Tom, all right now, walked along, his head up, escorting Arthur with as little shame to public examination, as he would have done to a public crowning. It was not the humiliation of undeserved suspicion that could daunt the Channings: the consciousness of guilt could alone effect that. Hitherto, neither guilt nor its shadow had fallen upon them.
“Tom,” asked Arthur, when they had reached the hall, and were about to enter: “will you do me a little service?”
“Won’t I, though! what is it?”
“Make the best of your way to Mr. Williams’s, and tell him I am prevented from taking the organ this afternoon.”
“I shan’t tell him the reason,” said Tom.
“Why not? In an hour’s time it will be known from one end of Helstonleigh to the other.”
CHAPTER XXIV. — THE EXAMINATION.
The magistrates sat on the bench in the town-hall of Helstonleigh. But, before the case was called on—for the police had spoken too fast in saying they were waiting for it—Arthur became acquainted with one great fact: that it was not Mr. Galloway who had driven matters to this extremity. Neither was he aware that Arthur had been taken into custody. Mr. Butterby had assumed the responsibility, and acted upon it. Mr. Butterby, since his interview with Mr. Galloway in the morning, had gathered, as he believed, sufficiently corroborating facts to establish, or nearly so, the guilt of Arthur Channing. He supposed that this was all Mr. Galloway required to remove his objection to stern measures; and, in procuring the warrant for the capture, Mr. Butterby had acted as for Mr. Galloway.