Judge Lawrence opened the case for the defense by assuring the jury that it would take but a few minutes to present all his evidence. The first witness counsel for the defense placed on the stand was the prisoner himself. In as few words as possible, Owen told how he had incurred the enmity of Samuel Coggswell by exposing the latter’s plot to tamper with Judge Lawrence’s mail. He explained that for the same reason he had also aroused the animosity of Carrier Smithers, of Branch X Y. "Our next witness will be Carrier John Smithers," announced Judge Lawrence, when Owen had finished. Smithers, sullen and hostile, glared at his questioner as the latter asked quietly: "You and Carrier Sheridan occupy adjoining rooms in a boarding house, do you not, Mr. Smithers?" "We do." "And you were off duty and in your room at the boarding house the day the inspectors visited the house and searched Sheridan’s trunk?" "Yes, I was; but if you’re trying to infer--\-\-\" began the witness angrily. "Never mind what I’m trying to infer, Mr. Smithers," interrupted the lawyer gently. "Step down, please, unless the district attorney wishes to cross-examine; I’m through with you." He turned to the jury with, a pleasant smile. "But one more witness; then our case is finished. I shall now call Mr. Alfred Adams." As Mr. Adams, a gray-haired, bespectacled man, took the stand, Jake Hines stared at him in astonishment. Who could this fellow be? Jake had never seen him before, and the name suggested nothing to him. He wondered what the calling of this witness could mean. "Mr. Adams," began counsel for the defense, very softly, "will you please tell the jury what your occupation is?" "I am a postal clerk employed at the registry window of Branch Post Office D E." "At Branch D E. That’s the branch from which the package was mailed," explained the lawyer. "And how long have you been employed there, Mr. Adams?" "For seventeen years," replied the gray-haired witness proudly. "Seventeen years! That’s a long time, Mr. Adams. Have you made many mistakes in your work during that period?" "Not a single mistake, sir," replied the postal clerk, still more proudly, and added, with a smile: "The boys at the branch call me ‘Accurate’ Adams." "An enviable nickname," said Judge Lawrence. "Now, tell me, sir, is it your custom to weigh all letters and packages that are handed in at your window for registry?" "Yes, sir; we are required to do that." "It is a precaution no registry clerk overlooks?" "Yes, sir. You see, the rules require us to see that letters and packages are sufficiently stamped before we make out a receipt for them. If the letter or package is overweight, we call the sender’s attention to the fact, and he must supply the deficient postage before we will accept it."