“The county seat is at Bayport,” observed the lawyer. “We have no judge here who is authorized to accept bail for an accused criminal. Toby Clark must be taken to Bayport for a preliminary hearing, at which I will appear in his behalf, instruct him to plead not guilty and then demand his release on bail. If you will drive over with me, Mr. Spaythe, I’ve no doubt the bail can be easily arranged.”
“When will his case be tried?” asked the banker.
“The next term of court is the first week in December. The trial will of course be at Bayport.”
“What a long time to wait!” exclaimed Janet.
“Never mind; it will give us time to discover the real criminal,” said Phoebe decidedly. “In that event Toby’s case will never be tried.”
Mr. Spaythe nodded. Then he shifted uneasily in his chair a moment and asked:
“Ought we to employ a detective, Mr. Holbrook?”
“Of course!” said Phoebe. “That is the first thing to be done.”
“Pardon me, Miss Daring,” returned the lawyer seriously, “I think that should be reserved as our final resource. Riverdale is so small a place that the movements of every inhabitant may easily be traced. I believe I possess some small talent in the detective way myself—a good criminal lawyer ought to be a good detective, it is said—so if Clark is really innocent it ought not to be difficult to discover the real criminal.”
“I don’t like that ‘if,’ Mr. Holbrook,” said Phoebe resentfully.