rambling
suspicions, and was told to stand down. It was discovered that none in
fact had anything pertinent to say. Benoit was mad; Francois,
unconscious; and Libergent triumphantly asked for the prisoner's
immediate discharge.

The great doubt on the part of justice was, clearly, why did the
prisoner disappear? But this was quickly resolved by witnesses who swore
that Cuiller was entrusted with secret political business which
necessitated absences and journeys in different parts of the country,
and this, in the state of political affairs, was an obvious enough
excuse.

Libergent pressed once again for the discharge.

"I must grant it," simply pronounced Mr. Genest.

Another scream pierced their ears. "Justice, oh God;" the old wife of Le
Brun shrieked in trembling syllables. "They kill without hanging. I
demand JUSTICE! Hear me, great God!" and her bent frame and wrinkled
face writhed pitiably.

But it was done. Spoon descended with a sudden, wild grin and found
himself free. "In a few hours," he probably thought obscurely, "I can be
far on my road."

"Pardon me," said Chrysler, however, standing up, to the surprise of
everybody. "Your Honor, I have another charge to bring against the
prisoner, and I ask his re-arrest."

The Honorable made a sign to the constable to stay Cuiller.

"These bills," Chrysler said, holding out the bank notes which were
found in the purse of Spoon, "are marked with the initials of Francois
Le Brun's name. I am ready to charge the prisoner with having committed
a larceny of money from Francois Le Brun on his journey from Montreal. I
sustain it by these initials at the corners of bills just found on the
prisoner's person. I am informed--"

"I object, your Honor," fairly shouted Libergent--"I object to any
hearsay."

"What can you swear to of your own knowledge?" asked l'Honorable of
Chrysler, gently.

"To seeing these marks--"

"Which might be anything!" snapped Libergent.

"To hearing--"

"No hearsay, sir!"

"To having a conviction--"

"Upon no grounds whatever!--Your Honor, I press my just application for
an immediate discharge."

"I cannot see that there is yet evidence enough," l'Honorable said
courteously. "There are two charges, but both of them seem founded on
vague suspicions which I cannot consider sufficient to detain the
prisoner."

Libergent triumphantly glanced from Spoon to the audience.

At that moment, however, the man at his side rose up:--Ross de