I call upon you to witness that I am
in no way exceeding my authority. The dignity of this court must be
upheld." He turned to the jury, who were all on end and warlike. "I call
upon you to witness the insult which Mr. Raines has put on this court,
and unless he apologizes he will be ejected from the room."

Raines saw that he had gone too far, and with a wry face and
contemptuous tone of voice muttered an apology which was in spirit an
insult, but Carmody accepted the letter of it with a warning that he
would brook no further displays of temper.

When the coroner resumed his interrogation of Busby, whose sullen calm
had given place to a look of alarm and desperation, he refused to speak
one word in answer to questions, and at last Carmody, ordering him to
take a seat in the room, called Mrs. Eli Kitsong to the chair.

She was a thin, pale little woman with a nervous twitch on one side of
her face, and the excitement through which she had just passed rendered
her almost speechless; but she managed to tell the jury that Busby and
Watson had fought and that she had warned her son not to run with Hart
Busby.

"I knew he'd get him into trouble," she said. "I told Henry not to go
with him; but he went away with him in spite of all I could say."

"Did you actually _see_ the fight between Busby and Watson?"

"No, I only heard Ed tell about it."

"Did he say Busby threatened to kill him?"

"Yes, he did, but he laughed and said he was not afraid of a fool kid
like him."

Busby was deeply disturbed. He sat staring at the floor, moistening his
lips occasionally with the tip of his tongue as the coroner called one
after another of his neighbors to testify against him. The feeling that
Carmody was on the right track spread through the audience, but Abe
insisted that the Kauffmans be called to the stand, and to this Hanscom
added:

"I join in that demand. Call Miss McLaren. I want the ownership of these
shoes settled once and for all."

In the tone of one making a concession, Carmody said, "Very well. Mr.
Sheriff, take Busby out and ask Miss McLaren to step this way."

As the young ruffian was led out Rita sprang up as if to follow him, but
Carmody restrained her. "Stay where you are. I want you to confront Miss
McLaren."

A stir, a sigh of satisfaction, passed over the room, and every eye was
turned toward the door through which Helen must approach. Not one of all
the town-folk and few of the country-folk had ever s