When Mr. Rexford heard that Matthew De Vere was missing, he immediately had Tim Short arrested, charged with robbing and burning his store.
Sheriff Coombs served the papers upon Tim, who had not as yet learned the news about Matthew.
When the sheriff spoke to him he was too badly frightened to reply.
"I shall have to take you with me," said the officer; "no way out of it now. The law ain't tender hearted with fellers that rob and burn. Besides, that De Vere boy has run away."
Tim staggered and fell to the ground. He had fainted dead away. When he regained consciousness his first words were:
"And now Matthew De Vere has run away and left me when he was the cause of it all." Great tears rolled down his cheeks and he sobbed bitterly.
Even the sheriff's heart was touched, and his official bearing relaxed as the boy's mother, almost prostrate with grief, implored him to let Tim go.
"Your son practically acknowledges his guilt," said the sheriff. "In any case, I should be compelled as an officer to arrest him, since the papers were placed in my hands. Still I think if he were to turn State's evidence—that is, to tell of his own free will all the facts connected with the affair—the court would probably deal more leniently with him."
Tim brightened up considerably at this remark, which seemed to hold out a means of escape.
"I will tell the court all I know—everything from first to last," said he as he marched off with the sheriff.