might be the
cause of it, I saw he was in earnest conversation with a sergeant. He
was evidently receiving some important report, for he listened
attentively and gave an order in response which despatched the officer
rapidly from the room. Then giving his attention again to the
proceedings, he called another witness.

It was the paying teller of the American National Bank. His evidence
required but a few minutes. He stated he had paid Mr. Van Bult five
hundred in "fifties" on the morning before White's death, and that they
were new bills just received by the Bank from the Sub-Treasury. On being
shown the bill produced by Van Bult and that recovered from the gambling
house, he identified them as two of the bills thus received by the Bank,
though he said he could not state positively they were the same drawn by
Van Bult as a few others had also been paid out. However, it was hardly
necessary that he should do so as every one was satisfied the bill
obtained from the gambling house was one of those left by Van Bult on
White's table.

It only remained now for the man who had lost it to explain how he came
by it. Would the explanation be satisfactory? That was the one material
point.

When the paying teller had concluded it was late in the afternoon. It
was dark out-of-doors and the gas had been lighted within, but the crowd
had not diminished; on the contrary, it had been steadily augmented
wherever a new spectator had found a chance to wedge his way into the
throng. So intense was the interest that neither the Coroner nor a juror
had suggested any recess. They sat scarcely moving in their seats,
intent only on the words of each succeeding witness. All felt something
final must come soon. The evidence was logical and dovetailed perfectly;
it all pointed to one man. Who was he? The police must know, they could
not have failed in this one vital particular after succeeding so fully
in all others. I could read these thoughts in the faces of those about
me, in their expectant attitudes; and I felt they were not to be
disappointed. The police had done their work thoroughly and the
Inspector had submitted its results with telling effect. If it were his
purpose to work his evidence up to a climax he had succeeded and the
moment had now come for the crowning of his success,--the identification
of the man. After that there would be little left apparently for the
lawyers of the State to do; but I felt there might be something for s