"Stay, are you quite sure the friar came from the very spot from whence you heard the groans?" "Well, as to swearing to it, I don't know, but I heard the sound as of brushwood being trampled under foot, and the next instant the friar passed close to me. He did not appear to observe me, but moved onward in the direction of the village of Ahlden." "Did you follow him or take any further notice of him?" "To say the truth, I was too frightened to move, but I kept my eye on him as far as I could see him." "But you tell me it was very dark." "Just at that moment the moon had burst from behind the clouds, and enabled me to see distinctly." "Well, did you observe anything peculiar in the manner or gait of the friar?" "Yes; after he had passed me some ten paces he halted, as if he were counting money, after which he threw away something that glittered in the moonlight and then walked on. I followed stealthily behind to discover what it was that he had thrown away, when I picked up this." The witness held up a long silk purse knitted with silver beads. "Give it to me--so--can you recollect anything else about this friar? Could you manage to catch a glimpse of his face?" "No, I could not exactly distinguish the features, but----" "But what?" "I observed a peculiar patch in his amice over the left shoulder." "Should you be able to swear to the amice?" "Aye, that I should, among a thousand." "Is this the amice of the friar you saw issue from the copse?" asked Ludwig, holding up a patched amice such as is worn by the Capuchin friars. "The very same, I'll swear to it." "Take care, you are on your oath." "Well, if it is not the same, it is one made after the same fashion, patch and all complete. I'll swear to the shape of the patch, for I observed the garment well." "Enough; you may retire. Call in Hans Schultz." A dapper little man with oiled hair and closely-shaven face entered the court, and having taken his post at the witness-box, gave his evidence as follows:-- "I am by profession a barber. The morning after the murder I was shaving an elderly gentleman in my shop. I suggested that a little hair dye would improve his personal appearance, and offered him a bottle. He refused to buy it, so I placed it on a table behind me, and continued to shave him. Whilst I was recommending the hair dye to my customer I noticed a Capuchin friar pass several times in front of my shop. He appeared to be listening to our conversation.