\"why, sir, it seems to me that i hāve got a pretty distinct chain ofevidence, inculpating a gentleman who was walking with miss halethat night at the outwood station, as the man who struck or pushedleonards off the platform and so caused his death. but the young ladydenies that she was there at the time.\"

\"miss hale denies she was there!\" repeated mr. thornton, in an alteredvoice. \"tell me, what evening was it? what time?\"

\"about six o\"clock, on the evening of thursday, the twenty-sixth.\"

they walked on, side by side, in silence for a minute or two. theinspector was the first to speak.

\"you see, sir, there is like to be a coroner\"s inquest; and i\"ve got a youngman who is pretty positive,--at least he was at first;--since he has heardof the young lady\"s denial, he says he should not like to swear; but stillhe\"s pretty positive that he saw miss hale at the station, walking aboutwith a gentleman, not five minutes before the time, when one of theporters saw a scuffle, which he set down to some of leonards\"

impudence--but which led to the fall which caused his death. andseeing you e out of the very house, sir, i thought i might make boldto ask if--you see, it\"s always awkward hāving to do with cases ofdisputed identity, and one doesn\"t like to doubt the word of arespectable young woman unless one has strong proof to the contrary.\"

\"and she denied hāving been at the station that evening!\" repeated mr.

thornton, in a low, brooding tone.

\"yes, sir, twice over, as distinct as could be. i told her i should callagain, but seeing you just as i was on my way back from questioningthe young man who said it was her, i thought i would ask your advice,both as the magistrate who saw leonards on his death-bed, and as thegentleman who got me my berth in the force.\"

\"you were quite right,\" said mr. thornton. \"don\"t take any steps till youhāve seen me again.\"

\"the young lady will expect me to call, from what i said.\"

\"i only want to delay you an hour. it\"s now three. e to mywarehouse at four.\"

\"very well, sir!\"

and they parted pany. mr. thornton hurried to his warehouse, and,sternly forbidding his clerks to allow any one to interrupt him, he wenthis way to his own private room, and locked the door. then he indulgedhimself in the torture of thinking it all over, and realising every detail.