"I want the bench to have it from you; kindly answer my question." "I am the patron of the living of Long Stow," said Sir Wilton, with mock resignation. "In the year 1880 did you, of your own free will and accord, present that living to me?" "Yes, and I've repented it ever since!" There was a sympathetic murmur at the back of the court. It was immediately checked. Every face was thrust forward, every ear strained, every eye absorbed between the prisoner in the dock and the witness in the box. It was no longer the uphill fight of one against many; it was single combat between man and man, and the electricity of single combat charged the air. "You have repented it more than ever of late?" asked Carlton in steady tones. The skin upon his forehead seemed stretched with pain; the veins showed blue and swollen; but the many judged him from his voice alone. "Naturally," sneered Sir Wilton. "So much so that you were resolved I should resign?" "I hoped you would have the decency to do so." "Did you come to the rectory on the fifth of this month, and tell me it was my first duty to resign the living?" "I don't remember the date." "Was it the Saturday before Bank Holiday?" "I daresay. Yes, it must have been. I didn't expect to find you there. I went to see the wreck and ruin of your home and church, not you." "But you did come, and you did see me, and you did tell me it was my first duty to resign my living?" "Certainly I did." "Do you remember your words?" "Some of them." Carlton looked at his pocket-book--at a note made overnight. "Do you remember making use of the following expressions: 'Law or no law, I'll have you out of this! I'll hound you out of it! I'll have you torn in pieces if you stay'?" "I may have said something of the kind," said the witness, with assumed indifference. "Did you, or did you not?" cried Carlton, slapping his hand on the rail of the dock; the voice, the look, the gesture were familiar to many present who had heard him preach; and thrilled them for all their new knowledge of the preacher. "Really I can't recall my exact words. I rather fancied they were stronger." Some one laughed at this, and the witness managed to recapture his grin; but his demeanour was unconvincing. "I am not talking about their strength," said Carlton. "Will you swear that you did _not_ say, 'I'll have you out of this! I'll hound you out of it'?" "No, I will not." "I thank you," said Carlton; and his ringing voice fell at a word to the pitch of perfect courtesy. He ticked off the note in his pocket-book, and the court breathed again; but its worthy president did more: he had forgotten his position for several minutes, and he hastened to reassert it with the first observation that entered his head. "I don't see the point of this examination," said Canon Wilders. "You will presently." "If I don't I shall put a stop to it!" Carlton raised his eyes from his notes, but not to the bench; they were only for the witness now.