Instead of the firm, coherent detail of the facts exactly as they had happened, with which he had been proceeding, he began, as these thoughts surged through his mind, to stumble,--to repeat his words, to fall on long, reflective pauses; and finally he ceased abruptly in the middle of a sentence. The magistrate had occasionally looked up impatiently; he elevated his eyebrows, pursed his lips inquiringly, and now laid down his pen outright. "Is that all?" he said. "Naw, sir," Ned admitted, in grievous agitation. Perhaps his youth and his hard straits and the terrible future which seemed impending over him touched the justice. He gave a little line. He felt that he hardly exceeded the intention of the restrictions of his office in prompting the defendant, helping him out, in view of his youth, inexperience, and friendlessness,--giving him a chance to tell his story and establish, if it might, his innocence. "Do you want to tell how you saw the play?" "Yes, sir," said Ned, plucking up heart of grace. "And how you got out?" "Got out of the window wher' I got in." "Do you want to tell why you did not go out at the back door?" "Didn't know wher' 't wuz," replied Ned. All these facts were being incorporated in the written statement of Ned's own account of himself, which when finished would be read to him, and which he might sign or not, as he would, but the magistrate would annex the reason for no signature in case he should refuse. It was beginning to take a definite value, and the two returned to this unique method of getting at the facts with renewing spirit. Alas for the next question! "Do you want to tell why you did not follow the employees to the back door?" Ned did not answer. His face fell. The justice looked surprised and disappointed. He returned to the effort. "You were afraid of being seen by some of them? Was that the reason you did not follow them?" Ned still was silent. The justice was obviously ill at ease. He had ventured upon an innovation in a very important matter, which he felt was unjustifiable unless some valuable result were to accrue. There was something singular in the case, and he had his qualms in committing the boy to jail without a fair opportunity to show his innocence. For this he had already gone far. The fact would not be mended nor marred by going further. "Did you leave any one in the theatre?" he queried. "Yes, sir," faltered Ned. "How many did you leave there?" demanded the magistrate briskly, seeing the possibility of shifting the crime from such narrow shoulders. "Three men." (General sensation.) "Give their names," said the magistrate, fingering his pen and feeling his hand upon the heart of the mystery. "Dunno their names." "But you could identify them?" To his great displeasure Ned would not answer. The magistrate persisted. "Did you want to describe them? Was that your intention?" Still Ned refused to speak.