Mr. Eden smiled and passed on along the corridor.  He descended from the first floor to the basement.  Here he found Hawes affecting business, but not skillfully enough to hide that he was watching Mr. Eden out.

In the yard leading to the great door he found the injustices.  Aha! thought he—­waiting to see me out.  He raised his hat politely.  Williams took no notice.  The others slight.

“There is many a slip
’Twixt the cup and the lip,”

said he to them, looking them calmly over, then sauntered toward the gate.

Mr. Hawes came creeping after and joined the injustices; every eye furtively watched the parson whom they had outwitted.  Fry himself had gone to the lodge to let him out and keep him out.  He was but a few steps from the door.  Hawes chuckled; his heart beat with exultation.  A nether moment and that huge barrier would be interposed forever between him and his enemy, the prisoners’ friend.

“Open the door, Mr. Fry,” said the chaplain.  Fry pulled it quickly open.  “And let that gentleman in!”

A middle-aged gentleman was paying off his fly.  The door being thus thrown open he walked quickly into the jail as if it belonged to him.

“Who is this?” inquired Mr. Williams sharply.  The newcomer inquired as sharply, “The governor of this jail?”

Mr. Hawes stepped forward:  “I am the governor.”  The newcomer handed him his card and a note.

“Mr. Lacy from the Home Office,” said Mr. Hawes to the injustices.  “These, sir, are the visiting justices.”

Mr. Lacy bowed, but addressed himself to Mr. Hawes only.  “Grave charges have been made against you, sir.  I am here to see whether matters are such as to call for a closer investigation.”

“May I ask, sir, who makes the charges against me?”

“The chaplain of your own jail.”

“But he is my enemy, sir, my personal enemy.”

“Don’t distress yourself.  No public man is safe from detraction.  We hear an excellent account of you from every quarter but this one.  My visit will probably turn to your advantage.”

Hawes brightened.

“Is there any room in which I could conduct this inquiry?”

“Will you be pleased to come to the justices’ room?”

“Yes.  Let us go there at once.  Gentlemen, you shall be present if you choose.”

“It is right you should know the chaplain is cracked,” said Mr. Williams.

“I should not wonder.  Pray,” inquired Mr. Lacy, “who was that bilious-looking character near the gate when I came in?”

“Why, that was the chaplain.”

“I thought so!  I dare say we shall find he has taken a jaundiced view of things.  Send for him, if you please, and let us get through the business as quickly as we can.”

When Mr. Eden came he found Mr. Lacy chatting pleasantly with his four adversaries.  On his entrance the gentleman’s countenance fell a little, and Mr. Eden had the pleasure of seeing that this man, too, was prejudiced against him.