with such bilious attacks as would necessitate
their absence from the House, and that, instead of giving her such
a spell, Edward Curtis had given her one which had caused every
member of her household to fall downstairs--admitted, under
cross-examination, that she had asked for a spell that would make
every supporter of the Government in the House be suddenly seized
with tetanus. "A diabolical request, your lordship," Gerald Kirby
said, "and one to which my client could not possibly accede.
Consequently, as a punishment for such cruelty, he sold her a
spell that would result in her having a sharp attack of toothache.
It could not possibly have produced any of the mishaps she
attributes to it."

It is unnecessary to quote further. By far the greater number of these
witnesses, on being cross-examined by Mr. Kirby, who defended with an
ability that has rarely, if ever, been excelled, were made to confess
that they had wanted the spells for a far more subtle and dangerous
purpose than they had previously stated; admissions which, of course,
were highly prejudicial to the case for the prosecution.

Shiel lost hope. He had looked forward to the trial with an excitement
that almost bordered on frenzy. It was never out of his mind. He
thought of it at meals, he thought of it at his work, he thought of it
out of doors, and, when he went to bed, he dreamed of it.

"I'll save you! I'll save you yet!" he wrote to Gladys. "The trial can
only result in one thing--the breaking up and imprisonment of the
trio."

But when he read the papers each day, and saw how, in almost every
instance, evidence which ought to have been damning to the accused,
had been twisted into their favour, his heart sank.

There was only one chance now--Lilian Rosenberg. She, of all the staff
employed in the Hall in Cockspur Street, was best acquainted with the
_modus operandi_ of Messrs. Hamar, Curtis and Kelson.

"We must get hold of that girl at all costs," H.V. Sevenning remarked
to Shiel. "You say you feel sure she likes you. Work upon her feelings
to show the Firm up."

"I don't much like the idea of it," Shiel said, "but I suppose the end
justifies the means."

"Of course it does!" Sevenning retorted. "It's your only chance of
saving Miss Martin."

Acting on this suggestion, Shiel approached Lilian Rosenberg on the
subject.

"What about the spells?" he asked her. "Have you found out yet how
Hamar