eve it is an important
link in the evidence--I believe--"

"Mr Morgan apparently has heard the evidence before," said the
inexorable John Brown.

Here a little commotion arose in the bed of justice. "Hush, hush,"
said Dr Marjoribanks; "the question is, What has the witness got to
say of his own knowledge? Go on, Elsworthy; we can't possibly spend
the whole day here. Never mind what Hayles said, unless he
communicated something about the girl."

"He told me as the Miss Hemmings had seen Rosa," said Elsworthy,
slowly; "had seen her at nine, or half after nine--I won't be sure
which--at Mrs Hadwin's gate."

"The Miss Hemmings are outside. Let the Miss Hemmings be called," said
Mr Proctor, who had a great respect for Mr Brown's opinion.

But here Mr Waters interposed. "The Miss Hemmings will be called
presently," he said; "in the mean time let this witness be heard out;
afterwards his evidence will be corroborated. Go on, Elsworthy."

"The Miss Hemmings had seen my Rosa at Mrs Hadwin's gate," repeated
Elsworthy, "a-standing outside, and Mr Wentworth a-standing inside;
there aint more respectable parties in all Carlingford. It was them as
saw it, not me. Gentlemen, I went back home. I went out again. I went
over all the town a-looking for her. Six o'clock in the morning come,
and I had never closed an eye, nor took off my clothes, nor even sat
down upon a chair. When it was an hour as I could go to a gentleman's
house and no offence, I went to the place as she was last seen. Me and
Mr Hayles, we went together. The shutters was all shut but on one
window, which was Mr Wentworth's study. We knocked at the garden-door,
and I aint pretending that we didn't make a noise; and, gentlemen, it
wasn't none of the servants--it was Mr Wentworth hisself as opened the
door."

There was here a visible sensation among the judges. It was a point
that told. As for the Squire, he set his stick firmly before him, and
leaned his clasped hands upon it to steady himself. His healthful,
ruddy countenance was paling gradually. If it had been an apostle who
spoke, he could not have taken in more entirely the bitter tale.

"It was Mr Wentworth hisself, gentlemen," said the triumphant witness;
"not like a man roused out of his sleep, but dressed and shaved, and
his hair brushed, as if it had been ten instead o' six. It's well
known in Carlingford as he aint an early man; and gentlemen here knows
it as well as me. I don't pretend as I could ke