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At last in the blackness of the night a shadowy outline was visible； another tramp or two； it was upon them。
Now the cautious Mr。 Green had stipulated that the pocketbook should first be felt for； and； if not there； the matter should go no farther。 So Edward made a stumble and fell against Mr。 Hardie and felt his left breast： the pocket…book was there：〃Yes；〃 he whispered： and Mr。 Hardie； in the act of remonstrating at his clumsiness； was pinned behind； and his arms strapped with wonderful rapidity and dexterity。 Then first he seemed to awake to his hunger； and uttered a stentorian cry of terror； that rang through the night and made two of his three captors tremble。
〃Cut that〃 said Green sternly； 〃or you'll get into trouble。〃
Mr。 Hardie lowered his voice directly： 〃Do not kill me； do not hurt me；〃 he murmured； 〃I am but a poor man now。 Take my little money； it is in my waistcoat pocket； but spare my life。 You see I don't resist。〃
〃Come； stash your gab； my lad；〃 said Green contemptuously； addressing him just as he would any other of the birds he was accustomed to capture。 〃It's not your stiff that is wanted； but Captain Dodd's。〃
〃Captain Dodd's？〃 cried the prisoner with a wonderful assumption of innocence。
〃Ay； the pocket…book；〃 said Green； 〃here； this！ this！〃 He tapped on the pocket…book； and instantly the prisoner uttered a cry of agony； and sprang into the road with an agility no one would have thought possible but Edward and Green soon caught him； and； the Doctor joining； they held him； and Green tore his coat open。
The pocket…book was not there。 He tore open his waistcoat； it was not in the waistcoat： but it was sewed to his very shirt on the outside。
Green wrenched it away； and bidding the other two go behind the prisoner and look over his shoulder； unseen themselves； slipped the shade of his lantern。
Mr。 Hardie had now ceased to struggle and to exclaim； he stood sullen； mute； desperate； while an agitated face peered eagerly over each of his shoulders at the open pocket…book in Green's hands； on which the lantern now poured a narrow but vivid stream of light。
CHAPTER XXXVI
THERE was not a moment to lose； so Green emptied the pocketbook into his hat； and sifted the contents in a turn of the hand； announcing each discovery in a whisper to his excited and peering associates。
〃A lot of receipts。〃
〃Of no use to any one but me；〃 said the prisoner earnestly。
〃Two miniatures； gold rims； pinchbeck backs。〃
〃They are portraits of my children when young： Heaven forgive me； I could not give them up to my creditors： surely； surely； you will not rob me of them。〃
〃Stash your gab；〃 said Mr。 Green roughly。 〃Here's a guinea； Queen Anne's reign。〃
〃It belonged to my great…grandfather： take it； but you will let me redeem it； I will give L。 5 for it poor as I am： you can leave it on my door…step； and I'll leave the L。 5。〃
〃Stow your gab。 Letters； papers covered with figures。 Stay； what is this？ a lot of memoranda。〃
〃They are of the most private and delicate character。 Pray do not expose my family misfortunes。〃 And Mr。 Hardie； who of late had been gathering composure； showed some signs of agitation； the two figures glaring over his shoulder shared it； and his remonstrance only made Green examine the papers keenly： they might contain some clue to the missing money。 It proved a miscellaneous record： the price of Stocks at various days； notes of the official assignee's remarks in going over the books； &c。 At last； however； Green's quick eye fell upon a fainter entry in pencil； figures： 1； 4； yes； actually L。 14；000。 〃All right；〃 he said： and took the paper close to the lantern； and began to spell it out
〃'This day Alfred told me to my face I had L。 14；000 of Captain Dodd's。 We had an angry discussion。 What can he mean？ Drs。 Wycherley and Osmond； this same day； afflicted me with hints that he is deranged； or partly。 I saw no signs of it before。 Wrote to my brother entreating him to give me L。 200 to replace the sum which I really have wronged this respectable and now most afflicted family of。 I had better withdraw'〃 Here Mr。 Hardie interrupted him with sorrowful dignity： 〃These are mere family matters； if you are a man； respect them。〃
Green went reading on like Fate： 〃'Better withdraw my opposition to the marriage； or else it seems my own flesh and blood will go about the place blackening my reputation。'〃
Mr。 Hardie stamped on the ground。 〃I tell you； on my honour as a gentleman； there's no money there but my grandfather's guinea。 My money is all in my waistcoat pocket； where you _will not_ look。〃
A flutter of uneasiness seemed to come over the detective： he darkened his lantern； and replaced the pocket…book hurriedly in the prisoner's breast； felt him all over in a minute； and to keep up the farce； robbed him。
〃Only eight yellow boys；〃 said he contemptuously to his mates。 He then shipped the money back into Hardie's coat…pocket； and conducted him to his own gate； tied him to it by the waist； and ordered him not to give the alarm for ten minutes on pain of death。
〃I consent；〃 said Mr。 Hardie； 〃and thank you for abstaining from violence。〃
〃All right； my tulip；〃 said Mr。 Green cheerfully； and drew his companions quietly away。 But the next moment he began to run； and making a sudden turn； dived into a street then into a passage； and so winded and doubled till he got to a small public…house： he used some flash word； and they were shown a private room。 〃Wait here an hour for me；〃 he whispered； 〃I must see who liberates him； and whether he is really as innocent as he reads； or we have been countermined by the devil's own tutor。〃
The unexpected turn the evidence had takenevidence of their own choosing； toocleared Mr。 Hardie with the unprofessionals。 Edward embraced this conclusion as a matter of course； and urged the character of that gentleman's solitary traducer： Alfred was a traitor； and therefore why not a slanderer？
Even Sampson； on the whole； inclined to a similar conclusion。
At this crisis of the discussion a red…haired pedlar； with very large whiskers and the remains of a black eye； put his head in； and asked whether Tom Green was there。 〃No；〃 said the Doctor stoutly； not desiring company of this stamp。 〃Don't know the lad。〃
The pedlar laughed： 〃There is not many that do know him at all hours； however； he _is_ here； sir。〃 And he whipped off the red hair； and wiped off the black eye； and ho； Green _ipse。_ He received their compliments on his Protean powers； and told them he had been just a minute too late。 Mr。 Hardie was gone； and so he had lost the chance of seeing who came to help him； and of hearing the first words that passed between the two。 This； he said； was a very great pity； for it would have shown him in one moment whether certain suspicions of his were correct。 Pressed as to what these suspicions were； he begged to be excused saying any more for the present。 The Doctor； however； would not let him off so； but insisted on his candid opinion。
〃Well； sir；〃 said Green； 〃I never was more puzzled in my life； owing to not being near hand when he was untied。 It looks all square； however。 There's one little thing that don't fit somehow。〃
They both asked in a breath what that was。
〃The sovs。 were all marked。〃
They asked how he knew； and had he got them in his pocket to show？
Green uttered a low chuckling laugh： 〃What； me fake the beans； now I live on this side of the hedge？ Never knew a cove mix his liquors that way but it hurt his health soon or late。 No； I took them out of one pocket and felt of them as I slipped them into the other。 Ye see； gents； to do any good on my lay； a man must train his senses as well as his mind： he must have a hare's ear； and a hawk's eye； a bloodhound's nose； and a lady's hand with steel fingers and a silk skin。 Now look at that bunch of fives；〃 continued the master； and laid a hand white and soft as a duchess's on the table： 〃it can put the bracelets on a giant； or find a sharper's nail…mark on the back of the knave of clubs。 The beans were marked。 Which it is a small thing； but it don't fit the rest。 Here's an unsuspicious gent took by surprise； in moonlight meditation fancy free； and all his little private family matters found in his innocent bosom； quite promiscuous； but his beans marked。 That don't dovetail nohow。 Gents； did ever you hear of the man that went to the bottom of the bottomless pit to ease his mind？ Well； he was the head of my family。 I must go to the bottom whether there's one or not。 And just now I see but one way。〃
〃And what is that？〃 inquired both his companions in some alarm。
〃Oh； I mustn't threaten it；〃 said Green； 〃or I shall never have the stomach to do it。 But dear me； this boozing ken is a very unfit place for you；you are champagne…gents； not dog's nose ones。 Now you part and make tracks for home； one on foot and one in a fly。 You won't see me； nor hear of me again； till I've something fresh。〃
And so the confederates parted； and Sampson and Edward met at Albion Villa； and Edward told his mother what they had done； and his conviction that Mr。 Hardie was innocent； and Alfred a slanderer as well as a traitor： 〃And indeed；〃 said he； 〃if we had but stopped to reflect； we should have seen how