"
The hours passed slowly, although Tony did his best to divert them,
by telling stories of various arrests and captures in which he had
been concerned. The clock had just struck five, when they heard a
step coming up the quiet street.
"That is likely to be the man," Tony said. "It is about the hour we
expected him."
He blew out the candle and opened the door quietly, and they went
out into the passage. A moment later the step stopped at the door,
the latch clicked, and it was opened. A man entered, and closed the
door behind him. As he did so Charlie, who had marked his exact
position, made a step forward and threw his arms round him.
The man gave an exclamation of surprise and alarm, and then
struggled fiercely, but he was in the hands of one far stronger
than himself. A moment later, he felt that his assailant was not
alone, for he was grasped by the throat, and at the same time he
felt something cold close round his wrists. There was a sharp
click, and he knew that he was handcuffed.
Then a low voice said, "I arrest you, in the name of the queen, for
being concerned in the robbery of the Portsmouth coach at Dorking."
Then a gag was forced between his teeth. Bewildered at the
suddenness of the attack, he ceased to struggle, and remained
quiet, in the grasp of his captors, till there was the sound of the
striking of flint and steel hard by.
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