ing him, led him without
resistance from the room.

The crowd had been silent during this scene, but when he was gone there
was that stir among them that is heard when people rouse themselves
after an ordeal.

By an effort I recovered my self-possession in time to give appropriate
attention to the closing proceedings. The Inspector was announcing in
his former business-like tone, that the evidence was all in and the jury
at liberty to find their verdict.

There was no doubt as to what it would be. They withdrew and were gone a
few minutes for form's sake only and on returning the foreman announced
the verdict:

"The jury find that Arthur White came to his death on the morning of
January the --, 1883, in the city of New York, through a wound
deliberately inflicted by Henry Winters."

That was all.

The jury was dismissed, the crowd dispersed, and the first stage of the
case had closed.

CHAPTER VII

AN EVENING AT THE CLUB

Upon the conclusion of the hearing I left at once and, avoiding any
chance of interruption, went directly to my rooms. Once there I pulled
my chair up to the fire, lighted my pipe, and sat down to think it all
over.

If I were going to work intelligently upon this case I must understand
it, and if I meant to proceed upon the theory that the accused was
innocent and try to establish that fact, I must have good reason for
such course. Hasty conclusions would not do. They must be deliberate and
be logically deduced from the evidence.

I realized that I was now in possession of sufficient facts to draw some
conclusions if only, tentative ones, and I felt, indeed, that there was
great doubt if any further light would be thrown upon the case before
the trial, so that I might as well study the situation as it was.

The police believed they had established their case against Winters and
all their future efforts would be directed against him. If, therefore,
his conviction was to be avoided, it would most likely have to be
through such analysis of facts arrayed against him as should demonstrate
the possibility of another theory of murder and not by direct evidence
of his innocence, for such would probably not be forthcoming.

Could I do this? Would an analysis of the facts and testimony afford the
opportunity? I could but try.

My thoughts were in confusion, and I was unable for a time to direct
them or to clearly define for contemplation the different elements in
the case. After a wh