r, supported by
his now admiring friend of the morning, who has warmed into a hearty
interest in "that fine young fellow, Smith," under the exhilarating
influence of the "fine young fellow's" brandy flask.

Dodging about among the spectators, too, is the boy George, who has
abandoned his tray of pretty wares, and is making his holiday a feast of
horrors.

And now all ears are strained to hear the statements of the various
witnesses in this strange case.

Frank Lamotte is the first. He is pale and nervous, and he avoids the
eyes of all save the ones whom he addresses. Doctor Heath keeps two
steady, searching orbs fixed upon his face, but can draw to himself no
responsive glance. Frank testifies as follows:

John Burrill had left Mapleton the evening before at an early hour, not
later than eight o'clock. Witness had seen little of him during the day.
Deceased was in a state of semi-intoxication when last he saw him. That
was at six o'clock, or near that time. No, he did not know the
destination of deceased. They seldom went out together. Did not know if
Burrill had any enemies. Was not much in his confidence.

Upon being questioned closer, he displays some unwillingness to answer,
but finally admits that he _has_ heard Burrill speak in bitter terms of
Doctor Heath, seeming to know something concerning the doctor's past
life that he, Heath, wished to conceal.

What was the nature of the knowledge?

That he cannot tell.

Jasper Lamotte is called. He has been absent from home, and can throw no
light upon the subject.

The two masons, one after the other, testify; their statements do not
vary.

They were returning home, having turned back from their day's labor,
because of the rain. When they came near the old cellar, the barking of
a dog attracted their attention. It came from the cellar, and one of
them, curious to see what the dog had hunted down, went to look. The dog
was tugging at what appeared to be a human foot. He called his
companion, and then leaped down into the cellar, and tried to drive the
dog from what he now feared was a half buried human being. The other man
called for help, and, seeing O'Meara, shouted to him to tell Heath to
come and call off his dog.

They tell it all. How Doctor Heath came and mastered the dog, after a
hard struggle; how the face of the dead was uncovered, and how Doctor
Heath had snatched at the white thing they had taken from off it,
scrutinized it for a moment, and then