Arthur & George

18th September; also with sending a letter, on or about 11th July, to Sergeant Robinson at Cannock, threatening to kill him.
    Mr Disturnal was a tall, sleek figure, with a swift manner to him. After a brief opening speech, he called Inspector Campbell, and the whole story began again: the discovery of the mutilated pony, the search of the Vicarage, the bloodstained clothing, the hairs on the coat, the anonymous letters, the prisoner’s arrest and subsequent statements. It was just a story, George knew, something made up from scraps and coincidences and hypotheses; he knew too that he was innocent; but something about the repetition of the story by an authority in wig and gown made it take on extra plausibility.
    George thought Campbell’s evidence was finished, when Mr Disturnal produced his first surprise.
    ‘Inspector Campbell, before we conclude, there is a matter of great public anxiety, about which you are, I think, able to enlighten us. On September 21st, I understand, a horse was found maimed at the farm of a Mr Green.’
    ‘That is correct, sir.’
    ‘Mr Green’s farm is very close to the Vicarage of Great Wyrley?’
    ‘It is.’
    ‘And the police have conducted an investigation into this outrage?’
    ‘Indeed. As a matter of urgency and priority.’
    ‘And has this investigation been successful?’
    ‘Yes it has, sir.’
    Mr Disturnal hardly needed the elaborate pause he now threw in; the whole courtroom was waiting like an open-mouthed child.
    ‘And will you tell the court the result of your investigation?’
    ‘John Harry Green, who is the son of the farmer on whose land the outrage took place, and who is a Yeomanry trooper of the age of nineteen, has admitted committing the action against his own horse. He has signed a confession to this effect.’
    ‘He admitted full and sole responsibility?’
    ‘He did.’
    And you questioned him about any possible connection between this outrage and previous ones in the district?’
    ‘Yes, we did. Extensively, sir.’
    ‘And what did he state?’
    ‘That this was an isolated occurrence.’
    ‘And did your investigations confirm that the outrage at Green’s farm had absolutely nothing to do with any other outrage in the vicinity?’
    ‘They did.’
    ‘No connection at all?’
    ‘No connection at all, sir.’
    ‘And is John Harry Green in court today?’
    ‘Yes, he is, sir.’
    George, like everyone else in the crowded court, started looking around for a nineteen-year-old trooper who admitted mutilating his own horse without apparently supplying the police with any good reason for having done so. But at that moment, Sir Reginald Hardy decided that it was time for his luncheon.
    Mr Meek’s first duties were with Mr Vachell; only then did he come to the room where George was held during adjournments. His demeanour was lugubrious.
    ‘Mr Meek, you did warn us about Disturnal. We knew to expect something. And at least we shall be able to have a go at Green this afternoon.’
    The solicitor shook his head grimly. ‘Not a chance of it.’
    ‘Why not?’
    ‘Because he’s their witness. If they don’t put him up, we can’t cross-examine him. And we can’t take the risk of calling him blind as we don’t know what he might say. It could be devastating. Yet they produce him in court so it looks as if they’re being open with everyone. It’s clever. It’s typical Disturnal. I should have thought of it, but I didn’t know anything about this confession. It’s bad.’
    George felt it only his duty to cheer his solicitor up. ‘I can see it’s frustrating, Mr Meek, but is there any real harm? Green said – and the police said – it had nothing to do with any other outrage.’
    ‘That’s just the point. It’s not what they say – it’s how it looks. Why should a man disembowel a horse – his own horse – for no apparent reason? Answer: to help out a friend and neighbour charged with a similar offence.’
    ‘But he’s not my friend. I doubt I would even recognize him.’
    ‘Yes, I know. And when we take the considerable risk of putting you in the box, you will tell Mr Vachell that. But it’s bound to look as if you’re denying an allegation that hasn’t in fact been made. It’s clever. Mr Vachell will assail the Inspector this afternoon, but I don’t think we should be optimistic.’
    ‘Mr Meek, I could not help noticing that in Campbell’s evidence he said that the clothing of mine he found – the coat I hadn’t worn for