Saying this the officer laid his hand upon Lionel’s arm, who started as if he had been stung. The officer thereupon gave a shrill whistle, and two policemen rushed out from a hiding place in the hedge. “If you will go quietly with me,” said the officer, “I will dismiss these men.” “You may rely upon it I shall make no attempt to escape, not that your men would intimidate me were I inclined to have a fight for it,” said Lionel, stretching himself up to his full height and surveying the force. “You represent the law so far that you are its officer: you may dismiss your fellows.” The chief did so at once, and when he and Lionel reached “The Magpies,” there was a cab waiting to convey them to Brazencrook. When Earl Verner learnt what had taken place, he rode to Brazencrook, and demanded that Lionel should be released, fumed and threatened, and at last discovered that although he was an Earl and Lord-Lieutenant of the County, the Brazencrook police superintendent was master of the situation. Lionel was taken before the Brazencrook bench, and remanded until the conclusion of the inquest, and was then conveyed to “The Magpies” at the request of the coroner, that he might hear the remainder of the evidence. The jurymen were considerably surprised at what the Brazencrook officer had done, and so was the coroner, who said, in commencing the business of the day, that the superintendent had, he hoped, acted on evidence which had come to his knowledge since the business of the previous day; otherwise he had no hesitation in saying that he had committed a serious error. He was a plain, outspoken fellow, this Severnshire coroner, who, though he might not always conduct his investigation with legal discretion, fearlessly searched out the truth, and endeavoured to do justice. It was soon noised abroad that the Earl’s brother was in custody; and this fact was conclusive in the minds of large numbers of persons, especially of the lower order, that he was guilty. There was a great crowd about the inn on this second day, and a numerous body of policemen, chiefly of the county force, to keep the mob in order. “The Magpies” never had so good a time of it. The landlord had been compelled to send into Brazencrook for fresh supplies of beer and spirits, and several additional waiters had to be employed in serving the thirsty customers.