ite thrust a hand into the inner pocket of his coat,
and, producing a letter, held it out at arm's length, so that every one
could see it. So holding it, he turned to the Coroner.

"It is just a week ago, sir," he proceeded, "that Mr. Wallingford came
to supper at my house. After supper, he and I, being alone, began
talking about the subject which was uppermost in our minds--municipal
reform. That day I had had considerable talk with two or three
fellow-members of the Council who belonged to the opposite party, and as
a result I showed to Wallingford that opposition to our plans was
growing more concentrated, determined and bitter. He laughed a little
satirically. 'It's gone beyond even that stage with me, personally,
Epplewhite,' he said. 'Don't you ever be surprised, my friend, if you
hear of my being found with a bullet through my head or a knife between
my ribs!' 'What do you mean?' said I. 'Nonsense!' He laughed again, and
pulled out this envelope. 'All right,' he answered. 'You read that!' I
read what was in the envelope, sir--and I now pass it to you!"

The Coroner silently took the letter which was passed across to him from
the witness, withdrew a sheet of paper from it, and read the contents
with an inscrutable face and amidst a dead silence. It seemed a long
time before he turned to the jury. Then, he held up the sheet of paper
and the envelope which had contained it.

"Gentlemen!" he said. "I shall have to draw your particular attention
to this matter. This is an anonymous letter. From the date on the
postmark, it was received by the late Mayor about a week before he
showed it to Mr. Epplewhite. It is a typewritten communication. The
address on the envelope is typewritten; the letter itself is
typewritten. I will now read the letter to you. It is as follows:

"'MR. MAYOR,

"'You are a young man in an old town, but you are old enough and
sharp enough to take a hint. Take one now, and mind your own
business. What business is it of yours to interfere with good old
customs in a place to which you don't belong and where you're still
a comparative stranger? You only got elected to the Mayoral chair
by one vote, and if you are fool enough to think that you and those
behind you are strong enough to upset things you'll find yourself
wrong, for you won't be allowed. There's something a deal stronger
in this town than what you and them are, and that you'll see