tions to which my wife was subjected
that she never saw a day of health after the event. She died at last,
and in the midst of my deepest troubles, Mr. Belcher pursued me with his
demands for the assignment of my patents. He still held me to him by the
bestowal of small sums, which necessity compelled me to accept. He
always had a remarkable power over me, and I felt that he would lead me
to destruction. I saw the hopes of years melting away, and knew that in
time he would beat down my will, and, on his own terms, possess himself
of all the results of my years of study and labor. I saw nothing but
starvation before me and my child, and went down into a horror of great
darkness."

A cold shiver ran over the witness, and his face grew pale and pinched,
at this passage of his story. The court-house was as still as midnight.
Even the General lost his smile, and leaned forward, as if the narration
concerned some monster other than himself.

"What then?" inquired Mr. Balfour.

"I hardly know. Everything that I remember after that was confused and
terrible. For years I was insane. I went to the hospital, and was there
supported by Mr. Belcher. He even followed me there, and endeavored to
get my signature to an assignment, but was positively forbidden by the
superintendent of the asylum. Then, after being pronounced incurable, I
was sent back to the Sevenoaks alms-house, where, for a considerable
time, my boy was also kept; and from that horrible place, by the aid of
a friend, I escaped. I remember it all as a long dream of torture. My
cure came in the woods, at Number Nine, where I have ever since lived,
and where twice I have been sought and found by paid emissaries of Mr.
Belcher, who did not love him well enough to betray me. And, thanks to
the ministry of the best friends that God ever raised up to a man, I am
here to-day to claim my rights."

"These rights," said Mr. Balfour, "these rights which you hold in your
patented inventions, for all these years used by the defendant, you say
you have never assigned."

"Never."

"If an assignment executed in due form should be presented to you, what
should you say?"

"I object to the question," said Mr. Cavendish, leaping to his feet.
"The document has not yet been presented to him."

"The gentleman is right," said Mr. Balfour; "the witness has never seen
it. I withdraw the question; and now tell me what you know about Mr.
Belcher's profits on the use of these inventions.