last
crowded inch of standing-room; did not note the scores of sympathetic
faces of her anxious, loyal friends and neighbors; did not even see her
father and Otto standing inside the railing, faith and courage in their
eyes as they saw her advancing.

The magistrate studied her over the tops of his glasses, and his look
became more and more gentle and kindly. "Come up here on the platform
in front of me," he said.

Hilda took her stand with only the high desk between him and her. The
magistrate's tone and his kind, honest, old face reassured her. And
just then she felt a pressure at her elbow and heard in Otto's voice:
"We're all here. Don't be afraid."

"Have you counsel--a lawyer?" asked the magistrate.

"No," replied Hilda. "I haven't done anything wrong. I don't need a
lawyer."

The magistrate's eyes twinkled, but he sobered instantly to say, "I
warn you that the case against you looks grave. You had better have
legal help."

Hilda looked at him bravely. "I've only the truth to tell," she
insisted. "I don't want a lawyer."

"We'll see," said the magistrate, giving her an encouraging smile. "If
it is as you say, you certainly won't need counsel. Your rights are
secure here." He looked at Captain Hanlon, who was also on the
platform. "Captain," said he, "your first witness--the man who found
the body."

"Meinert," said the captain in a low tone to a court officer, who
called loudly, "Meinert! Meinert!"

A man stood up in the crowd. "You don't want me!" he shouted, as if he
were trying to make himself heard through a great distance instead of a
few feet.

"You want--"

"Come forward!" commanded the magistrate sharply, and when Meinert
stood before him and beside Hilda and had been sworn, he said, "Now,
tell your story."

"The man--Feuerstein," began Meinert, "came into my place about
half-past one yesterday. He looked a little wild--as if he'd been
drinking or was in trouble. He went back into the sitting-room and I
sent in to him and--"

"Did you go in?"

"No, your Honor."

"When did you see him again?"

"Not till the police came."

"Stand down. I want evidence, not gossip. Captain Hanlon, who found
the body? Do you know?"

"Your Honor, I understood that Mr. Meinert found it."

The magistrate frowned at him. Then he said, raising his voice, "Does
ANY ONE know who found the body?"

"My man Wielert did," spoke up Meinert.

A bleached German boy with a cowlick in the ce