ce."

"I suppose he will impanel a jury," I remarked.

"Certainly," the sheriff replied; "and it would be well for you to be
present to watch the proceedings. Pattmore must be made to face the
music in some way."

Accordingly, I watched the coroner's office until I saw the hearse
arrive, and, when the coffin was carried in, I followed it. The
coroner's assistants reported that some body-snatchers had been at work,
and had attempted to steal Mrs. Pattmore's body, having succeeded in
getting the coffin nearly out of the grave; but they had evidently been
interrupted, as they had left all their tools behind, and had not tried
to open the coffin. They had been more successful in another case,
however; the body of a woman had been taken from a grave in the Potter's
Field, (which was devoted to paupers, etc.) and had been carried to a
spot near Mrs. Pattmore's grave. The supposition was that the robbers,
wishing to procure female subjects for dissection, had chosen those two
graves as containing the bodies of persons who had most recently died.

On hearing this story, I saw through the trick at a glance. The sheriff
was in the office, and I beckoned to him to join me outside.

"Mr. Tomlinson," I said. "I wish you to send a man to the graveyard to
learn the name of the other woman, whose body was found; get a
description of her age, height, size, and general appearance, as I feel
sure that Pattmore's intention was, to substitute her body for that of
his wife."

"By Jupiter! that's so!" exclaimed Mr. Tomlinson; "but I should never
have thought of that. I will attend to your request myself, while you
can remain here to watch the proceedings before the coroner. I will go
to the cemetery and make a thorough investigation. It is my duty to
become acquainted with all the facts in the case," and he started off,
accompanied by Mr. Green, whom I sent with him.

In a short time, Pattmore walked into the office and sat down. He wore a
martyr-like expression, and, though he controlled his feelings
sufficiently to appear outwardly calm, I could see that, inwardly, he
was racked with fear and nervousness.

The coroner hastily impaneled a jury, consisting wholly of Pattmore's
personal and political friends. The coffin was then opened, as a matter
of form, and the jury merely looked at the rapidly decaying corpse.
Pattmore refused to look at the body, on the ground that he did not wish
to mar the sweet memories of his beloved wife's