rn, Mr. O'Meara said:

"Mr. Bathurst, you have been connected with this case from the first.
Tell us what you have discovered, in your own way."

The detective bowed, took off a pair of gold-rimmed eye-glasses, and
turned upon the court a pair of bright, piercing, handsome, dark blue
eyes, that proved themselves capable of numberless expressions.

"My name is Neil J. Bathurst," he began, "and I am a detective. I came
to W---- for the first time early in the summer--in June, I believe. I
came on professional business. To my surprise, and quite by accident, I
found Sir Clifford Heathercliffe here in the character of Doctor Heath.
My business in W---- was in no way connected with Sir Clifford, but
before I left the town, which was on the third day after my arrival, I
became aware that he had an enemy here. I left W---- to return in a
short time, and I figured among the factory people as Brooks, the
drunken mechanic. Mr. Lamotte employed me twice and twice discharged me
because of my intemperance. I became quite intimate and friendly with
John Burrill, and succeeded in gaining his confidence. I was also on
good terms with Nance Burrill, John Burrill's divorced wife, and I
learned a good many things from her.

"Early in the autumn it came to my knowledge that Sir Clifford's enemies
had begun to move, that a plan was on foot against him. About this time
I discovered that several people needed looking after, and I sent for a
boy shadower. He came, and did his work well. He is not here, because
his testimony is not needed.

"You will understand that I had now more than one operation on my hands.
I was still engaged upon the case which first brought me to W----, and I
was intent upon frustrating the designs of Sir Clifford's enemies. He,
Sir Clifford, was not aware of my presence in W----, and he was likewise
ignorant of the plot against him.

"Early in November, I found it expedient to appear in W---- in a new
character. Brooks had done his work. Accordingly, I, as Brooks, set out
for the city one morning, leaving my shadower in charge of the field.
Jasper Lamotte went to the city by the same train, and, singular
coincidence, he came back on the train which brought me. I returned, as
Mr. Wedron, an attorney, and I brought with me an assistant (for the
plot was thickening fast), who assumed the character of a book peddler.
I was absent only two days, but, during that time, the entire drama had
undergone a transformation.