Then Tony came out of the
parlour with a lighted candle, the highwayman was lifted into the
room, and the door was shut.
He then saw that his captors were three in number. There were two
young gentlemen, and a smaller man, who, as he looked at him, held
out a badge, and showed that he was an officer of the law. His
pistols and sword were removed, then his pockets were searched, and
two watches and three purses, with some rings and bracelets, were
taken out and laid on the table.
"It came off, you see," Tony said to Charlie.
"Well, Master Nicholson, to use one of your aliases, of which you
have, no doubt, a score or more, you may consider yourself under
arrest, not only for the robbery of the Portsmouth coach three
weeks ago, but of the North coach last evening."
The prisoner started. It seemed impossible to him that that affair
should be known yet, still less his connection with it.
"You know what that means?" Tony went on grimly. "Tyburn. Now I am
going to make you a little safer still. You have been a hard bird
to catch, and we don't mean to let you slip through our fingers
again."
So saying, he bound his arms closely to his side with a rope, and
then, with a shorter piece, fastened his ankles securely together.
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