e, it had been necessary as a matter of form to
arrest him also. He went upstairs with them.

"I have brought up two men to sit with you, Knapp, until the Reigate
constables come up. You can take those handcuffs off Mr. Bastow, but
see that he does not leave the room, and do you yourself sit in a chair
against the door, and place one of these men at the window. How about
others?"

"The man you hit first, Squire, did not move until a quarter of an hour
ago; he has been muttering to himself since, but I don't think he is
sensible. The other one has been quiet enough, but there is no doubt
that his arm is broken."

"I am going to ride down to Reigate at once, and will bring back a
surgeon with me."

"You will repent this night's business, Thorndyke!" Arthur Bastow said
threateningly.

"I fancy that you will repent it more than I shall, Bastow; it is likely
that you will have plenty of time to do so."

It was not long before the groom with the horse arrived. John Thorndyke
rode at a gallop down to Reigate, and first called on the head
constable.

"Dawney," he said, as the man came down, partially dressed, at his
summons, "has anything taken place during the night?"

"Yes, Squire, the up coach was stopped a mile before it got here, and
the passengers robbed. It was due here at one, and did not come in till
half an hour later. Of course I was sent for. The guard was shot. There
were two of the fellows. He let fly with his blunderbuss, but he does
not seem to have hit either of them, and one rode up and shot him dead;
then they robbed all the passengers. They got six gold watches, some
rings, and, adding up the amounts taken from all the passengers, about a
hundred and fifty pounds in money."

"Well, I fancy I have got your two highwaymen safe, _Dawney_."

"You have, sir?" the constable said in astonishment.

"Yes. I happened to be at the Rectory. Mr. Bastow had had a quarrel with
his son, and had forbidden him the house."

The constable shook his head. "I am afraid he is a very bad one, that
young chap."

"I am afraid he is, Dawney. However, his father was afraid that he might
come in during the night and make a scene, so I said I would stop with
him, and I took our village constable with me. At two o'clock this
morning the young fellow came with two mounted men, who, I have no
doubt, were highwaymen. We had locked up down below. Bastow took a
ladder, and the three got in at a bedroom window on the first floo