reported the matter to his superiors, whereupon the usual steps were
taken. A doctor was summoned, who had made an examination, and so
forth.

After the constable's statement the doctor gave his evidence. He had
no doubt as to the cause of death. He had died as a result of a knife
that was driven through his heart. The blow was struck from behind.
As far as he could judge, Mr. Edward Wilson had been murdered between
half-past four and five that same morning. While the doctor was
speaking there was a deathly silence in the room. It seemed as though
there were another nail driven into the scaffold on which Paul
Stepaside was to hang. Up to now Paul's name had been seldom
mentioned, and yet his was the personality which dominated everything.
Eyes were constantly turned towards him. Whispered remarks were often
heard concerning him. All that the magistrates had asked at their
meeting was remembered. The story of the past became vivid again.

Presently the two men who had watched the quarrel between Paul and Ned
Wilson told their story. It may be that they did not adhere strictly
to the letter of the truth. Perhaps they were anxious to make an
impression at the gathering. Certain it is that, in their own rough
way, they made it almost certain that Paul was the murderer.

"You say," said the coroner to one of them, who was more gifted with
speech than the other, "that you saw the deceased and Paul Stepaside
quarrelling?"

"Ay, I did. I were just going down t' lane wi' my mate here, and I
heard a sound of voices. It wur gettin' dark, but I could see plainly
who they were. We wur a bit curious, and so we both on us waited and
listened. They did not see us."

"Did you hear what was said?"

"Weel, nowt what you would call anything connected like, but it were
easy to see as 'ow Stepaside were threatenin' Wilson. They were both
on 'em pale wi' passion."

"Was Stepaside armed at the time?"

"No--at least, as far as I could see, he'd nowt in 'is hands, but
more'na once he lifted his fist as though he would strike Mr. Wilson."

"You say you heard no connected speech between them?" said the coroner.

"Not much," replied the man; "but we heerd summat."

"Well, tell us what you heard."

"I heerd Wilson say to Stepaside, 'You spy! You sneaking hound!' And
then I heerd Stepaside tell Wilson he must do summat, but what it was I
couldna rightly say. It seemed to be summat about a letter."

"Well, and wh