"Half-a-crown and costs," said the High Bailiff; and then reaching over to his clerk he asked if that was the last case for the day.
"Yes, your Worship," said the Clerk, and the High Bailiff was pushing back his chair, when the Chief Constable rose with an air of importance.
"Your Worship, I have a serious charge to make."
He beckoned to the policeman at the back, who opened the door of the dock and Stowell stepped into it.
"I charge his Honour Deemster Victor Stowell, on his own confession, with breaking prison on Sunday night last between the hours of ten and twelve, to effect the escape from custody of a prisoner lying there under sentence of death."
The High Bailiff seemed to be stupefied and the charge had to be repeated to him.
"Eh? What? God bless my soul! On his own confession, you say? Is the Deemster well? What conceivable motive...."
"I will give formal evidence, your Worship, and ask for a committal to General Gaol, when the question of motive will be fully gone into."
"Well, well! Good gracious me! If it must be it must. It is my painful duty to put the Deemster back for trial. But I suggest that a doctor be asked to see him immediately. And meantime" (the High Bailiff turned to the reporters, who were now busy enough over their note-books), "may I request the representatives of the press to publish nothing about this painful matter at present?"
It was all over in a few minutes. The door behind the Jury-box was opened again and Stowell and the policeman returned to the cells.