The Judge, who had only a little while before entered his office, had not seen the commotion when Dan was brought through the town.
“Yes, sir—I mean Judge,” went on Constable Wolff. “I’ve got a desperate prisoner in the jail.”
“You mean we’ve got him,” interrupted Constable Walker. “I helped catch him jest th’ same as you.”
“So ye did, but I discovered the clues.”
“Never mind, officers,” spoke the Judge sharply, as he did not think it dignified to have a dispute in his office. “Who is the prisoner?”
“A burglar!” exclaimed Constable Wolff.
“Dan Hardy!” answered Constable Walker in the same breath.
“You don’t mean to tell me Dan Hardy has been arrested as a burglar?” said the justice, as much surprised as he thought it consistent with his dignity to be.
“Yep, Squire—I mean Your Honor,” answered Mr. Wolff. “I catched—I mean we catched him this mornin’. He robbed Dr. Maxwell’s house last night, an’ we discovered part of th’ evidence on him,” and he showed the spoon he had found in Dan’s pocket. “Now we want you, if you will, t’ hold court, an’ properly commit him t’ jail, until th’ Grand Jury can sit on his case.”
“Wait a minute!” exclaimed the Squire. “I am the person to judge what is to be done in this case, not the officer who makes the arrest. It may be that I will find it unnecessary to commit him for the action of the Grand Inquest. I shall judge of that when I hear the evidence.”