The Nine of Hearts

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 the houses, but on the other side, close to the railings. I don't know how many times they made the circle of the square, but they must have been away about twenty minutes or so. Then they came up to me together, and my master opened the door of the carriage, and the lady got in. When she was inside, he said to me that there was no occasion for me to mention what I had seen or that he had spoken to me about the lady."

The Attorney-general. "All this time was it raining?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "Did they have umbrellas?"

Witness. "Neither of them, sir."

The Attorney-general. "They must have got wet?"

Witness. "They couldn't help getting wet."

The Attorney-general. "Did they seem to mind it?"

Witness. "They didn't say anything about it."

The Attorney-general. "While they were walking round the square, did they meet any persons?"

Witness. "A few passed them, and they got out of their way, it seemed to me."

The Attorney-general. "As if they desired to avoid observation?"

Witness. "Yes, sir."

The Attorney-general. "That would be a reasonable construction to put upon the circumstance of their walking, during their conversation, on the least-frequented side of the square, near the railings?"

Witness. "Yes, I think so."

The Attorney-general. "Although the neighborhood is a fairly busy one during the day, are there many people passing through Bloomsbury Square at night?"

Witness. "Not many, I should say."

The Attorney-general. "The square is not very well lighted up?"

Witness. "Not very."

The Attorney-general. "Did you see a policeman while you were waiting?"

Witness. "One, and only once."

The Attorney-general. "Did he speak to you?"

Witness. "No, sir."

The Attorney-general. "He passed on through the square?"