“Gentlemen, I wish to consult you.  Be pleased to retire for a minute, sir.”

A discussion took place in the chaplain’s absence.  Williams was for dismissing him on the spot, but the others who were cooler would not hear of it.  “We have made a false move,” said they, “and he saw our mistake and made the most of it.  Never mind! we shall catch him on other ground.”

During this discussion Mr. Eden had not been idle; he went into Robinson’s empty cell and coolly placed there another inkstand, pen and quire in the place of those Hawes had removed.  Then glancing at his watch he ran hastily out of the jail.  Opposite the gate he found four men waiting; they were there by appointment.

“Giles,” said he to one, “I think a gentleman will come down by the next train.  Go to the station and hire Jenkyns’s fly with the gray horse.  Let no one have it who is not coming on to the jail.  You two stay by the printing-press and loom till further orders.  Jackson, you keep in the way, too.  My servant will bring you your dinner at two o’clock.”  He then ran back to the justices.  They were waiting for him.

Mr. Williams began with a cutting coldness.  “We did not wish to go to the length of laying a complaint against you before the bishop, but if you really prefer this to a friendly remonstrance—­”

“I prefer the right thing to the wrong thing,” was the prompt and calm rejoinder.

“The complaint shall be made.”

Mr. Eden bowed and his eyes twinkled.  He pictured to himself this pompous personage writing to the Bishop of ——­ to tell him that he objected to Mr. Eden’s preaching; not that he had ever heard it; but that in attacking a great human vice it had hit a jailer.

“The next I think we can deal with.  Mr. Hawes complains that you constantly interfere between him and the prisoners, and undermine his authority.”

“I support him in all his legal acts, but I do oppose his illegal ones.”

“Your whole aim is to subvert the discipline of the jail.”

“On the contrary, I assure you I am the only officer of the jail who maintains the discipline as by law established.”

“Am I to understand that you give Mr. Hawes the lie?”

“You shall phrase my contradiction according to your own taste, sir.”

“And which do you think is likeliest to be believed?”

“Mr. Hawes by you gentlemen; Mr. Eden by the rest of the nation.”

Here Mr. Palmer put in his word.  “I don’t think we ought to pay less respect to one man’s bare assertion than to another’s.  It is a case for proof.”

“Well, but, Palmer,” replied Woodcock, “how can the jail go on with these two at daggers drawn?”

“It cannot,” said Mr. Eden.

“Ah, you can see that.”

“A house divided against itself!” suggested Mr. Eden.

“Well, then,” said Mr. Woodcock, “let us try and give a more friendly tone to this discussion.”