e had liked Tom from
the first time he saw her,--he had looked after her stables
professionally,--and he did not intend to see her, dead or alive, thrown
out, without making a fight for her.

"I move," said he, "that the president appoint a committee of this board
to jump into the nearest wagon, drive to Mrs. Grogan's, and find out
whether she is still alive. If she's dead, that settles it; but if she's
alive, I will protest against anything being done about this matter for
ten days. It won't take twenty minutes to find out; meantime we can take
up the unfinished business of the last meeting."

One of the gentlemen of leisure seconded this motion; it was carried
unanimously, and this gentleman of leisure was himself appointed courier
and left the room in a hurry. He had hardly reached the street when he
was back again, followed closely by Dempsey, Quigg, Crimmins, Justice
Rowan, and, last of all, fumbling with his fur cap, deathly pale, and
entirely sober--Dan McGaw.

"There's no use of my going," said the courier trustee, taking his seat.
"Grogan won't live an hour, if she ain't dead now. She had a sick horse
that wanted looking after, and she went into the stable without a light,
and he let drive, and broke her skull. She's got a gash the length of
your hand--wasn't that it, Mr. McGaw?"

McGaw nodded his head.

"Yes; that's about it," he said. The voice seemed to come from his
stomach, it was so hollow.

"Did you see her, Mr. McGaw?" asked the Scotchman in a positive tone.

"How c'u'd I be a-seein' her whin I been in New Yorruk 'mos' all day? D'
ye think I'm runnin' roun' to ivery stable in the place? I wuz a-comin'
'cross lots whin I heared it. They says the horse had blin' staggers."

"How do you know, then?" asked the Scotchman suspiciously. "Who told you
the horse kicked her?"

"Well, I dunno; I think it wuz some un"--

Dempsey looked at him and knit his brow. McGaw stopped.

"Don't you know enough of a horse to know he couldn't kick with blind
staggers?" insisted the Scotchman.

McGaw did not answer.

"Does anybody know any of the facts connected with this dreadful
accident to Mrs. Grogan?" asked the president. "Have you heard anything,
Mr. Quigg?"

Mr. Quigg had heard absolutely nothing, and had not seen Mrs. Grogan
for months. Mr. Crimmins was equally ignorant, and so were several other
gentlemen. Here a voice came from the back of the room.

"I met Dr. Mason, sir, an hour ago, after he had a