The Nine of Hearts. Farjeon Benjamin Leopold

Attorney-general. "After he walked quickly away, what did you do?"

      Witness. "As I had more than an hour to spare I drove back to the inn I spoke of, and baited my horses, and had a bite of bread-and-cheese myself."

      The Attorney-general. "Anything to drink?"

      Witness. "A bottle of ginger-beer."

      The Attorney-general. "Timing yourself as usual, were you back on the spot you left the prisoner at the end of the hour and a quarter?"

      Witness. "To the minute."

      The Attorney-general. "Was he waiting for you?"

      Witness. "No, sir. I saw nothing of him for another two hours."

      The Attorney-general. "Did he return by the road he quitted you?"

      Witness. "No, sir. He came back another way."

      The Attorney-general. "As before?"

      Witness. "Yes, sir, as before."

      The Attorney-general. "What time was it then?"

      Witness. "Seven o'clock."

      The Attorney-general. "Was it getting dark?"

      Witness. "It was already dark, sir, and beginning to drizzle."

      The Attorney-general. "What were the next instructions?"

      Witness. "To drive to the Metropolitan Music Hall, Edgeware Road."

      The Attorney-general. "You drove there?"

      Witness. "Yes, sir, and my master got out."

      The Attorney-general "Saying what?"

      Witness. "Moorhouse,' he said, 'I don't know how long I shall remain here. It may be an hour or only a few minutes. Keep near.'"

      The Attorney-general. "You obeyed his instructions?"

      Witness. "Yes, sir. I kept within hail, and my master came out at half-past nine."

      The Attorney-general. "Alone?"

      Witness. "No, sir. He was accompanied by a man."

      The Attorney-general. "A young or an old man?"

      Witness. "I can't say."

      The Attorney-general. "But you saw him?"

      Witness. "Only his back. They walked away from the carriage."

      The Attorney-general. "There is generally something in the gait of a man which, within limits, denotes his age-that is to say, as whether he is young or old? Cannot you be guided by that fact?"

      Witness. "No, sir. I paid no particular attention to him. It was my master I was chiefly observing."

      The Attorney-general. "You have not the slightest idea as to the age of the man who came out of the Metropolitan Music Hall with the prisoner?"

      Witness. "Not the slightest, sir."

      The Attorney-general. "Did you observe nothing particular as to his dress? Was there any peculiarity about it?"

      Witness. "I observed nothing particular about him. Whatever I might say of the man, paying such little attention to him, wouldn't be worth much."

      The Attorney-general. "I recognize that you are giving your evidence in a very fair manner, and if I press you upon any point it is for the purpose of assisting your memory. You recollect that the prisoner on that night wore a coat of a distinct pattern?"

      Witness. "Yes, sir. He had on an ulster with a Scotch check, which couldn't be mistaken."

      The Attorney-general. "What was it lined with?"

      Witness. "With blue cloth."

      The Attorney-general. "He wore this ulster when he entered the music hall?"

      Witness. "Yes, sir, and when he came out of the music hall."

      The Attorney-general. "It is this which makes me think it likely you might have observed some distinguishing mark in the dress of the man who came out with him?"

      Witness. "I have nothing in my mind, sir, respecting his dress."

      The Attorney-general. "Very well, I will no longer press it. As to his height?"

      Witness. "As well as I can remember, he was about the same height as my master."

      The Attorney-general. "Did you notice the color of his hair, or whether it was long or short?"

      Witness. "No, sir."

      The Attorney-general. "If it had been long white hair, you would most likely have noticed it?"

      Witness. "In that case, yes, sir."

      The Attorney-general. "We may assume, then, that he had not long white hair?"

      Witness. "I think I am safe in saying that much."

      The Attorney-general. "Or white hair at all?"

      Witness. "I shouldn't like to commit myself there, sir. If his hair had been white and short, I don't think it would have struck me."

      The Attorney-general. "Did he and the prisoner walk out of sight?"

      Witness. "No, sir. They walked to the corner of a street, and stood there talking for a little while-I should say for fifteen or twenty minutes. Then the man went away, down the street, which hid him from me, and my master returned to the carriage."

      The Attorney-general. "While they were talking, their backs were still turned to you?"

      Witness. "Yes, sir."

      The Attorney-general. "Was there anything observable in their manner of conversing? Were they calm? Did they remain perfectly still?"

      Witness. "No, sir. My master was calm enough, but his companion appeared to be very excited. My master seemed to be trying to persuade him to do something."

      The Attorney-general. "From their attitude, should you have assumed that his arguments prevailed?"

      Witness. "I can't possibly say, sir."

      The Attorney-general. "Well, then, the man went away and the prisoner returned to you. What were his next directions?"

      Witness. "To drive to Bloomsbury Square, and stop where he directed me."

      The Attorney-general. "You did so?"

      Witness. "Yes, sir. When we reached the square in Queen Street he pulled the check-string, and I stopped there. He got out of the carriage and looked about him."

      The Attorney-general. "As if in search of some person?"

      Witness. "Yes, sir."

      The Attorney-general. "Did he make any remark to you?"

      Witness. "He said, 'If you see a young lady in a gray cloak pass by, you can tell her I am in the square.'"

      The Attorney-general. "Did he remain with you after that?"

      Witness. "No, sir; he walked right round the square. When he came up to me he asked if I had seen a young lady dressed as he had described. I. told him no, I hadn't, and he bade me keep a sharp lookout, and left me again."

      The Attorney-general. "To walk round the square again?"

      Witness. "Yes, sir. He walked round three or four times, I should say, and every time he came up to me he asked me if I was sure I had not seen the young lady; if I was sure she had not passed me. I gave him the same answer as I did before, and he left me again. He could not have been more than half-way round when I saw a lady in a gray cloak coming my way. She was walking hurriedly, and looking about her. I advanced to speak to her, but she started back the moment I made a step towards her, and ran to the other side of the road, and crossed into the square at a distance from me. I should have gone up to her had I not been afraid to leave my horses; but seeing that she began to walk round the square in the opposite direction my master had taken, I was satisfied that they must meet."

      The Attorney-general. "In point of fact, did they meet? Relate what you saw that bears upon it."

      Witness. "A little while afterwards I saw them together, talking to each other. They did not walk on the pavement close to