no evidence of a bullet having passed out of it very lately;
that is because it has been cleaned. But now, observe the face of the
cylinder: what do you see there?"

"I see a faint line of smut near one of the chambers."

"Just so; show it to the gentlemen."

It was immediately handed down.

"That faint line of smut, on the edge of one of the chambers, is the
telltale, sirs. A bullet passing out always leaves smut behind. The man
who fired this, remembering the fact, cleaned the barrel, but forgot the
cylinder." And stepping aside he folded his arms.

"Jerusalem!" spoke out a rough, hearty voice, "isn't that wonderful!"
This exclamation came from a countryman who had stepped in from the
street, and now stood agape in the doorway.

It was a rude but not altogether unwelcome interruption. A smile passed
round the room, and both men and women breathed more easily. Order being
at last restored, the officer was requested to describe the position of
the stand, and its distance from the library table.

"The library table is in one room, and the stand in another. To
reach the former from the latter, one would be obliged to cross
Mr. Leavenworth's bedroom in a diagonal direction, pass through the
passageway separating that one apartment from the other, and----"

"Wait a moment; how does this table stand in regard to the door which
leads from the bedroom into the hall?"

"One might enter that door, pass directly round the foot of the bed
to the stand, procure the pistol, and cross half-way over to the
passage-way, without being seen by any one sitting or standing in the
library beyond."

"Holy Virgin!" exclaimed the horrified cook, throwing her apron over her
head as if to shut out some dreadful vision. "Hannah niver would have
the pluck for that; niver, niver!" But Mr. Gryce, laying a heavy hand on
the woman, forced her back into her seat, reproving and calming her
at the same time, with a dexterity marvellous to behold. "I beg your
pardons," she cried deprecatingly to those around; "but it niver was
Hannah, niver!"

The clerk from Bohn's here being dismissed, those assembled took the
opportunity of making some change in their position, after which, the
name of Mr. Harwell was again called. That person rose with manifest
reluctance. Evidently the preceding testimony had either upset some
theory of his, or indubitably strengthened some unwelcome suspicion.

"Mr. Harwell," the coroner began, "we are told of the exist