‘It is true?’

‘There is no doubt of it.’

‘And the party are splitting against each other?’ asked Mr. Babington eagerly.

‘Two of them have already sworn that what they swore before was false.’

‘Then why don’t they let him out?’

‘Why not, indeed?’ said Mr. Caldigate.

’I should have thought they wouldn’t have lost a moment in such a case.  They’ve got one of the best fellows in the world at the Home Office.  His name is Brown.  If you could have seen Brown I’m sure he wouldn’t have let them delay a minute.  The Home Office has the reputation of being so very quick.’

In answer to this the squire of Folking only shook his head.  He would not even condescend to say that he had seen Brown, and certainly not to explain that Brown had seemed to him to be the most absurdly-cautious and courteously-dilatory man that he had ever met in his life.  In Trumpington Street they parted, Mr. Caldigate proceeding at once to Folking, and Mr. Babington going to the office of Mr. Seely the attorney.  ‘He’ll be out in a day or two,’ said the man of Suffolk, again shaking his brother-in-law’s hand; ’and do you tell him from me that I hope it won’t be long before we see him at Babington.  I’ve been true to him almost from the first, and his aunt has come over now.  There is no one against him but Julia, and these are things of course which young women won’t forget.’

Mr. Caldigate almost became genial as he accepted this assurance, telling himself that his brother magistrate was as honest as he was silly.

Mr. Babington, who was well known in Cambridge, asked many questions of many persons.  From Mr. Seely he heard but little.  Mr. Seely had heard of the arrest made at Plymouth, but did not quite know what to think about it.  If it was all square, then he supposed his client must after all be innocent.  But this went altogether against the grain with Mr. Seely.  ‘If it be so, Mr. Babington,’ he said, ’I shall always think the paying away of that twenty thousand pounds the greatest miracle I ever came across.’  Nevertheless, Mr. Seely did believe that the two witnesses had been arrested on a charge of perjury.

The squire then went to the governor of the jail, who had been connected with him many years as a county magistrate.  The governor had heard nothing, received no information as to his prisoner from any one in authority; but quite believed the story as to Crinkett and the woman.  ‘Perhaps you had better not see him, Mr. Babington,’ said the governor, ’as he has heard nothing as yet of all this.  It would not be right to tell him till we know what it will come to.’  Assenting to this, Mr. Babington took his leave with the conviction on his mind that the governor was quite prepared to receive an order for the liberation of his prisoner.

He did not dare to go to Robert Bolton’s office, but he did call at the bank.  ‘We have heard nothing about it, Mr. Babington,’ said the old clerk over the counter.  But then the old clerk added in a whisper, ’None of the family take to the news, sir; but everybody else seems to think there is a great deal in it.  If he didn’t marry her I suppose he ought to be let out.’