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"About North what about North?" "They are going to bring him back; didn't you know he had gone West? He went last night." "But who is going to bring him back?" "They want him as a witness in the McBride case. They Moxlow, that is seems to think he knows something that may be of importance. He's a crazy fool, with his notions!" "But North " Evelyn began. "It may make a lot of trouble for him.
He would venture the assertion that if the murderer were ever found he would prove to be no ordinary criminal. All this Moxlow said with judicial deliberation and with the lawyer's careful qualifying of word and phrase. Shrimplin was the first witness. He described in his own fashion the finding of Archibald McBride's body.
Perhaps you are not aware that McBride and North were on friendly terms; for years it had been North's habit to go to Mr. McBride whenever he had a sudden need of money. This I know to be a fact." He glanced about him and could see that what he had said was making its impression on his hearers. "When did you see McBride, at what hour?" asked Moxlow. "A little before two."
Finally Moxlow turned from him with a characteristic gesture. "That's all," he said. Again his glance wandered over the room. It became fixed on a grayish middle-aged man seated at Gilmore's elbow. "Thomas Nelson," he called. This instantly revived North's apprehensions. Nelson was the janitor of the building in which he had roomed. He asked himself what could be Moxlow's purpose in examining him.
The coroner fidgeted in his seat; dismay and unspeakable surprise were plainly stamped on Colonel Harbison's face; Moxlow appeared quite nonplussed by what his partner had last said. "I was aware that he contemplated this trip West," said Langham quickly. "He had asked me to dispose of the contents of his rooms when he should be gone." "Did he tell you where he was going, Marshall?" asked Moxlow.
Montgomery looked at Gilmore, whose fierce insistent glance was bent compellingly on him. The recollection of the gambler's threats and promises flashed through his mind. "Was it a face you knew?" repeated Moxlow. The handy-man gave him a sudden glare. "Yes," he said in a throaty whisper. "How could you tell in the dark?" "It wasn't so terrible dark, with the snow on the ground.
Reluctantly the handy-man sank into the chair indicated. "Now you old sot," began the gambler, "you listen to me! I suppose if they could shift suspicion so that it would appear you had had something to do with the old man's murder, it would take Moxlow and the judge and any decent jury no time at all to hang you; for who would care a damn whether you were hanged or not!
"Ask Watt to find Moxlow and bring him here. He's probably at his boarding-house." He spoke with painful effort, and the doctor glanced uncertainly at Evelyn, who by a slight inclination of the head indicated that she wished her husband's request complied with. Taylor quitted the room. "Why do you wish to see Moxlow?" Evelyn asked the moment they were alone.
"Ain't that going to cut any figure with him?" "Certainly not." "Is that so, Marsh?" He crossed his legs and nursed an ankle with both hands. "Well, somebody ought to lose Moxlow, take him out and forget to find him again. He's much too good for this world; it ain't natural. He's about the only man of his age in Mount Hope who ain't drifted into my rooms at one time or another."
The coroner had explained the manner in which the murdered man had come to his death, and as he finished he turned to Moxlow. The prosecuting attorney shifted his position slightly, thrust out his long legs toward the wood-stove, and buried his hands deep in his trousers pockets, then he addressed the jury.
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