"Ha!" said Bolton, waking from his stupor. He caught hold of a hat, and ran out of the house.
Altamont had not been able to be present that evening. Business of importance had detained him, and he had only just got back to his rooms when Bolton turned up. He started off at once to the Home Secretary, and after exasperating interviews with a footman, a butler, and a private secretary, was at length admitted to the presence of that high personage, who was in his dressing gown, and considerably annoyed at this interruption to his slumbers.
The Colonel explained the situation.
"Is that all?" asked the Home Secretary when he had finished.
"All, sir!" cried the indignant Colonel. "Dorchester, Ribston, Anstruther, and a dozen others, arrested by your policemen, and you ask 'Is that all?'"
"Colonel," said the Minister, emphasising his remarks with his forefinger in Old Bailey style, "Dorchester, Ribston, and the whole lot should have known better—very much better. They've had their sport, and now they've got to pay for it. I can't interfere. If the jury recommend them to mercy I'll give them the benefit of any doubt, and will save them from hanging; but that's all I can promise. Now have a whiskey and soda, and go to bed."
Altamont declined the whiskey and soda, and left the Minister indignantly. On his doorstep he was promptly arrested by Marvell, who had a couple of warrants left over after depositing his prisoners at Vine Street. The last warrant could not be served that night, as the member in question happened to be visiting a friend in Nova Zembla.
Mr. Marvell took good care that the news of the arrest of the Duke of Dorchester, the Earl of Ribston, and the other more or less distinguished members of the Burglars' Club, should be at once communicated to the Press in case some influential friend should intervene at the last moment, and once more defraud him of his due. The morning's papers were full of the news, with the result that the Marlborough Street Police Court was filled to overflowing long before the proceedings commenced. The Peerage, the Diplomatic Service, the Commons, the Army and the Navy, the Stage and Sport, were well represented. Every inch of space, including the bench itself, was filled, and fair women and brave men were turned away.
Half a dozen ordinary cases were quickly disposed of. Then the extraordinary case was called, and the spectators involuntarily rose to their feet as the Burglars filed into the dock, and took their stand two deep behind the brass rail. A murmur of sympathy went round as they stood there—some of them obviously interested in the proceedings, others apparently bored by them—all well-groomed, straight set-up men, though their evening dress looked incongruous enough in the daylight, and their crumpled shirt-fronts did not show to advantage.