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Finding a doll belonging to George's sister and dead birds at the shrine Arthur suspects that somebody is still persecuting the Edalji family but gets no help from the local police, especially churlish Sergeant Upton, a man with a grudge against the family since they once sacked his sister from a position as their maid. Then a letter is thrown through the vicarage window, recalling the supposedly accidental death of school-teacher Bostock. Another recipient of hate mail is blacksmith William Brookes, whose son Fred grew up with George. When he is found dead after a fire Upton claims it is another accident but Arthur believes otherwise, his investigation leading to a master criminal, Hayden price.

Having discovered that George was in prison with Hayden Price and is now teaching him to read Sir Arthur meets - through the late Bostock's son Harry - Fred Brooke. He establishes that, as schoolboys Harry, George and Fred fell foul of a violent class-mate known as Speck. Sir Arthur's enquiries lead to the adult Speck, who would seem to be the true culprit of the crimes for which George was blamed - though it is too late to convict. However Sir Arthur has great difficulty in convincing the bigoted police that they arrested the wrong man, particularly as Speck had an alibi for some of the crimes. Clearly he had an accomplice and Sir Arthur must unmask them before he finally exonerates George and invites him to his wedding with Jean Leckie.