ted to the book, and he wrote his name down and then went
up-stairs with me to his room."

"And is that all? Did you say nothing beyond what you have mentioned?
ask him no questions or make no allusions to the murder?"

"Well, sir, I did make some attempt that way, for I was curious to know
what took him to the Widow Clemmens' house, but he snubbed me so
quickly, I concluded to hold my tongue and not trouble myself any
further about the matter."

"And do you mean to say you haven't told any one that an unknown man had
been at your house on the morning of the murder inquiring after the
widow?"

"Yes, sir. I am a poor man, and believe in keeping out of all sort of
messes. Policy demands that much of me, gentlemen."

The look he received from the coroner may have convinced him that policy
can be carried too far.

"And now," said Dr. Tredwell, "what sort of a man is this Clement
Smith?"

"He is a gentleman, sir, and not at all the sort of person with whom you
would be likely to connect any unpleasant suspicion."

The coroner surveyed the hotel-keeper somewhat sternly.

"We are not talking about suspicions!" he cried; then, in a different
tone, repeated: "This gentleman, you say, is still at your house?"

"Yes, sir, or was at breakfast-time. I have not seen him since."

"We will have to call Mr. Smith as a witness," declared the coroner,
turning to the officer at his side. "Go and see if you cannot bring him
as soon as you did Mr. Symonds."

But here a voice spoke up full and loud from the other room.

"It is not necessary, sir. A witness you will consider more desirable
than he is in the building." And the thick-set man showed himself for an
instant to the coroner, then walking back, deliberately laid his hand on
the elbow which for so long a time had been the centre of Mr. Byrd's
wondering conjectures.

In an instant the fine, gentlemanly figure of the stranger, whom he had
seen the night before in the bar-room, appeared with a bound from beyond
the jamb, and pausing excitedly before the man, now fully discovered to
all around as a detective, asked him, in shaking tones of suppressed
terror or rage, what it was he meant.

"I will tell you," was the ready assurance, "if you will step out here
in view of the coroner and jury."

With a glance that for some reason disturbed Mr. Byrd in his newly
acquired complacency, the gentleman stalked hurriedly forward and took
his stand in the door-way leading into the