"What the devil does this mean?" said Jim to himself. "Is it a lie, or a truth? If a lie, Manuel and Joyce are plotting. If true, someone else is taking a hand in the game. I'll see Bess." The advice of Bess was that Jim should go up to Town without delay. "I am sure there is some mischief brewing," she said, "you had better go up by this afternoon's train." "No," said Jim after a pause, "I'll see Steve first. He must know all about this before I go. In fact I think I'll take him with me." "But he has gone away for the day," said Bess, "you know he went out cycling with Ida. He won't be back all day. You have no time to lose." "I'll wait until he comes back," said Herrick. "I tell you what Bess; this may be a scheme to get me away from Stephen, in order that they may try and hurt him during my absence. After that assault of Manuel's I'm never easy in my mind away from the boy. I can't leave him here. If I go up to Town he must come with me." Bess was struck by this view of the matter. There might be something in it, she thought. The consequence was that Herrick waited the return of Stephen and arranged to go up to town with him the next morning. All the same Stephen laughed at Dr. Jim. "You are a a perfect old woman about me!" he said. "I can look after myself!" "I am sure you can deal with honourable foes," said Jim, "but here there is every probability you may be struck in the dark." Stephen shrugged his shoulders. "Very well Jim. You know best. We can go to town by the mid-day express, to-morrow." But before they left "The Pines," they received a surprise. In the Times newspaper which usually arrived shortly after eleven, Stephen found some news which surprised him. He went at once in search of Dr. Jim and found him buttoning his gloves on the door-step waiting for the cart to come round. "What do you think of that Herrick?" said the Squire. "The devil!" said Dr. Jim, and well he might. There was a paragraph in the paper to the effect that the man called Frisco who was wanted for the murder of Colonel Carr of Saxham, had been captured on the preceding day. No further details were given, but what Herrick read was quite sufficient. He dropped the paper and stared at Stephen. "Shall we need go up to Town now?" asked the Squire. "Yes! We must catch this train. Here comes the cart; I shall go and see Joyce at his flat. He may know what this means." "What about Bess?" asked Stephen. "We have no time to talk over the matter with her now. She will see the news in the 'Telegraph.' We can send her a wire from Beorminster station, not to worry herself. Jump in Steve." In a few minutes they were driving hard for the cathedral city. At the station Herrick sent the proposed wire to Biffstead, and they caught the express. "We shall be in town for a few days over this," said Herrick when they were comfortably settled, "I think I can see."