his name. He replied 'No.' At which I pointed to the book, and he wrote his name down and then went up-stairs with me to his room."
"And is that all? Did you say nothing beyond what you have mentioned? ask him no questions or make no allusions to the murder?"
"Well, sir, I did make some attempt that way, for I was curious to know what took him to the Widow Clemmens' house, but he snubbed me so quickly, I concluded to hold my tongue and not trouble myself any further about the matter."
"And do you mean to say you haven't told any one that an unknown man had been at your house on the morning of the murder inquiring after the widow?"
"Yes, sir. I am a poor man, and believe in keeping out of all sort of messes. Policy demands that much of me, gentlemen."
The look he received from the coroner may have convinced him that policy can be carried too far.
"And now," said Dr. Tredwell, "what sort of a man is this Clement Smith?"
"He is a gentleman, sir, and not at all the sort of person with whom you would be likely to connect any unpleasant suspicion."
The coroner surveyed the hotel-keeper somewhat sternly.
"We are not talking about suspicions!" he cried; then, in a different tone, repeated: "This gentleman, you say, is still at your house?"
"Yes, sir, or was at breakfast-time. I have not seen him since."
"We will have to call Mr. Smith as a witness," declared the coroner, turning to the officer at his side. "Go and see if you cannot bring him as soon as you did Mr. Symonds."
But here a voice spoke up full and loud from the other room.
"It is not necessary, sir. A witness you will consider more desirable than he is in the building." And the thick-set man showed himself for an instant to the coroner, then walking back, deliberately laid his hand on the elbow which for so long a time had been the centre of Mr. Byrd's wondering conjectures.
In an instant the fine, gentlemanly figure of the stranger, whom he had seen the night before in the bar-room, appeared with a bound from beyond the jamb, and pausing excitedly before the man, now fully discovered to all around as a detective, asked him, in shaking tones of suppressed terror or rage, what it was he meant.
"I will tell you," was the ready assurance, "if you will step out here in view of the coroner and jury."
With a glance that for some reason disturbed Mr. Byrd in his newly acquired complacency, the gentleman stalked hurriedly forward and took his stand in the door-way leading into the room occupied by the persons mentioned.
"Now," he cried, "what have you to say?"
But the detective, who had advanced behind him, still refrained from replying, though he gave a quick look at the coroner, which led that functionary to glance at the hotel-keeper and instantly ask:
"You know this gentleman?"
"It is Mr. Clement Smith."
A flush so violent and profuse, that even Mr. Byrd could see it from his stand outside the window, inundated for an instant the face and neck of the gentleman, but was followed by no words, though the detective at his side waited for an instant before saying:
"I think you are mistaken; I should call him now Mr. Gouverneur Hildreth!"
With a start and a face grown as suddenly white as it had but an instant before been red, the gentleman turned and surveyed the detective from head to foot, saying, in a tone of mock politeness:
"And why, if you please? I have never been introduced to you that I remember."
"No," rejoined the detective, taking from his pocket the handkerchief which he had previously put there, and presenting it to the other with a bow, "but I have read the monogram upon your handkerchief and it happens to be – "
"Enough!" interrupted the other, in a stern if not disdainful voice. "I see I have been the victim of espionage." And stepping into the other room, he walked haughtily up to the coroner and exclaimed: "I am Gouverneur Hildreth, and I come from Toledo. Now, what is it you have to say to me?"
IX.
CLOSE CALCULATIONS
Truth alone,
Truth tangible and palpable; such truth
As may be weighed and measured; truth deduced
By logical conclusion – close, severe —
From premises incontrovertible. – Moultrie.
THE excitement induced by the foregoing announcement had, in a degree, subsided. The coroner, who appeared to be as much startled as any one at the result of the day's proceedings, had manifested his desire of putting certain questions to the young man, and had begun by such inquiries into his antecedents, and his connection with Mrs. Clemmens, as elicited the most complete corroboration of all Miss Firman's statements.
An investigation into his motives for coming East at this time next followed, in the course of which he acknowledged that he undertook the journey solely for the purpose of seeing Mrs. Clemmens. And when asked why he wished to see her at this time, admitted, with some manifestation of shame, that he desired to see for himself whether she was really in as strong and healthy a condition as he had always been told; his pecuniary embarrassments being such that he could not prevent his mind from dwelling upon possibilities which, under any other circumstances, he would have been ashamed to consider.
"And did you see Mrs. Clemmens?" the coroner inquired.
"Yes, sir; I did."
"When?"
"On Tuesday, sir; about noon."
The answer was given almost with bravado, and the silence among the various auditors became intense.
"You admit, then, that you were in the widow's house the morning she was murdered, and that you had an interview with her a few minutes before the fatal blow was struck?"
"I do."
There was doggedness in the tone, and doggedness in the look that accompanied it. The coroner moved a little forward in his chair and uttered his next question with deep gravity.
"Did you approach the widow's house by the road and enter into it by means of the front door overlooking the lane?"
"I did."
"And did you meet no one in the lane, or see no one at the windows of any of the houses as you came by?"
"No, sir."
"How long did you stay in this house, and what was the result of the interview which you had with Mrs. Clemmens?"
"I stayed, perhaps, ten minutes, and I learned nothing from Mrs. Clemmens, save that she was well and hearty, and likely to live out her threescore years and ten for all hint that her conversation or appearance gave me."
He spoke almost with a tone of resentment; his eyes glowed darkly, and a thrill of horror sped through the room as if they felt that the murderer himself stood before them.
"You will tell me what was said in this interview, if you please, and whether the widow knew who you were; and, if so, whether any words of anger
