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nation；　as　in　others；　evidence　was　advanced　that　was　inadmissibleat　least；　that　would　have　been　inadmissible　in　a　more　orthodox　courthearsay　testimony；　and　irregularities　of　that　nature。　Mr。　Rubiny　watched　the　case　on　behalf　of　Sir　Francis　Levison。

Mr。　Ball　opened　the　proceedings；　giving　the　account　which　had　been　imparted　to　him　by　Richard　Hare；　but　not　mentioning　Richard　as　his　informant。　He　was　questioned　as　to　whence　he　obtained　his　information；　but　replied　that　it　was　not　convenient　at　present　to　disclose　the　source。　The　stumbling　block　of　the　magistrates　appeared　to　be　the　identifying　Levison　with　Thorn。　Ebenezer　James　came　forward　to　prove　it。

〃What　do　you　know　of　the　prisoner；　Sir　Francis　Levison？〃　questioned　Justice　Herbert。

〃Not　much；〃　responded　Mr。　Ebenezer。　〃I　used　to　know　him　as　Captain　Thorn。〃

〃/Captain/　Thorn？〃

〃Afy　Hallijohn　called　him　captain；　but　I　understood　he　was　but　a　lieutenant。〃

〃From　whom　did　you　understand　that？〃

〃From　Afy。　She　was　the　only　person　I　heard　speak　of　him。〃

〃And　you　say　you　were　in　the　habit　of　seeing　him　in　the　place　mentioned；　the　Abbey　Wood？〃

〃I　saw　him　there　repeatedly；　also　at　Hallijohn's　cottage。〃

〃Did　you　speak　with　him　as　Thorn？〃

〃Two　or　three　times。　I　addressed　him　as　Thorn；　and　he　answered　to　the　name。　I　had　no　suspicion　but　that　it　was　his　name。　Otway　Bethel〃　casting　his　eyes　on　Mr。　Otway；　who　stood　in　his　shaggy　attire〃also　knew　him　as　Thorn；　and　so　I　have　no　doubt；　did　Locksley；　for　he　was　always　in　the　wood。〃

〃Anybody　else？〃

〃Poor　Hallijohn　himself　knew　him　as　Thorn。　He　said　to　Afy　one　day；　in　my　presence；　that　he　would　not　have　that　confounded　dandy；　Thorn；　coming　there。〃

〃Were　those　the　words　he　used？〃

〃They　were；　'that　confounded　dandy　Thorn。'　I　remember　Afy's　replyit　was　rather　insolent。　She　said　Thorn　was　as　free　to　come　there　as　anybody　else；　and　she　would　not　be　found　fault　with；　as　though　she　was　not　fit　to　take　care　of　herself。〃

〃That　is　nothing　to　the　purpose。　Were　any　others　acquainted　with　this　Thorn？〃

〃I　should　imagine　the　elder　sister；　Joyce；　was。　And　the　one　who　knew　him　best　of　all　of　us　was　young　Richard　Hare。〃

/Old/　Richard　Hare；　from　his　place　on　the　bench；　frowned　menacingly　at　an　imaginary　Richard。

〃What　took　Thorn　into　the　wood　so　often？〃

〃He　was　courting　Afy。〃

〃With　an　intention　of　marrying　her？〃

〃Wellno；〃　cried　Mr。　Ebenezer；　with　a　twist　of　the　mouth；　〃I　should　not　suppose　he　entertained　any　intention　of　the　sort。　He　used　to　come　over　from　Swainson；　or　its　neighborhood；　riding　a　splendid　horse。〃

〃Whom　did　you　suppose　him　to　be？〃

〃I　supposed　him　to　be　moving　in　the　upper　ranks　of　life。　There　was　no　doubt　of　it。　His　dress；　his　manners；　his　tone；　all　proclaimed　it。　He　appeared　to　wish　to　shun　observation；　and　evidently　did　not　care　to　be　seen　by　any　of　us。　He　rarely　arrived　until　twilight。〃

〃Did　you　see　him　there　on　the　night　of　Hallijohn's　murder？〃

〃No。　I　was　not　there　myself　that　evening；　so　could　not　have　seen　him。〃

〃Did　a　suspicion　cross　your　mind　at　any　time　that　he　may　have　been　guilty　of　the　murder？〃

〃Never。　Richard　Hare　was　accused　of　it　by　universal　belief；　and　it　never　occurred　to　me　to　suppose　he　had　not　done　it。〃

〃Pray；　how　many　years　is　this　ago？〃　sharply　interrupted　Mr。　Rubiny；　perceiving　that　the　witness　was　done　with。

〃Let's　see！〃　responded　Mr。　Ebenezer。　〃I　can't　be　sure　as　to　a　year　without　reckoning　up。　A　dozen；　if　not　more。〃

〃And　you　mean　to　say　that　you　can　swear　to　Sir　Francis　Levison　being　that　man；　with　all　these　years　intervening？〃

〃I　swear　that　he　is　the　man。　I　am　as　positive　of　his　identity　as　I　am　of　my　own。〃

〃Without　having　seen　him　from　that　time　to　this？〃　derisively　returned　the　lawyer。　〃Nonsense；　witness。〃

〃I　did　not　say　that；〃　returned　Mr。　Ebenezer。

The　court　pricked　up　its　ears。　〃Have　you　seen　him　between　then　and　now？〃　asked　one　of　them。

〃Once。〃

〃Where　and　when？〃

〃It　was　in　London；　about　eighteen　months　after　the　period　of　the　trial！〃

〃What　communication　had　you　with　him？〃

〃None　at　all。　I　only　saw　himquite　by　chance。〃

〃And　whom　did　you　suppose　him　to　be　thenThorn　or　Levison？〃

〃Thorn；　certainly。　I　never　dreamt　of　his　being　Levison　until　he　appeared　here；　now；　to　oppose　Mr。　Carlyle。〃

A　wild；　savage　curse　shot　through　Sir　Francis's　heart　as　he　heard　the　words。　What　demon　had　possessed　him　to　venture　his　neck　into　the　lion's　den？　There　had　been　a　strong　hidden　power　holding　him　back　from　it；　independent　of　his　dislike　to　face　Mr。　Carlyle；　how　could　he　be　so　mad　as　to　disregard　it？　How？　Could　a　man　go　from　his　doom？　Can　any？

〃You　may　have　been　mistaken；　witness；　as　to　the　identity　of　the　man　you　saw　in　London。　It　may　not　have　been　the　Thorn　you　had　known　here。〃

Mr。　Ebenezer　James　smiled　a　peculiar　smile。　〃I　was　not　mistaken；〃　he　said；　his　tone　sounding　remarkably　significant。　〃I　am　upon　my　oath。〃

〃Call　Aphrodite　Hallijohn。〃

The　lady　appeared；　supported　by　her　friend；　the　policeman。　And　Mr。　Ebenezer　James　was　desired　by　Mr。　Ball　to　leave　the　court　while　she　gave　her　evidence。　Doubtless　he　had　his　reasons。

〃What　is　your　name？〃

〃Afy；〃　replied　she；　looking　daggers　at　everybody；　and　sedulously　keeping　her　back　turned　upon　Francis　Levison　and　Otway　Bethel。

〃You　name　in　full；　if　you　please。　You　were　not　christened　'Afy'？〃

〃Aphrodite　Hallijohn。　You　all　know　my　name　as　well　as　I　do。　Where's　the　use　of　asking　useless　questions？〃

〃Swear　the　witness；〃　spoke　up　Mr。　Justice　Hare。　The　first　word　he　had　uttered。

〃I　won't　be　sworn；〃　said　Afy。

〃You　must　be　sworn；〃　said　Mr。　Justice　Herbert。

〃But　I　say　I　won't；〃　repeated　Afy。

〃Then　we　must　commit　you　to　prison　for　contempt　of　court。〃

There　was　no　mercy　in　his　tone；　and　Afy　turned　white。　Sir　John　Dobede　interposed。

〃Young　woman；　had　/you/　a　hand　in　the　murder　of　your　father？〃

〃I？〃　returned　Afy；　struggling　with　passion；　temper；　and　excitement。　〃How　dare　you　ask　me　such　an　unnatural　question；　sir？　He　was　the　kindest　father；〃　she　added；　battling　with　her　tears。　〃I　loved　him　dearly。　I　would　have　saved　his　life　with　mine。〃

〃And　yet　you　refuse　to　give　evidence　that　may　assist　in　bringing　his　destroyer　to　justice。〃

〃No；　I　don't　refuse　on　that　score。　I　should　like　his　destroyer　to　be　hanged；　and　I'd　go　to　see　it。　But　who　knows　what　other　questions　you　may　be　asking　me；　about　things　that　concerned　neither　you　nor　anybody　else？　That's　why　I　object。〃

〃We　have　only　to　deal　with　what　bears　upon　the　murder。　The　questions　put　to　you　will　relate　to　that。〃

Afy　considered。　〃Well；　you　may　swear　me；　then；〃　she　said。

Little　notion　had　she　of　the　broad　gauge　those　questions　would　run　upon。　And　she　was　sworn　accordingly。　Very　unwillingly　yet；　for　Afy；　who　would　have　told　lies　by　the　bushel　/un/sworn；　did　look　upon　an　oath　as　a　serious　matter；　and　felt　herself　compelled　to　speak　the　truth　when　examined　under　it。

〃How　did　you　become　acquainted　with　a　gentleman　you　often　saw　in　those　daysCaptain　Thorn？〃

〃There；〃　uttered　the　dismayed　Afy。　〃You　are　beginning　already。　/He/　had　nothing　to　do　with　ithe　did　not　do　the　murder。〃

〃You　have　sworn　to　answer　the　questions　put；〃　was　the　uncompromising　rejoinder。　〃How　did　you　become　acquainted　with　Captain　Thorn？〃

〃I　met　him　at　Swainson；〃　doggedly　answered　Afy。　〃I　went　over　there　one　day；　just　for　a　spree；　and　I　met　him　at　a　pastrycook's。〃

〃And　he　fell　in　love　with　your　pretty　face？〃　said　Lawyer　Ball；　taking　up　the　examination。

In　the　incense　to　her　vanity；　Afy　nearly　forgot　her　scruples。　〃Yes；　he　did；〃　she　answered；　casting　a　smile　of　general　satisfaction　round　upon　the　court。

〃And　got　out　of　you　where　you　lived；　and　entered　upon　his　courting；　riding　over　nearly　every　evening　to　see　you？〃

〃Well；〃　acknowledged　Afy；　〃there　was　no　harm　in　it。〃

〃Oh；　certainly　not！〃　acquiesced　the　lawyer；　in　a　pleasant；　free　tone；　to　put　the　witness　at　her　ease。　〃Rather　good；　I　should　say：　I　wish　I　had　had　the　like　luck。　Did　you　know　him　at　the　time　by　the　name　of　Levison？〃

〃No！　He　said　he　was　Captain　Thorn；　and　I　thought　he　was。〃

〃Did　you　know　where　he　lived？〃

〃No！　He　never　said　that。　I　thought　he　was　stopping　temporarily　at　Swainson。〃

〃Anddear　me！　what　a　sweet　bonnet　that　is　you　have　on！〃

Afy；　whose　egregious　vanity　was　her　besetting　sinwho　possessed　enough　of　it　for　any　ten　pretty　women　goingcast　a　glance　out　of　the　corners　of　her　eyes　at　the　admired　bonnet；　and　became　Mr。　Ball's　entirely。

〃And　how　long　was　it；　after　your　first　meeting　with　him；　before　you　discovered　his　real　name？〃

〃Not　for　a　long　timeseveral　months。〃

〃Subsequent　to　the　murder；　I　presume？〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃

Mr。　Ball's　eyes　gave　a　twinkle；　and　the　unconscious　Afy　surreptitiously　smoothed；　with　one　finger；　the　glossy　parting　of　her　hair。

〃Besides　Captain　Thorn；　what　gentlemen　were　in　the　wood　the　night　of　the　murder？〃

〃Richard　Hare　was　there。　Otway　Bethel　and　Locksley　also。　Those　were　all　I　saw　until　the　crowd　came。〃

〃Were　Locksley　and　Mr。　Otway　Bethel　martyrs　to　your　charms；　as　the　other　two　were？〃

〃No；　indeed！〃　was　the　witness's　answer；　with　an　indignant　toss　of　the　head。　〃A　couple　of　poaching　fellows　like　them！　They　had　better　have　tried　it　on！〃

〃Which　of　the　two；　Hare　or　Thorn；　was　inside　the　cottage　with　you　that　evening？〃

Afy　came　out　of　her　vanity　and　hesitated。　She　was　beginning　to　wonder　where　the　questions　would　get　to。

〃You　are　upon　your　oath；　witness！〃　thundered　Mr。　Justice　Hare。　〃If　it　was　myif　it　was　Richard　Hare　who　was　with　you；　say　so。　But　there　must　be　no　equivocation　here。〃

Afy　was　startled。　〃It　was　Thorn；〃　she　answered　to　Mr。　Ball。

〃And　where　was　Richard　Hare？〃

〃I　don't　know。　He　came　down；　but　I　sent　him　away；　I　would　not　admit　him。　I　dare　say　he　lingered　in　the　wood。〃

〃Did　he　leave　a　gun　with　you？〃

〃Yes。　It　was　one　he　had　promised　to　lend　my　father。　I　put　it　down　just　inside　the　door。　He　told　me　it　was　loaded。〃

〃How　long　after　this　was　it；　that　your　father　interrupted　you？〃

〃He　didn't　interrupt　us　at　all；〃　returned　Afy。　〃I　never　saw　my　father　until　I　saw　him　dead。〃

〃Were　you　not　in　the　cottage　all　the　time？〃

〃No；　we　went　out　for　a　stroll　at　the　back。　Captain　Thorn　wished　me　good…bye　there；　and　I　stayed　out。〃

〃Did　you　hear　the　gun　go　off？〃

〃I