er walk away, and as he was doing so, saw Mr. Edward
Wilson strike him with a stick?"

"Yes; he knocked him down."

"Will you tell us what followed?"

"I saw Mr. Stepaside get up, and I thought he was going to attack
Wilson. There was a look of murder in his eyes, as I thought, but he
didn't do owt. He simply said that he'd pay him out for this, or
summat of that sort. And I said to my mate, 'Stepaside'll kill Wilson
for that.'"

This evidence, which was given in the rough Lancashire dialect, was
nevertheless very impressive. The witness and Mr. Bakewell made the
jury see, as if in a picture, the two men quarrelling, Wilson striking
an angry blow, and Paul breathing out murder against him.

"John Scott," said Paul, when he rose to cross-examine him, "you've
known me a good many years?"

"Ay; I've known you ever since you came to Brunford."

"You know the kind of man I am?"

"Ay; I think so."

"You say you saw me walk away from Wilson, who lifted his stick and
struck me down?"

"Ay, I did."

"After I had been stunned for two or three minutes I rose to my feet?"

"Ay."

"We were in a lonely place at that time, and you say I was unaware of
your presence?"

"Yes; that is so."

"Do you not think if I meant to murder Wilson that I should not have
done it at the time when my anger was aroused, rather than wait several
hours?"

"Weel, I should think so; but there's no knowing."

"Just so. Now I want to ask you another question. As you know, it has
been stated many times that the murdered man had no enemy in Brunford
beside myself: would you say that was true?"

"No, I shouldn't. My Nick hated him like he hated the devil. He were
a kind-hearted lad, but Ned Wilson treated him terribly bad. Nick is
out of the country now, but there's no doubt he has a grudge against
Wilson."

"Do you know of any others in Brunford who have a similar feeling
towards him?"

"Weel, I know that there was no love lost between Ned Wilson and lots
of people."

This led to many more questions and answers which went to destroy the
illusion that the murdered man had been universally popular. And for
some time after that the trial seemed to go in Paul's favour rather
than against him.

Then it seemed as though a bolt came from the blue. A man was called
into the box who had not appeared in the previous trial. He was a
collier, who appeared in a great state of nervousness.

"You were returning to Brunford on the