at then?"

"Well, then Wilson was in a fair fury, and he spoke loud."

"And you heard what he said?"

"Ay, I heerd."

"What did he say?"

"Well, he insulted Stepaside's mother. I cannot remember the exact
words, but he said she were no better'na she ought to be, in fact that
she were--I'd rather write it down, maaster," he said.

"And after that?" said the coroner presently.

"And after that I saw Stepaside look murder. No one could help seeing
it. His great black een just shot fire, and I thought he was going to
knock Wilson down, but he didn't. He just stopped hissen, and he only
said, 'Very well, then, I shall do what I say.' Upon that he turned on
his heel to walk away, but he had not gone more than six steps when
Wilson lifted that stick of his with an ivory handle to it, and struck
Stepaside a smashing blow on th' head. I thought first of all he had
killed him, for he fell on t' ground like a lump o' coll, and lay there
for maybe a minute, while Wilson stood over him."

"And then?" asked the coroner.

"Presently he picked himself up. 'I might have expected this,' he said
after a bit. 'It's a coward's blow, a kind of blow such as you always
strike. But remember, I always pay my debts, always; even to the
uttermost farthing!' And then he went away without another word, and I
shall never forget the look on his face as he did go away."

"And after that?" asked the coroner.

"After that I know no more," replied the man.

The question of the knife was then considered, and there were several
who testified that this knife belonged to Paul. It had been sent to
him from abroad by a man with whom he did business, and his partner,
George Preston, admitted that he had often seen it lying on Paul's desk.

During this evidence it was noticed that Paul listened intently. It
seemed as though he were specially interested. Never once did he relax
his attention. It might seem as though he regarded this as the most
important piece of evidence. During the earlier part of the
examination he had seemed almost careless, but now every faculty was on
the alert, every nerve was in tension.

"Did Stepaside ever carry this knife with him?" asked the coroner.

"Not to my knowledge," replied Preston.

"Has he ever discussed the knife with you?"

"Well, I can hardly say that," he replied. "But when it was sent I
remember him saying that it was a murderous weapon, and it would be
easy to kill a man with it. It