; and whilst in
the immediate vicinity of that gentleman's residence, at a small country
tavern, he had accidentally become privy to the design of the prisoner,
and the same Horse Shoe Robinson who had been mentioned before, to seize
upon the person and papers of Mr. Lindsay: that these two persons had
actually arrived at the tavern he spoke of to commence operations. That
he had overheard them discussing the whole plan; and he had no doubt
they had allies at hand to assist in the scheme, and would have
proceeded that same night to put it in execution, if he had not
frustrated their design at the risk of his life. That, with the view of
interrupting this enterprise, he had lured Robinson, the companion of
the prisoner, to walk with him at night to the margin of a small river
near the tavern, where he accused him of the treacherous design which he
and his comrade had in view: that, in consequence of this, Robinson had
endeavored to take his life which was only saved by a severe struggle;
and that, being thus discovered in their purpose, this man, Robinson,
and the prisoner had made a hasty retreat towards Gates's head-quarters.

Such was in effect the narrative of James Curry, which was solemnly
given upon oath. Butler was for some moments confounded with
astonishment at the audacity of this falsehood. He urged to the court
the improbability of the whole story. "It would have been easy," he
said, "if I had been hostile to Mr. Philip Lindsay--which, God knows,
there are most cogent reasons to disprove--it would have been easy to
procure his arrest without an attempt at a violent seizure by me. I had
only to speak, and the whole country around him would have united in
treating him as an object of suspicion, on account of his politics." He
admitted that he was at Mrs. Dimock's at the time spoken of--that
Robinson attended him there; but all else that had been said relating to
the visit, he affirmed to be utterly false. He gave the particulars of
the meeting between Horse Shoe and the witness, as he had it from
Robinson; and spoke also of his knowledge of the visit of Tyrrel at the
Dove Cote--"which person," he said, "he had reason to believe, came
under a name not his own."

"How do you happen to be so familiar," inquired Innis, "with the affairs
of Mr. Lindsay?"

"That question," replied Butler, "as it refers to matters entirely
private and personal, I must decline to answer."

Curry, upon a second examination, re-affi