that George had no enemies
who would seek his life, and there could be no other object in killing
him inside the bank. The outer door of the vault stood slightly ajar,
and as soon as I had satisfied myself that my nephew was dead--as indeed
was evident, the body being quite cold--I sent my clerk to call Mr.
Rollo and Mr. Breed into the bank, while he remained at the door. I told
him to send any person whom he might see outside for the sheriff and the
coroner. As I was saying, the vault door stood slightly open, and when
the other gentleman joined me I called their attention to the position
of everything before I entered the vault. I found the keys in the lock
of the inner door, and on opening the latter we saw that everything
inside was in great confusion. Without making any examination, I closed
and locked both doors, and sealed the key-holes with tape and
sealing-wax. I determined to leave everything just as it was until the
inquest should be held. The sheriff and coroner soon arrived, and a jury
was impaneled immediately, as, by that time, the news had spread all
over town, and the bank was surrounded by nearly all the best men in the
place. In summoning the jury, the coroner put down for foreman the name
of Mr. Drysdale, George's most intimate friend, but it was found that he
was not in the crowd outside, and when they sent for him he begged so
hard to be excused that he was let off.

"The inquest was held in this room, but nothing was moved from the bank
except the body and the canceling hammer. The jury elicited nothing more
than what I have told you, and they therefore adjourned to await the
examination of our vault when Mr. McGregor and Mr. Bannatine returned,
in the hope that some clue might be found therein. I forgot to mention
that we found in George's hand a bill of the Planter's Bank of Georgia,
of the denomination of one hundred dollars. It was clutched tightly, and
he had fallen on that side, so that the murderer had not noticed it.
Here it is, partly stained with blood," and Mr. Gordon handed me a bank
note. He then continued:

"A messenger had been dispatched to inform Mr. Bannatine of the
disaster, and he arrived in town almost simultaneously with Mr.
McGregor, who was already on his way home when the murder occurred. As
Mr. Bannatine is well acquainted with all the subsequent events, I
prefer that he should give the account of our action since that time."

It was clearly very painful to Mr. Gordon t