o find herself with her father she would have enquired as to
all that had happened, but Gerard at first discouraged her; at length he
thought it wisest gradually to convey to her that they were prisoners,
but he treated the matter lightly, did not doubt that she would
immediately be discharged, and added that though he might be detained
for a day or so, his offence was at all events bailable and he had
friends on whom he could rely. When Sybil clearly comprehended that
she was a prisoner, and that her public examination was impending, she
became silent, and leaning back in the coach, covered her face with her
hands.

The prisoners arrived at Bow Street; they were hurried into a back
office, where they remained some time unnoticed, several police-men
remaining in the room. At length about twenty minutes having elapsed, a
man dressed in black and of a severe aspect entered the room accompanied
by an inspector of police. He first enquired whether these were the
prisoners, what were their names and descriptions, which each had to
give and which were written down, where they were arrested, why they
were arrested: then scrutinising them sharply he said the magistrate was
at the Home Office, and he doubted whether they could be examined until
the morrow. Upon this Gerard commenced stating the circumstances under
which Sybil had unfortunately been arrested, but the gentleman in black
with a severe aspect, immediately told him to hold his tongue, and when
Gerard persisted, declared that if Gerard did not immediately cease
he should be separated from the other prisoners and be ordered into
solitary confinement.

Another half hour of painful suspense. The prisoners were not permitted
to hold any conversation; Sybil sat half reclining on a form with her
back against the wall, and her face covered, silent and motionless. At
the end of half an hour the inspector of police who had visited them
with the gentleman in black entered and announced that the prisoners
could not be brought up for examination that evening, and they must make
themselves as comfortable as they could for the night. Gerard made a
last appeal to the inspector that Sybil might be allowed a separate
chamber and in this he was unexpectedly successful.

The inspector was a kind-hearted man: he lived at the office and his
wife was the housekeeper. He had already given her an account,
an interesting account, of his female prisoner. The good woman's
imagination was tou