I
fear any thing; I'm curious, that is all."

Mr. Byrd drew back, looked over at Imogene, and involuntarily shook his
head. What was in the mind of this mysterious woman? What direful
purpose or shadow of doom lay behind the veil that separated her from
the curiosity and perhaps the sympathy of the surrounding crowd? It was
in vain to question; he could only wait in secret anxiety for the
revelations which the next few minutes might bring.

The defence having rested the night before, the first action of the
Judge on the opening of the court was to demand whether the prosecution
had any rebuttal testimony to offer.

Mr. Ferris instantly rose.

"Miss Dare, will you retake the stand," said he.

Immediately Mr. Orcutt, who up to the last moment had felt his case as
secure as if it had indeed been founded on a rock, bounded to his feet,
white as the witness herself.

"I object!" he cried. "The witness thus recalled by the counsel of the
prosecution has had ample opportunity to lay before the court all the
evidence in her possession. I submit it to the court whether my learned
opponent should not have exhausted his witness before he rested his
case."

"Mr. Ferris," asked the Judge, turning to the District Attorney, "do you
recall this witness for the purpose of introducing fresh testimony in
support of your case or merely to disprove the defence?"

"Your honor," was the District Attorney's reply, "I ought to say in
fairness to my adversary and to the court, that since the case was
closed a fact has come to my knowledge of so startling and conclusive a
nature that I feel bound to lay it before the jury. From this witness
alone can we hope to glean this fact; and as I had no information on
which to base a question concerning it in her former examination, I beg
the privilege of reopening my case to that extent."

"Then the evidence you desire to submit is not in rebuttal?" queried the
Judge.

"I do not like to say that," rejoined the District Attorney, adroitly.
"I think it may bear directly upon the question whether the prisoner
could catch the train at Monteith Quarry if he left the widow's house
after the murder. If the evidence I am about to offer be true, he
certainly could."

Thoroughly alarmed now and filled with the dismay which a mysterious
threat is always calculated to produce, Mr. Orcutt darted a wild look of
inquiry at Imogene, and finding her immovable behind her thick veil,
turned about and confront