set in the stocks, but the mayor had made light of the affair, and
had altogether seemed in an unusually good state of temper. Dame
Anthony at once connected this with Jack's disappearance. She knew
that the list had been made out by the mayor, and the idea that
her husband had taken this means of getting rid of Jack, and that
he was exulting over the success of his scheme, flashed across her.
As the mayor was away at the town hall she was forced to wait till
his return to dinner; but no sooner had the meal been concluded
and Andrew Carson and the two assistants had left the table than
she began:

"Richard, I want to look at the list of the men who were pressed."

The request scarcely came as a surprise upon the clothier. He had
made up his mind that his wife would be sure sooner or later to
discover that Jack was missing, and would connect his disappearance
with the operations of the press gang.

"What do you want to see that for?" he asked shortly.

"I want to see who have been taken," his wife said. "There is no
secret about it, I suppose?"

"No, there is no secret," the mayor replied. "According to the
act of parliament and the request of her majesty's minister I drew
up a list of fifty of the most useless and disreputable of the
inhabitants of this town, and I rejoice to say that the place is
rid of them all. The respectable citizens are all grateful to me
for the manner in which I have fulfilled the task laid upon me, and
as to the clamor of a few angry women, it causes me not a moment's