‘Sir George,’ he said, puffing out his cheeks, ’her ladyship is quite right.  I—­I am sorry to interfere, but you know me, and what my position is on the Rota.  And I do not think I can stand by any longer—­which might be adaerere culpae.  This is a serious case, and I doubt I shall not be justified in allowing you to depart without some more definite explanation.  Abduction, you know, is not bailable.  You are a Justice yourself, Sir George, and must know that.  If this person therefore—­who I understand is an attorney—­desires to lay a sworn information, I must take it.’

‘In heaven’s name, sir,’ Soane cried desperately, ’take it!  Take what you please, but let me take the road.’

‘Ah, but that is what I doubt, sir, I cannot do,’ the Justice answered.  ‘Mark you, there is motive, Sir George, and praesentia in loco,’ he continued, swelling with his own learning.  ’And you have a partem delicti on you.  And, moreover, abduction is a special kind of case, seeing that if the participes criminis are free the femme sole, sometimes called the femina capta, is in greater danger.  In fact, it is a continuing crime.  An information being sworn therefore—­’

‘It has not been sworn yet!’ Sir George retorted fiercely.  ’And I warn you that any one who lays a hand on me shall rue it.  God, man!’ he continued, horror in his voice, ’cannot you understand that while you prate here they are carrying her off, and that time is everything?’

‘Some persons have gone in pursuit,’ the landlord answered with intent to soothe.

‘Just so; some persons have gone in pursuit,’ the Justice echoed with dull satisfaction.  ’And you, if you went, could do no more than they can do.  Besides, Sir George, the law must be obeyed.  The sole point is’—­he turned to Mr. Fishwick, who through all had stood by, his face distorted by grief and perplexity—­’do you wish, sir, to swear the information?’

Mrs. Masterson had fainted at the first alarm and been carried to her room.  Apart from her, it is probable that only Sir George and Mr. Fishwick really entered into the horror of the girl’s position, realised the possible value of minutes, or felt genuine and poignant grief at what had occurred.  On the decision of one of these two the freedom of the other now depended, and the conclusion seemed foregone.  Ten minutes earlier Mr. Fishwick, carried away by the first sight of Sir George, and by the rage of an honest man who saw a helpless woman ruined, had been violent enough; Soane’s possession of the fan—­not then known to him—­was calculated to corroborate his suspicions.  The Justice in appealing to him felt sure of support; and was much astonished when Mr. Fishwick, in place of assenting, passed his hand across his brow, and stared at the speaker as if he had suddenly lost the power of speech.