and into the
hall, where they were placed beside those of one of his murderers. The
elder Richards accompanied the doctor, in order to give his testimony.
The mad woman and her son were also there, in charge of Sylvanus and Ben
Toner. Just as the party prepared to constitute the coroner's court, a
stumpy figure on a high stepping horse came riding along. He was well
disguised, but several persons recognized him. "Seize him," cried Squire
Carruthers. "It's Grinstuns," said the lawyer. "Stop him!" shouted
Bangs. But, Rawdon, having seen what he wanted, wheeled his horse and
galloped away. There was neither saddled horse to pursue him, nor rifle
to bring him down. "All the better," remarked Mr. Walker to his brother
J.P.'s; "had he seen mounted men and fire-arms among us, he'd have smelt
a rat. As it is, he thinks we are on the defensive and moving slowly."
It was evident, from what people heard of the presiding magistrate's
conversation, that the court had decided in favour of measures
offensive.

It was easy to get twelve good men and true for the first inquest. In
addition to Johnson, Newberry, and Pawkins, there were the constable and
Mr. Terry, Messrs. Hill and Hislop, Sylvanus, Timotheus, and Rufus, with
Mr. Bangs and Maguffin. The colonel was an alien, and Carruthers did not
care to sit on the jury. Dr. Halbert presided, flanked by his fellow
justices, and Wilkinson, though a minor witness, was made clerk.
Several persons identified the slain Nagle or Nash, and gave evidence as
to his relations with Rawdon's gang. Ben Toner's information and
Newcome's attested confession were noted. Mr. Errol and Coristine,
backed by the Captain and Ben, told how the body was found. Wilkinson
and Perrowne related their share in conveying the corpse to Richards'
house, and Richards confirmed their story. The coroner himself, having
examined the body, affirmed that the deceased came to his death by a
fracture of the skull, inflicted by a heavy blow from some blunt
instrument from behind, followed by a pistol shot in front through the
temple. Two persons, evidently, were concerned in the murder. Who were
they? Matilda Nagle was sworn. She repudiated the name of Rawdon. She
testified that a man called Harding brought her a note from her long
lost brother Steven, asking her to meet him at the barred gate in the
narrows at a certain hour late on Monday morning. She went, but Rawdon
would not let her go beyond the barred gate, so she calle