ount of illness.
Dr. Carter has been attending him, probably without charging
much if any fee. Last night Peters had a small boy rush out and
telephone in haste for Dr. Carter. As it happened, the physician
was at his office, and answered quickly. After Dr. Carter had
been in Peters's room, perhaps a minute, the physician hurried
out into the street, stopping the first man whom he met. That
man happened to be Dr. Davidson. The two men returned to Peters's
room. Now, all three of them listened."

Lawyer Griffin was eyeing Prescott curiously.

"Yesterday afternoon," continued Dick, changing the subject with
seeming abruptness, "Fessenden, Bettrick and Deevers were all here,
and signed affidavits before a clerk of yours, who is a notary public."

"Proceed," requested Mr. Griffin, without either denying or admitting
the truth of Dick's statement.

"Since he lost his bank position," Dick went on, "Fessenden has
been compelled to live in a wretched room next to that occupied
by the sick man Peters. Two nights ago, as you will remember,
there was a heavy rain. Now, the roof leaked at that tenement
house, and the dripping water washed away some of the plaster
covering the none-too-thick partition between the room of Fessenden
and the room of Peters. So our sick man heard much of the conversation
between Fessenden and the fellow's confederates. Now Peters,
the physician and the clergyman are all willing to swear to the
statement that Bert Dodge hired Fessenden, Bettrick and Deevers
to testify against me. Young Dodge, according to the overheard
conversation, met and drilled all three in their parts. That
was before the three came here yesterday afternoon, with the Dodges,
and supplied you with the affidavits that you now hold. For this
service, Dodge is believed to have paid each young loafer the
sum of twenty dollars, with a promise of eighty more apiece after
they had told their tales in court. That, Mr. Griffin, is the
other side of the story. Bert Dodge has deliberately hired three
men to swear falsely against me."

As he finished Dick dropped carelessly back into the chair. He
appeared wholly cool. Not so Greg Holmes, whose face, during this
recital, had been a study. Now Greg was upon his feet in a flash.

"How long have you known this, old ramrod?" he demanded.

"Dr. Davidson told me this, in the back room at the store, just
before we came here," Prescott replied.

"And you never told me---didn