"My father's security will be sufficient, I presume?"
"Quite so."
Since Mr. Channing's incapacity, power to sign and to act for him had
been vested in Hamish; and the matter was concluded at once. The court
poured out its crowd. Hamish was on the point of taking Arthur's arm,
but was pushed aside by Roland Yorke, who seized upon it as if he could
never make enough of him.
"The miserable idiots! to bring such a charge against you, Arthur! I
have been half mad ever since I heard of it."
"Thank you, Yorke. You are very kind--"
"'Kind!' Don't talk that school-girl rubbish!" passionately interrupted
Roland. "If I were taken up upon a false charge, wouldn't you stand by
me?"
"That I would; were it false or true."
"I'll pay that Butterby out, if it's ten years hence! And you, knowing
your own innocence, could stand before them there, meek-faced as a tame
cat, letting Butterby and the bench have it their own way! A calm
temper, such as yours, Arthur, may be very--what do they call
it?--Christian; but I'm blest if it's useful! I should have made their
ears tingle, had they put me there, as they have not tingled for many a
day."
"Who do you suppose took the note?" inquired Hamish of Roland Yorke,
speaking for the first time.
"Bother the note!" was the rejoinder of Mr. Roland. "It's nothing to us
who took it. Arthur didn't. Go and ask the post-office."
"But the seal?" Hamish was beginning in a friendly tone of argument.
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