that she was
particularly round and ruddy as a child, and looked as if she might live
for many years."

"And the Hildreths? What of them during these years?"

"Well, I cannot exactly say, as I never had any acquaintance with them
myself. But I know that the father, whose dissipated habits were the
cause of this peculiar will tying up the property, died some little time
ago; also one or two of his children, but beyond that I know little,
except that the remaining heirs are a young gentleman and one or two
young girls, all of the worldliest and most fashionable description."

The coroner, who had followed all this with the greatest interest, now
asked if she knew the first name of the young gentleman.

"Yes," said she, "I do. It is Gouverneur."

The coroner gave a satisfied nod, and remarked casually, "It is not a
common name," and then, leaning forward, selected a paper from among
several that lay on the table before him. "Miss Firman," he inquired,
retaining this paper in his hand, "do you know when it was that Mrs.
Clemmens first became acquainted with the fact of her name having been
made use of in the elder Mr. Hildreth's will?"

"Oh, years ago; when she first came of age, I believe."

"Was it an occasion of regret to her? Did she ever express herself as
sorry for the position in which she stood toward this family?"

"Yes, sir; she did."

The coroner's face assumed a yet greater gravity, and his manner became
more and more impressive.

"Can you go a step farther and say that she ever acknowledged herself to
have cherished apprehensions of her personal safety, during these years
of weary waiting on the part of the naturally impatient heirs?"

A distressed look crossed the amiable spinster's face, and she looked
around at the jury with an expression almost deprecatory in its nature.

"I scarcely know what answer to give," she hesitatingly declared. "It is
a good deal to say that she was apprehensive; but I cannot help
remembering that she once told me her peace of mind had left her since
she knew there were persons in the world to whom her death would be a
matter of rejoicing. 'It makes me feel as if I were keeping people out
of their rights,' she remarked at the same time. 'And, though it is not
my fault, I should not be surprised if some day I had to suffer for
it.'"

"Was there ever any communication made to Mrs. Clemmens by persons
cognizant of the relation in which she stood to these Hildreths?--or