ss we have
had who knew him personally--"

Aylmore turned impatiently to the Coroner.

"I have every wish to respect your authority, sir!" he exclaimed. "And
I have told you all that I know of Marbury and of what happened when I
met him the other evening. But I resent being questioned on my private
affairs of twenty years ago--I very much resent it! Any question that
is really pertinent I will answer, but I will not answer questions that
seem to me wholly foreign to the scope of this enquiry."

The Treasury Counsel rose again. His manner had become of the quietest,
and Spargo again became keenly attentive.

"Perhaps I can put a question or two to Mr. Aylmore which will not
yield him offence," he remarked drily. He turned once more to the
witness, regarding him as if with interest. "Can you tell us of any
person now living who knew Marbury in London at the time under
discussion--twenty to twenty-two or three years ago?" he asked.

Aylmore shook his head angrily.

"No, I can't,'' he replied.

"And yet you and he must have had several business acquaintances at
that time who knew you both!"

"Possibly--at that time. But when I returned to England my business and
my life lay in different directions to those of that time. I don't know
of anybody who knew Marbury then--anybody."

The Counsel turned to a clerk who sat behind him, whispered to him;
Spargo saw the clerk make a sidelong motion of his head towards the
door of the court. The Counsel looked again at the witness.

"One more question. You told the court a little time since that you
parted with Marbury on the evening preceding his death at the end of
Waterloo Bridge--at, I think you said, a quarter to twelve."

"About that time."

"And at that place?"

"Yes."

"That is all I want to ask you, Mr. Aylmore--just now," said the
Counsel. He turned to the Coroner. "I am going to ask you, sir, at this
point to call a witness who has volunteered certain evidence to the
police authorities this morning. That evidence is of a very important
nature, and I think that this is the stage at which it ought to be
given to you and the jury. If you would be pleased to direct that David
Lyell be called--"

Spargo turned instinctively to the door, having seen the clerk who had
sat behind the Treasury Counsel make his way there. There came into
view, ushered by the clerk, a smart-looking, alert, self-confident
young man, evidently a Scotsman, who, on the name of David Lyel