Holdfast and Ransome had an ally inside the house.

Eliza Watney had come in from another town, and had no Hillsborough prejudices.

She was furious at this new outrage on Little, who had won her regard, and she hoped her brother-in-law would reveal all he knew.

Such a confession, she thought, might remove the stigma from himself to those better-educated persons, who had made a tool of her poor ignorant relative.
Accordingly no sooner did the nurse Little had provided inform her, in a low voice, that there was A CHANGE, than she put on her bonnet, and went in all haste to Mr.Holdfast, and also to the chief constable, as she had promised them to do.
But of course she could not go without talking.

She met an acquaintance not far from the door, and told her Ned was near his end, and she was going to tell the gentlemen.
Dan Tucker stepped up to this woman, and she was as open-mouthed to him as Eliza had been to her.