come forward, and as soon as he could recover from
his astonishment, the old farmer cried out:

"What does this mean?"

"It means," said Robert coolly, "that we have arrested your nephew for
burglary, and that he must go with us."

[Illustration: "Newton Edwards, I want you!"]

The moon just then came peeping from behind a cloud, and fell upon the
haggard face and wild eyes of the hapless prisoner, who until then had
not uttered a word.

"It is all a mistake, Uncle Ben," faltered he; "but there is no use of
making a denial here; if the blow has fallen, I must meet it like a
man."

The old man, with tears in his honest old eyes, gazed for a moment at
his miserable relative, and then, putting his sturdy old arms around
him, he turned to the officers:

"Gentlemen, I suppose it is your duty. I have no fault to find. If the
boy has done wrong, he must suffer; but bring him to the house now, and
in the morning you can go your way."

His offer was accepted, and directing the constable to return to his own
home with his carriage, the others walked slowly up the lane toward the
house.

But few words were spoken during the night. The old farmer and his wife
retired to their room, and during the few hours that remained, their
voices could be heard as they sorrowfully discussed the painful
situation.

Securing Edwards' effects, which consisted of a small portmanteau, they
learned from the honest old farmer, whose word was as true as gold, that
nothing else belonging to the young man was in the house. All attempts
to induce the young man to speak were unavailing, and they finally let
him alone, and during the long hours he maintained a dogged silence. The
detectives patiently awaited the dawning of the morn. At last the
eastern sky was tinged with red, and the faint beams of a new day came
streaming in through the windows of the old-farm house; and then
Edwards, after bidding a tearful adieu to his aged and stricken
relatives, and accompanied by the officers, left the house and proceeded
on his way to McDonald, to commence his journey to Chicago.

CHAPTER XI.

Newton Edwards brought back to Chicago--Attempt to Induce a
Confession--A Visit to his Relatives--The Burglar Broken Down.

It was in the gray dawn of the morning when the party arrived at the
house of the constable, Daniel Bascom. Here breakfast was prepared, and
after full justice had been done to a bountiful repast, an examination
of the effects of