Nor was his greeting of the prisoners at all magisterial.
Both young gentlemen bowed very gravely on entering his presence.
But he arose from his chair and shook hands with each in turn, with a kindly:
“Good-morning, Mr. Bayard! Good-morning, Le! Take chairs, both of you.”
The young men bowed again, and obeyed.
There was a short pause, during which the squire reseated himself, and took up a paper which lay on the table beside him, scanned it, and said:
“Here is a most serious charge laid against both of you, young gentlemen—a charge of so grave a nature, indeed, as to compel me, in my character as justice of the peace, to have you arrested and brought here to be dealt with according to the laws you have broken.”
“What is the charge, sir, who has made it, and what evidence has our accuser?” inquired Leonidas Force, with some youthful dignity.
“You shall hear,” said the squire, and he rang a hand bell on his table, which quickly brought Jake to his presence.
“Go to the parlor and ask Miss Bayard if she will be so kind as to step in here,” he said.