"Well, really," Mr. Sherwin said, "I don't see why the old man should not remain under the charge of your friends until his injuries terminate one way or the other. Suppose you send the government physician to attend him, and a fortnight from to-day I will call the case up, and decide whether to dismiss it or send it to trial."
"And Follet? Hadn't he better be put under heavy bonds for his appearance?" insinuated the inspector.
"Certainly; it is very important to keep him. Let him be committed to jail until he can find bonds in one thousand pounds;" and with a cheerful wave of his hand, the commissioner left us.
"You see how much you have injured yourself in trying to fasten your crime upon these gentlemen," Mr. Brown remarked, addressing Follet; "if you will make a free confession, I will endeavor to get you as comfortable a sentence as possible."
"Will you?" sneered the wretch; "you shall offer better terms than that before I will let them up. I have the game in my own hands, and my evidence will tell before a jury."
"Take him away," cried Mr. Brown, addressing a policeman; and after the prisoner was out of hearing, he continued, "There is too much truth in what he says, and we have work before us to discover who his accomplice is, and bring him to justice. Even if Mr. Critchet does recover, it is probable that he will not be able to identify his assailants, and in that view of the matter I need not tell you in what a precarious situation you will stand."
We saw the force of his reasoning, and looked to him for advice.
"We must set the police at work to find Follet's accomplice; and I will not leave a stone unturned on 'Gravel Pit Hill,' but I will discover him if in Ballarat"
"And is there any way that we can assist you?" I asked.
The inspector thought for a few moments before he replied.