CHAPTER II
They ransacked the straw, and all the premises, and found—nothing.
Then, to make him sober and get something out of him, they pumped upon his head till he was very nearly choked. However, it told on him. He gasped for breath awhile, and rolled his eyes, and then coolly asked them had they found the villain.
They shook their fists at him. "Ay, we have found the villain, red-handed."
"I mean him as prowls about these parts in my waistcoat, and drove his knife into me last night—wonder a didn't kill me out of hand. Have ye found him amongst ye?"
This question met with a volley of jeers and execrations and the constables pinioned him, and bundled him off in a cart to Bow Street, to wait examination.
Meantime two Bow Street runners came down with a warrant, and made a careful examination of the premises. The two keys were on the table. Mr. Gardiner's outer door was locked. There was no money either in his portmanteau of Captain Cowen's. Both pistols were found loaded, but no priming in the pan of the one that lay on the bed; the other was primed, but the bullets were above the powder.
Bradbury, one of the runners, took particular notice of all.
Outside, blood was traced from the stable to the garden wall, and under this wall, in the grass, a bloody knife was found belonging to the "Swan" Inn. There was one knife less in Mr. Gardiner's room than had been carried up to his supper.
Mr. Gardiner lingered till noon, but never spoke again.