Hitherto, neither guilt nor its shadow had fallen upon them.
"Tom," asked Arthur, when they had reached the hall, and were about to
enter: "will you do me a little service?"
"Won't I, though! what is it?"
"Make the best of your way to Mr. Williams's, and tell him I am
prevented from taking the organ this afternoon."
"I shan't tell him the reason," said Tom.
"Why not? In an hour's time it will be known from one end of
Helstonleigh to the other."
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE EXAMINATION.
The magistrates sat on the bench in the town-hall of Helstonleigh. But,
before the case was called on--for the police had spoken too fast in
saying they were waiting for it--Arthur became acquainted with one
great fact: that it was not Mr. Galloway who had driven matters to this
extremity. Neither was he aware that Arthur had been taken into
custody. Mr. Butterby had assumed the responsibility, and acted upon
it. Mr. Butterby, since his interview with Mr. Galloway in the morning,
had gathered, as he believed, sufficiently corroborating facts to
establish, or nearly so, the guilt of Arthur Channing. He supposed that
this was all Mr. Galloway required to remove his objection to stern
measures; and, in procuring the warrant for the capture, Mr. Butterby
had acted as for Mr. Galloway.
When Arthur was placed in the spot where he had often seen criminals
standing, his face again wore the livid hue which had overspread it in
his home.
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