"By my landlady and a dozen of her boarders. I was playing cards, and won a hundred dollars," said Bragg. "Tom Seddon," shouted Toney, "run to Captain Bragg's boarding-house, and tell the landlady and her boarders to come immediately to the magistrate's office." Captain Bragg was brought into the office. "Take off the handcuffs," said the justice. "A party accused should be unmanacled when he has a hearing." Jim took off the handcuffs, and then stationed himself at the door with his hand on his revolver, ready to shoot down the desperate burglar if he should attempt to escape. "Now, Mr. Belton," said the justice, "we will proceed with the examination." The landlady swore that Captain Bragg was in her house at twelve o'clock on the preceding night. Her testimony was fully corroborated by that of a dozen of her boarders. An alibi had already been clearly established by the evidence, when the merchant who had been robbed walked into the room. He approached Bragg and scrutinized his countenance. "This is not the man," said he. "The robber was a much handsomer man than the ugly old fellow you have got here." In consequence of this testimony Captain Bragg was discharged from custody; but he was so mortified and humiliated at having been handcuffed and charged with burglary that he immediately took his departure from Bella Vista; telling Toney that he intended to leave the United States, and seek an asylum among the islands of the Pacific Ocean. CHAPTER XVII. "It is too bad! it is too bad!" exclaimed Tom Seddon, rushing into the room which Toney and the Professor were quietly fumigating with a couple of havanas. "It is terrible to think of!" "What's the matter, Tom?" said Toney. "Has old Crabstick been afflicted with another fit of canine rabies, and bit you on the calf of the leg?" "Harry Vincent and Clarence Hastings have gone to Mexico!" said Tom. "Well, what of that?" said Toney. "Thousands of young men have gone thither, and many have won distinction; and from my knowledge of Harry and Clarence, I am certain that both of them will soon gather luxuriant crops of laurel on the field of battle." "But Claribel Carrington is dying," said Seddon. "What?" exclaimed Toney. "Dying?" said the Professor. "I fear it is so," said Tom. "I was at Colonel Hazlewood's house this morning when the newspaper was brought in. Claribel took it in her hand and was glancing over it when she suddenly let it drop; sat speechless for a moment; put her hand to her brow, and then, with a faint cry, sank senseless on the floor. She had seen the paragraph announcing the departure of Clarence and Harry. We lifted her up and her lips were discolored with blood. I fear that the sudden shock produced the rupture of a blood-vessel. She was carried to her room, and two doctors are in attendance." "But what of Imogen?" asked Toney.