help to an acquittal, asked Mr. Tomlinson,
the solicitor who was instructing him in the case, to find Birchill and
bring him to his chambers. Birchill was found and kept an appointment.
Lethbridge explained to him that he had nothing further to fear from the
police with regard to the murder of Sir Horace Fewbanks. Having been
acquitted on this charge he could not be tried on it again, no matter
what discoveries were made. He could not even be tried for perjury, as he
had not gone into the witness-box. Having allowed these facts to sink
home, he delicately suggested to Birchill that he ought to come forward
as a witness for the defence of Holymead--he ought to do his best to try
and save the life of the man who had saved his life.

"What do you want me to swear?" asked Birchill, in a tone which indicated
that although he did not object to committing perjury, he wanted to know
how far he was to go.

"Well, that Sir Horace Fewbanks was alive when you went to Riversbrook,"
suggested Lethbridge.

"But I tell you he was dead," protested Birchill. He seemed to think that
reviving a dead man was beyond even the power of perjury.

"That was your original story, I know," agreed Lethbridge suavely. "But
as you were not put into the witness-box to swear it you can alter it
without fear of any consequences."

"You want me to swear that he was alive?" said Birchill, meditatively.

"If you can conscientiously do so," replied Lethbridge.

"That he was alive when I left Riversbrook?" asked Birchill.

"Well, not necessarily that," said Lethbridge.

Birchill sprang up in alarm.

"Good God, do you want me to swear that I killed him?" he demanded.

Lethbridge endeavoured to explain that he would have nothing to fear from
such a confession in the witness-box, but Birchill would listen to no
further explanations. He felt that he was in dangerous company, and that
his safety depended on getting out of the room.

"You've made a mistake," he said, as he reached the door. "If you want a
witness of that kind you ought to look for him in Colney Hatch."

CHAPTER XXX

The impending trial of Holymead produced almost as much excitement in
staid legal circles as it did among the general public. It was rumoured
that there was a difficulty in obtaining a judge to preside at the trial,
as they all objected to being placed in the position of trying a man who
was well-known to them and with whom most of them had been on friendly
term