e held this
afternoon, you will probably be wanted then, so hold yourself in
readiness."

"I hope you will arrange to get through with me as soon as possible,
Moxlow!"

"We won't put you to any unnecessary inconvenience if we can help it,"
returned Moxlow, with a queer cold smile.

"Thank you," said North and quitted the room.

He sauntered out into the street; he was disposed to consider Mr. Moxlow
as something of a fool, as a rank amateur in the present crisis. He
turned into the Square and halted for an instant before the dingy store
that had been the scene of the recent tragedy. People on the street
paused when they had passed and turned to stare after him, but North was
unaware of this, as he was unaware that his name had come to be the one
most frequently mentioned in connection with the McBride murder.
Suddenly he quickened his step; just ahead of him was Marshall Langham.

"Hello, Marsh!" he said, and stepped eagerly forward with extended hand.

The lawyer paused irresolutely and turned on him a bloated face, but
there was no welcome in the sullen glance.

"Marsh--"

Langham's lips twitched and an angry murmur came from them, but the
words were indistinct.

"What's wrong?" asked North, falling back a step in astonishment.

"Yes, what's wrong!" said Langham in a hoarse whisper. "Hell! You have
nerve to stick out your hand to me--you have bigger nerve to ask me
that,--get out of my way!" and he pushed past North and strode down the
street without a single backward glance.

CHAPTER TWELVE

JOE TELLS HIS STORY

The inquest was held late Saturday afternoon in the bleak living-room of
the McBride house. The coroner had explained the manner in which the
murdered man had come to his death, and as he finished he turned to
Moxlow. The prosecuting attorney shifted his position slightly, thrust
out his long legs toward the wood-stove, and buried his hands deep in
his trousers pockets, then he addressed the jury.

They were there, he told them, to listen to certain facts that bore on
the death of Archibald McBride. If, after hearing these facts, they
could say they pointed to any person or persons as being implicated in
the murder, they were to name the person or persons, and he would see
that they were brought before the grand jury for indictment. They were
to bear in mind, however, that no one was on trial, and that no one was
accused of the crime about to be investigated, yet they must not forget