d his brother compassionately drew him back
by the arm.

"I am going to take her from that horrible place; she is my wife.
Father, you would not wish her to remain in that spot for another
moment, would you, while we have a house we call our own?"

Mr. Van Burnam the senior, who had shrunk as far from sight as possible
through these painful demonstrations, rose up at these words from his
agonized son, and making him an encouraging gesture, walked hastily out
of the room; seeing which, the young man became calmer, and though he
did not cease to shudder, tried to restrain his first grief, which to
those who looked closely at him was evidently very sincere.

"I would not believe it was she," he cried, in total disregard of the
presence he was in, "I _would not_ believe it; but now----" A certain
pitiful gesture finished the sentence, and neither Coroner nor jury
seemed to know just how to proceed, the conduct of the young man being
so markedly different from what they had expected. After a short pause,
painful enough to all concerned, the Coroner, perceiving that very
little could be done with the witness under the circumstances, adjourned
the sitting till afternoon.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote A: Why could he not have said Miss Butterworth? These Van
Burnams are proud, most vilely proud as the poet has it.--A. B.]

XIV.

A SERIOUS ADMISSION.

I went at once to a restaurant. I ate because it was time to eat, and
because any occupation was welcome that would pass away the hours of
waiting. I was troubled; and I did not know what to make of myself. I
was no friend to the Van Burnams; I did not like them, and certainly had
never approved of any of them but Mr. Franklin, and yet I found myself
altogether disturbed over the morning's developments, Howard's emotion
having appealed to me in spite of my prejudices. I could not but think
ill of him, his conduct not being such as I could honestly commend. But
I found myself more ready to listen to the involuntary pleadings of my
own heart in his behalf than I had been prior to his testimony and its
somewhat startling termination.

But they were not through with him yet, and after the longest three
hours I ever passed, we were again convened before the Coroner.

I saw Howard as soon as anybody did. He came in, arm in arm as before,
with his faithful brother, and sat down in a retired corner behind the
Coroner. But he was soon called forward.

His face when the light