ble at the foot of her
dining-room clock, fixed at three or four minutes past noon. The next
point to be ascertained was when she received the deadly blow.

And here the great surprise of the defence occurred. Mr. Orcutt rose,
and in clear, firm tones said:

"Gouverneur Hildreth, take the stand."

Instantly, and before the witness could comply, Mr. Ferris was on his
feet.

"Who? what?" he cried.

"Gouverneur Hildreth," repeated Mr. Orcutt.

"Did you know this gentleman has already been in custody upon suspicion
of having committed the crime for which the prisoner is now being
tried?"

"I do," returned Mr. Orcutt, with imperturbable _sang froid_.

"And is it your intention to save your client from the gallows by
putting the halter around the neck of the man you now propose to call as
a witness?"

"No," retorted Mr. Orcutt; "_I_ do not propose to put the halter about
any man's neck. That is the proud privilege of my learned and respected
opponent."

With an impatient frown Mr. Ferris sat down, while Mr. Hildreth, who
had taken advantage of this short passage of arms between the lawyers to
retain his place in the remote corner where he was more or less shielded
from the curiosity of the crowd, rose, and, with a slow and painful
movement that at once attracted attention to his carefully bandaged
throat and the general air of debility which surrounded him, came
hesitatingly forward and took his stand in face of the judge and jury.

Necessarily a low murmur greeted him from the throng of interested
spectators who saw in this appearance before them of the man who, by no
more than a hair's-breadth, had escaped occupying the position of the
prisoner, another of those dramatic incidents with which this trial
seemed fairly to bristle.

It was hushed by one look from the Judge, but not before it had awakened
in Mr. Hildreth's weak and sensitive nature those old emotions of shame
and rage whose token was a flush so deep and profuse it unconsciously
repelled the gaze of all who beheld it. Immediately Mr. Byrd, who sat
with bated breath, as it were, so intense was his excitement over the
unexpected turn of affairs, recognized the full meaning of the
situation, and awarded to Mr. Orcutt all the admiration which his skill
in bringing it about undoubtedly deserved. Indeed, as the detective's
quick glance flashed first at the witness, cringing in his old
unfortunate way before the gaze of the crowd, and then at the prisone