some policemen with their hats off, which made them look
much less terrible than they did in the streets, Elsie thought. She
was too bewildered and frightened to look about her, and see what the
place was like. The gentleman at her side took her hand, and led her
forward. She heard some one say, "Bring a chair or a stool, and let
her stand on it;" and, looking up, she saw an old gentleman with
white hair sitting at a table, at the end of which was another
younger gentleman, writing.

The gentleman with the white hair bent over, and spoke to her. "What
is your name?" he asked.

Elsie hesitated, looking up with an appealing glance at the officer
standing by her side. Then when the question was repeated, she
stammered, "Effie Donaldson, please."

"Ha!" said the old gentleman. "Effie Donaldson, is it? Do you know
what an oath is?"

"Yes, sir," Elsie timidly replied.

"Now you must take your oath," he went on, "that you will answer me
truly whatever I ask you; and I hope you understand that if you tell
a falsehood after that, you will not only be doing a most wicked
thing, but that you can be kept in prison for it."

Elsie began to tremble violently at this dreadful warning. She took a
swift glance round, to see if Mrs. Donaldson or the old gentleman
were anywhere near, but could see nothing of either.

The officer who had accompanied her, and stood by all the time,
seemed to understand.

"They are not in court," he said, in a low tone. "Just you speak the
truth, and you'll be all right."

He then handed her a Bible, which she was told to kiss; and he said
some words which he bade her repeat.

"That is the Bible," the old gentleman at the table said solemnly,
"and you have sworn by that sacred Book that you will speak only the
truth. Bear in mind what an awful thing it would be to tell a
falsehood after that--ten times as wicked as any other falsehood. Now
tell me who the lady and gentleman are who were in the train with
you."

Elsie trembled violently. She tried to think what to say, but could
find no answer. There was Duncan on one side, that terrible warning
the gentleman had given her on the other. She tried to say "I do not
know," but was so afraid that that too was a falsehood, that the
sentence died on her lips.

"Speak up," the gentleman said.

It seemed to Elsie as if ages elapsed while they stood waiting for
her answer. She was conscious of nothing but the man standing by her
side, and great sil