Hickory was, as usual, the first to speak. "I should say, stop," he cried. "This fresh applicant for the honor of having slain the Widow Clemmens deserves a hearing at least." "But," hurriedly interposed Byrd, "you don't give any credit to her story now, even if you did before the prisoner spoke? You know she did not commit the crime herself, whatever she may choose to declare in her anxiety to shield the prisoner. I hope, sir," he proceeded, glancing at the District Attorney, "that _you_ have no doubts as to Miss Dare's innocence?" But Mr. Ferris, instead of answering, turned to Hickory and said: "Miss Dare, in summoning you to confirm her statement, relied, I suppose, upon the fact of your having been told by Professor Darling's servant-maid that she--that is, Miss Dare--was gone from the observatory when the girl came for her on the morning of the murder?" "Yes, sir." "A strong corroborative fact, if true?" "Yes, sir." "But is it true? In the explanation which Miss Dare gave me last night of this affair, she uttered statements essentially different from those she made in court to-day. She then told me she _was_ in the observatory when the girl came for her; that she was looking through a telescope which was behind a high rack filled with charts; and that---- Why do you start?" "I didn't start," protested Hickory. "I beg your pardon," returned Mr. Ferris. "Well, then, if I did make such a fool of myself, it was because so far her story is plausible enough. She was in that very position when _I_ visited the observatory, you remember, and she was so effectually concealed I didn't see her or know she was there, till I looked behind the rack." "Very good!" interjected Mr. Ferris. "And that," he resumed, "she did not answer the girl or make known her presence, because at the moment the girl came in she was deeply interested in watching something that was going on in the town." "In the town!" repeated Byrd. "Yes; the telescope was lowered so as to command a view of the town, and she had taken advantage of its position (as she assured me last night) to consult the church clock." "The church clock!" echoed Byrd once more. "And what time did she say it was?" breathlessly cried both detectives. "Five minutes to twelve." "A critical moment," ejaculated Byrd. "And what was it she saw going on in the town at that especial time?" "I will tell you," returned the District Attorney, impressively. "She said--and I believed her last night and so recalled her to the stand this morning--that she saw Craik Mansell fleeing toward the swamp from Mrs. Clemmens' dining-room door." Both men looked up astonished. "That was what she told me last night. To-day she comes into court with this contradictory story of herself being the assailant and sole cause of Mrs. Clemmens' death."