d Moulder.

"Well, it may be gammon; but you'll see."

"Gentlemen, gentlemen!" said Mrs. Smiley, sailing into the room;
"upon my word one hears all you say ever so far down the street."

"And I didn't care if they heard it right away to the Mansion House,"
said Moulder. "We ain't talking treason, nor yet highway robbery."

Then Mrs. Smiley was welcomed;--her bonnet was taken from her and her
umbrella, and she was encouraged to spread herself out over the sofa.
"Oh, Mrs. Bolster; the witness!" she said, when Mrs. Moulder went
through some little ceremony of introduction. And from the tone of
her voice it appeared that she was not quite satisfied that Mrs.
Bolster should be there as a companion for herself.

"Yes, ma'am. I was the witness as had never signed but once," said
Bridget, getting up and curtsying. Then she sat down again, folding
her hands one over the other on her lap.

"Oh, indeed!" said Mrs. Smiley. "But where's the other witness, Mrs.
Moulder? He's the one who is a deal more interesting to me. Ha, ha,
ha! But as you all know it here, what's the good of not telling the
truth? Ha, ha, ha!"

"John's here," said Mrs. Moulder. "Come, John, why don't you show
yourself?"

"He's just alive, and that's about all you can say for him," said
Moulder.

"Why, what's there been to kill him?" said Mrs. Smiley. "Well, John,
I must say you're rather backward in coming forward, considering what
there's been between us. You might have come and taken my shawl, I'm
thinking."

"Yes, I might," said Kenneby gloomily. "I hope I see you pretty well,
Mrs. Smiley."

"Pretty bobbish, thank you. Only I think it might have been Maria
between friends like us."

"He's sadly put about by this trial," whispered Mrs. Moulder. "You
know he is so tender-hearted that he can't bear to be put upon like
another."

"But you didn't want her to be found guilty; did you, John?"

"That I'm sure he didn't," said Moulder. "Why it was the way he gave
his evidence that brought her off."

"It wasn't my wish to bring her off," said Kenneby; "nor was it my
wish to make her guilty. All I wanted was to tell the truth and do my
duty. But it was no use. I believe it never is any use."

"I think you did very well," said Moulder.

"I'm sure Lady Mason ought to be very much obliged to you," said
Kantwise.

"Nobody needn't care for what's said to them in a court," said
Snengkeld. "I remember when once they wanted to make out that I'd
taken a