"Sir, that is impossible to say. But allow me to suggest a doubt whether that is necessary to be inquired into. With deference, I should suppose the object of this inquest would be simply to determine who shot the pistol that killed the deceased; leaving all other questions to be determined by other tribunals." "'Pshaw!" said Affidavy, who seemed to derive no little private amusement from the ignorance of the magistrate, when suffered to run its own course; "you have spoiled the sport. The young gentleman is, however, right, Squire, and"-- "Holdt your tongue, Mr. Affidafy, and let me mindt mine own pusiness," said the magistrate, in some wrath; "sure I know fat I am about! And hark ye, Mr. Witness, you are a very goodt young man, and an officer, and a gentleman; put you must not tell me fat I am to do, nor fat I am not to do." "Surely not," replied the witness; "I will not be so presumptuous." "Right; you are a very goodt young man, and an officer, and a gentleman; and you have very goodt sense.--Fat do you think I must say in this case? for, mine Gott, it puzzles me! Mine own opinion is, that somepody shot this young man." "It cannot be doubted, sir." "And that that somepody fas him fat shot the pistol fat fas _not_ shot by the young man fat fas shot." "Very true, sir." "Ferry fell, sir," continued the official, with dignity; "now show me the man, and you shall hear fat I have to say for mine inquest in no time." "The man you speak of is by this time lodged in the county prison under a warrant issued by yourself. There were two pistols discharged, one by the deceased, the other, as I can swear to the best of my belief, by the prisoner; and I can bear witness in like manner, that my unfortunate friend owes his death to the pistol discharged by the prisoner." "Fy then, the case is clear enough, and I vonder you couldn't say so much before. Do you swear to all this?" "I do." "Fell now, come;--fat fas the reason of all this running afay, and murdering?" "That, I beg leave to suggest, is a question entirely irrelevant." "Is it? Fell then, fy don't you answer it?" "'Pshaw!" mumbled Affidavy, who was perhaps wearying of a sport he did not himself direct. "Squire, you may discharge the witness: we have laid our heads together and agreed upon a finding." "Fat! mitout me?" "Certainly. You don't think _you_ are to make the verdict?--The witness will be pleased to retire," he added, and the lieutenant, looking once more on the dead, immediately withdrew. "We find, Squire," the attorney went on, "that the deceased came to his death in consequence of a pistol-bullet shot into his neck by Hyland Gilbert, otherwise called Herman Hunter. If you want to be learned about jugulars, carotids, parotids, and so on, we will call in Dr. Muller, and have him examine the wound." "Fy, I don't know any thing about them things; put I don't see that you say any thing apout murder?"