We found nothing on Mr.
Bastow.

I went with the head constable to Mr.Bastow's room and searched it thoroughly, but found nothing whatever there." The evidence created a great sensation in court.

John Thorndyke had first intended to ask Knapp not to make any mention of the fact that Arthur Bastow was carrying pistols unless the question was directly put to him.

But the more he had thought over the matter, the more convinced was he that the heavier the sentence the better it would be for the Rector; and when he had heard from the latter that there was nothing left in his son's room that could be brought against him, and that he could not be charged with the capital crime of being a receiver, he thought it best to let matters take their course.
The head constable was the next witness.

He deposed to the finding of the articles produced upon the two elder prisoners and the unsuccessful search of the younger prisoner's room.
"You did not search the house further ?" the chairman inquired.
"No, sir; I wanted to get the prisoners down here as fast as I could, seeing that two of them were seriously hurt." The chairman nodded.
"You will, of course, make a careful search of the whole house, constable." "Yes, sir; I left one of my men up there with instructions to allow no one to go upstairs until I returned." "Quite right." John Thorndyke was the next witness, and his evidence cleared up what had hitherto been a mystery to the general body of the public, as to how he and the constable happened to be in the house on watch when the highwaymen arrived.