For within the next half-hour he heard Tim Downey accuse Colonel Darringford of having hired him to burn the _Spray_. He heard the colonel admit it. Tim told how Dean had been drugged and robbed, and how Rodney had cashed the eight thousand dollar check. The craven colonel promised to pay Tim’s demand to free his son and remove the possibility of arrest for his share in the burning of the _Spray_. “The villains!” gasped Morton. “Dean, you are indeed an innocent, wronged victim of a terrible plot.” “Will you arrest them, sir?” asked Dean eagerly. “The colonel, no. We must proceed cautiously.” “But, Tim?” “Yes.” Colonel Darringford left the hotel. A minute later the astounded Tim Downey was confronted by the Millville marshal. He slept in the city jail that night. Before morning he had confessed everything, under a promise of light punishment for his share in the plot against Dean Mercer. That night, too, several policemen left Springfield to arrest Daley, Spofford and Rodney at the cave near Portsmouth. And the next morning a messenger left for Millville to bring Judge Oglesby and Lawyer Montague at once to Springfield. CHAPTER XXXVII. THE RECKONING. The news of the happening of the last few days flew rapidly, as news good and bad usually does. The papers in Springfield devoted columns with flaring headlines, to the developments of affairs which effected so many. “See!” cried pretty Eva Oglesby, running to her father and mother with the paper in her hand, “Dean has found out the whole cause of the trouble against him, and caught the wicked persons. “Tim Downey has confessed to his wrongdoings and confirmed Dean’s story. Rodney Darringford--only think of it!--was with him in his crimes. And Colonel Darringford actually hired Tim to burn the _Spray_! Can you realize that, papa? Tim hired two men to do his nasty work, and Dean has captured them.” “A wonderful boy indeed,” said Judge Oglesby, with a smile, for secretly he felt as glad as his daughter that his favorite had proved himself of sterling truth and worth. A few days later the trial of Tim Downey and his associates came on the docket at Springfield. That is, Daley and Spofford were tried, but Colonel Darringford and his son had disappeared and they were never seen in that vicinity again. So they escaped trial by the court, but we feel certain they had learned a lesson which lasted them through life. Tim was sent to the reform school and his confederates to the penitentiary. In the midst of this trial Marcus Ellison appeared, accompanied by the woman who had been known as Crazy Meg. Manseur, who was wanted so much, had been found by Marcus, but he was suffering from a fall and could not come hither. In fact, he had but a few days to live.