Through Russian Snows Read Online Free PDF Page B

can do anything to
him. Mr. Moorsby has been telling me that you have been to him; but
neither he nor I can do anything in the matter—it is in the civil
hands. If it had been anyone else but Faulkner who had been in charge, I
have no doubt it could have been managed. Of course, your brother ought
not to have been there, but as he was only looking on, and taking no
active part in the affair, he might have been released without any
difficulty. However, I don't think you need worry yourself. Certainly,
we shall not press the case against him. It is unfortunate that he used
his tongue as sharply as he did to Mr. Faulkner, though I don't say but
that he had great provocation, or that what he said was not perfectly
true; still, it would have been much better left unsaid. However, I
question if before the hearing is over Faulkner will not have cause to
regret that he did not let your brother go home as soon as they got back
here."
    He nodded, and Frank understood that there was no more to say, and,
thanking the officer, turned and walked off home. The fisherman met him
on the way.
    "You keep up your heart, Mr. Frank. Me and some of the others have been
having a talk with the coast-guards, and they will be all right. Of
course, there is not one of them that does not know Mr. Julian, so they
won't say more than they can help against him; and every one of them is
glad to hear that he gave it to that Faulkner hot. He ain't no more a
favourite with them than he is with other people, and it was not by
their own will that they ran in and pulled your brother off him. If they
hadn't, he would not have been sitting on the bench to-day, nor for many
a week, I reckon; for he would have been pretty badly burned if he had
fallen across that fire. So you may be sure that they will make it easy
for Mr. Julian, and I expect you will have him back home this evening.
They would never have took him at all if they had known who he was; but,
of course, being dark, and he in his fishing togs, they did not see it
was him."
    Frank returned home in much better spirits than he had left. His aunt
was standing at the window, and hurried to the door to let him in.
    "Well, Frank, have you got him out? I hoped you would have brought him
home with you."
    "There was no chance of that, Aunt. Of course, when anyone is taken and
locked up, he cannot be discharged until the case has been gone into.
But I have seen Mr. Moorsby, the coast-guard officer on shore, and
Captain Downes, and they both say that the case will not be pressed
against him, and that, as he was not taking any part in the affair, and
merely looking on, they don't think anything will be done to him. The
coast-guardsmen who will have to give evidence all know him, and will
not say anything against him if they can help it. So I should not be at
all surprised, Aunt, if we have him back here this afternoon."
    "Oh, I do wish," Mrs. Troutbeck said tearfully, "that it could have been
managed so that he would not have been obliged to be placed in the dock
with smugglers and all sorts of people."
    "It would, no doubt, have been better if it could have been avoided,
Aunt, but there is no helping it; and if he is discharged it won't go
for much against him—certainly not here, where nobody regards smuggling
as a crime."
    At half-past one Frank went down to the court-house. It was already
crowded, but Captain Downes, who came up at the same moment, took him
in, and obtained a place for him at the solicitors' table. The seizure
had created quite a sensation in Weymouth, not only because two or three
Weymouth men were among the prisoners, but because, owing to the fight
that had taken place, the matter was very much more serious than a mere
capture of contraband goods. There was a general buzz of conversation
until three magistrates came in and took their places, and there was a
little murmur of satisfaction as Colonel Chambers, the chairman, took
his seat; for, had he not been present, Mr. Faulkner, who was next