
definite proof I could force him to hold them. But--"

Eleanor laughed suddenly.

"I didn't suppose it was necessary to give this to you until the
trial," she said. "But look here, Charlie--isn't this proof?" And s