'Why does not Sergeant Machinson lay him by the heels?' asked the doctor.
'That is a question I have frequently asked myself,' said the magistrate. 'You see, Machinson holds a very responsible position and works a large district, and so far as I know does his duty, but I have often thought he ought to pay a little more attention to Barker's Creek and its inhabitants.'
'And you are quite right too,' said Jim Dennis. 'If you knew all Machinson's little games he would not be sergeant in your district long.'
Adye Dauntsey looked grave. He had his doubts about the sergeant's integrity himself, but it was a difficult case to inquire into. If he made a mistake there would be nothing for him to do but to resign his position. He must be very sure before he moved.
'One thing I must do,' he said, 'I will instruct Machinson to inquire into this assault upon your son, Dennis; and I shall expect him to find out the culprit.'
'That he will not do,' was Jim's answer.
'Why?'
'Because I firmly believe Dalton had a hand in it.'
'And why should it prevent him from doing his duty?' asked Adye.
'That is best known to himself. Machinson has never been fair to me. He still believes, or professes to do so, that I had a hand in that Potter affair, and he circulated a rumour at the time that I was responsible for the Seahorse business.'