me short by saying,----

"'You would imply, then, that he was the guilty man.'

"'You go too fast, Mr. Grounsell,' said I, calmly; 'I have come to
confer and take counsel with you, not to form rash or hasty notions on a
matter of such deep gravity. If the circumstances I shall lay before you
possess the same importance in your eyes that they do in mine, it may
be that your own conclusions will be even more than suspicious.' I
then entered upon the story of Meekins, and how a comrade of his, an
Irishman, called Noonan, confessed to him that he was the murderer of
Mr. Godfrey; that he had never known him, nor had any intercourse with
him; but was employed for the act by old Dalton, who was then residing
at Bruges. This Noonan, who was possessed of several letters of
Dalton's, had joined a Genoese vessel, fitted out for the slave-trade,
and was killed in action. Meekins had frequent conversations with him
on the subject of the murder, and, although a stranger from another
country, knew every detail of the scene and locality perfectly from
description.

"'Meekins is still living?' asked Dr. Grounsell.

"'Living, and now here,' replied I; at which he gave a start of
surprise, and, I think, of alarm.

"'Is he ready to substantiate his statement on oath?' said he.

"'That he could do so, I have no doubt,' replied I; 'that he will, or
that he ought, is perhaps a matter for calm reflection.'

"'How do you mean?' said he, hastily. 'If what he alleges be true, can
there be any hesitation as to its publicity?'

"'On that there may be grave doubts, sir,' said I. 'They whom the law
could have held responsible are already gone before another judgment
seat. Their guilt or innocence has been proven where deception or error
exist not! It is only their blameless descendants that could now pay
the penalty of their crime; and it may well be matter for consideration
whether they should be exposed to the world's shame, to expiate that
wherein they had no share----'

"'Do you yourself believe this man's story?' asked he, abruptly.

"'I see no reason to discredit it,' was my answer. 'There are moments
when doubt is more difficult than belief, and this is one of them. He
has never varied in his narrative,--he tells it to-day as he told it
yesterday,--he details family circumstances that defy invention, and
mentions events and incidents that all tally with facts.'

"'Where was he himself at the time of the murder?'

"'In South Ameri