The Brazencrook officer, after sleeping upon the resolution he had made, received notification of the Government reward; and, determined not to be bilked by Mr. Bales, he went off quietly the next morning to Montem Castle, and asked for Captain Hammerton.
When Lionel appeared, he said,—“Will you be good enough to come a little way with me; there is a man who has a question to ask you?”
Lionel looked puzzled for a moment at the request, and then replied,—“Certainly, if you desire it.”
“Yes I do,” said the officer; and without another word they went forth together.
When they were outside the Castle gates, the superintendent said, “The truth is, I did not wish to make any fuss; but I went to Mr. Smith, the county magistrate, early this morning, and upon the facts that I considered it my duty to lay before him, he granted me a warrant for your apprehension; and I now claim you as my prisoner on the charge of wilfully and maliciously killing Richard Tallant.”
Saying this the officer laid his hand upon Lionel’s arm, who started as if he had been stung. The officer thereupon gave a shrill whistle, and two policemen rushed out from a hiding place in the hedge.
“If you will go quietly with me,” said the officer, “I will dismiss these men.”
“You may rely upon it I shall make no attempt to escape, not that your men would intimidate me were I inclined to have a fight for it,” said Lionel, stretching himself up to his full height and surveying the force. “You represent the law so far that you are its officer: you may dismiss your fellows.”
The chief did so at once, and when he and Lionel reached “The Magpies,” there was a cab waiting to convey them to Brazencrook.
When Earl Verner learnt what had taken place, he rode to Brazencrook, and demanded that Lionel should be released, fumed and threatened, and at last discovered that although he was an Earl and Lord-Lieutenant of the County, the Brazencrook police superintendent was master of the situation. Lionel was taken before the Brazencrook bench, and remanded until the conclusion of the inquest, and was then conveyed to “The Magpies” at the request of the coroner, that he might hear the remainder of the evidence.