merely making an effort to collect what was legally
due me. Mr. Mainwaring, before leaving England, had voluntarily
bound himself to pay me a certain sum upon the condition that I
would not reveal certain transactions of considerably more than
questionable character. I kept my part of the contract, but he
failed in his. I wrote him, therefore, threatening, unless he
fulfilled his share of the agreement, to institute proceedings
against him, which would naturally involve a disclosure of his secret.
He never paid me in full and the secret is still mine," he paused,
then added slowly, "to keep or to sell, as will pay me best."

"Was Hugh Mainwaring ever married?" the coroner asked, abruptly.

"I believe he was not generally considered a married man, sir."

"Was there ever any private marriage?"

Hobson smiled enigmatically. "You already have the word of the
lady herself, sir; that should be sufficient. I cannot reveal any
of Hugh Mainwaring's secrets,--unless I am well paid for it!"

Hobson was dismissed without further questions, and the examination
being now at an end, the coroner's jury retired to the room in the
rear of the library. Very few left the house, for all felt that
little time would be required for the finding of a verdict, and
comment and opinion were freely exchanged.

"Well," said Mr. Sutherland, turning towards the secretary with a
smile, "they did not learn one fact from that last witness, for I
doubt whether one of the few statements he did make had an iota of
truth in it. By the way, Mr. Scott, it's a very fortunate thing
that you've got the proofs you have. It would be a risky piece of
work to depend on that man's word for proof; he is as slippery as
an eel. With those proofs, however, there is no doubt but that
you've got a strong case."

"It will be hard to convince Ralph Mainwaring of that fact."

"Yes, he looks as though he would hold on to his opinions pretty
tenaciously."

"Not so tenaciously as he would grasp any money coming within his
reach!"

At a little distance, Mr. Whitney was engaged in conversation with
the Englishmen.

"I never thought he could be in any way connected with it," he was
saying. "In the first place, there was no motive, there could be
none; then, again, I believe he is altogether above suspicion. I
know that Mr. Mainwaring had the most implicit confidence in him."

"Well," said Mr. Thornton, "for my part, I'm heartily glad if there
is nothing i