from the
chart-room."

"When the girl fell back into the room, did you see any one beyond her?"

"I saw something--I couldn't say just what."

"Was what you saw a figure?"

"I--I am not certain. It was light--almost white." "Can you not
describe it?"

"I am afraid not--except that it seemed white."

"How tall was it?"

"I couldn't say."

"As tall as the girl?"

"Just about, perhaps."

"Think of something that it resembled. This is important, Mrs. Sloane.
You must make an effort."

"I think it looked most like a fountain."

Even the jury laughed at this, and yet, after all, Mrs. Sloane was
right--or nearly so!

"That is curious. How did it resemble a fountain?"

"Perhaps I should have said a fountain in moonlight white, and misty,
and--and flowing."

"And yet, this curious-shaped object threw the axe at you, didn't it?"

There was an objection to the form of this question, but the court
overruled it.

"I did not say it threw the axe. I did not see it thrown. I felt it."

"Did you know the first mate, Singleton, before you met on the Ella?"

"Yes, sir."

"Where?"

"We were on the same vessel two years ago, the American, for Bermuda."

"Were you friends?"

"Yes"--very low.

"Were you engaged to marry him at one time?"

"Yes."

"Why did you break it off?"

"We differed about a good many things."

After a long battle, the prosecuting attorney was allowed to show that,
following the breaking off of her relations with Singleton, she had
been a witness against him in an assault-and-battery case, and had
testified to his violence of temper. The dispute took so long that
there was only time for her cross-examination. The effect of the
evidence, so far, was distinctly bad for Singleton.

His attorney, a young and intelligent Jew, cross-examined Mrs. Sloane.

Attorney for the defense: "Did you ever write a letter to the
defendant, Mrs. Sloane, threatening him if he did not marry you?"

"I do not recall such a letter."

"Is this letter in your writing?"

"I think so. Yes."

"Mrs. Sloane, you testify that you opened your door and saw Mr. Vail
and the captain taking Mr. Turner to his room. Is this correct?"

"Yes."

"Why did they take him? I mean, was he not able, apparently, to walk
alone?"

"He was able to walk. They walked beside him."

"In your testimony, taken at the time and entered in the ship's log,
you say you 'judged by the sounds.' Here you say you 'opened th