ok
Mrs. Hare in the face since, knowing that I held the secret that would
save her son from the hangman.'

"'And put yourself in his place,' sneered Sir Francis.

"'No. Put you.'

"'That's as it might be. But, if I went to the hangman, you would go
with me. There would be no excuse or escape for you. You know it.'"

The warfare continued longer, but this was the cream of it. Mr. Dill
heard the whole, and repeated it now to the magistrate. Mr. Rubiny
protested that it was "inadmissible;" "hearsay evidence;" "contrary to
law;" but the bench oracularly put Mr. Rubiny down, and told him they
did not want any stranger to come there and teach them their business.

Colonel Bethel had leaned forward at the conclusion of Mr. Dill's
evidence, dismay on his face, agitation in his voice. "Are you sure that
you made no mistake--that the other in this interview was Otway Bethel?"

Mr. Dill sadly shook his head. "Am I one to swear to a wrong man,
colonel? I wish I had not heard it--save that it may be the means of
clearing Richard Hare."

Sir Francis Levison had braved out the proceedings with a haughty,
cavalier air, his delicate hands and his diamond ring remarkably
conspicuous. Was that stone the real thing, or a false one, substituted
for the real? Hard up as he had long been for money, the suspicion might
arise. A derisive smile crossed his features at parts of the evidence,
as much as to say, "You may convict me as to Mademoiselle Afy, but you
can't as to the murder." When, however, Mr. Dill's testimony was given,
what a change was there! His mood tamed down to what looked like abject
fear, and he shook in his shoes as he stood.

"Of course your worships will take bail for Sir Francis?" said Mr.
Rubiny, at the close of the proceedings.

Bail! The bench looked at one another.

"Your worships will not refuse it--a gentleman in Sir Francis Levison's
position!"

The bench thought they never had so insolent an application made to
them. Bail for him!--on this charge! No; not if the lord chancellor
himself came down to offer it.

Mr. Otway Bethel, conscious, probably, that nobody would offer bail for
him, not even the colonel, did not ask the bench to take it. So the
two were fully committed to take their trial for the "Wilful murder,
otherwise the killing and slaying of George Hallijohn;" and before night
would be on their road to the county prison at Lynneborough.

And that vain, ill-starred Afy! What of her? Well, Af