on the next day. It was
on the way to the Hill that I was told of the awful occurrence which had
taken place in the club-house after I had left it. That sobered me. I
have been sober ever since."

Mr. Moffat's smile came back. One might have said that he had been rather
pleased than otherwise by the introduction of this unexpected testimony.

But I doubt if any one but myself witnessed this evidence of
good-humour on his part. Arthur's attitude and Arthur's manner had
drawn all eyes to himself. As the last words I have recorded left his
lips, he had raised his head and confronted the jury with a
straightforward gaze. The sturdiness and immobility of his aspect were
impressive, in spite of his plain features and the still unmistakable
signs of long cherished discontent and habitual dissipation. He had
struck bottom with his feet, and there he would stand,--or so I
thought as I levelled my own glances at him.

But I had not fully sounded all of Alonzo Moffat's resources. That
inscrutable lawyer and not-easily-to-be-understood man seemed determined
to mar every good impression his unfortunate client managed to make.

Ignoring the new facts just given, undoubtedly thinking that they would
be amply sifted in the coming cross-examination, he drew the attention of
the prisoner to himself by the following question:

"Will you tell us again how many bottles of wine you took from the
club-house?"

"One. No--I'm not sure about that--I'm not sure of anything. I had only
one when at the inn in Cuthbert Road."

"You remember but one?"

"I had but one. One was enough. I had trouble in carrying that."

"Was the ground slippery?"

"It was snowy and it was uneven. I stumbled more than once in crossing
the links."

"Mr. Cumberland, is there anything you would like to say in your own
defence before I close this examination?"

The prisoner thus appealed to, let his eye rest for a moment on the
judge, then on the jury, and finally on one little white face lifted from
the crowd before him as if to meet and absorb his look. Then he
straightened himself, and in a quiet and perfectly natural voice, uttered
these simple words:

"Nothing but this: I am innocent."

XXVI

THE SYLLABLE OF DOOM

I alit
On a great ship lightning-split,
And speeded hither on the sigh
Of one who gave an enemy
His plank, then plunged aside to die.

_Prometheus Unbound_.

Recess followed. Clifton and I had the opportunity of exchanging a