The Treasury Counsel rose again. His manner had become of the quietest, and Spargo again became keenly attentive. “Perhaps I can put a question or two to Mr. Aylmore which will not yield him offence,” he remarked drily. He turned once more to the witness, regarding him as if with interest. “Can you tell us of any person now living who knew Marbury in London at the time under discussion—twenty to twenty-two or three years ago?” he asked. Aylmore shook his head angrily. “No, I can’t,” he replied. “And yet you and he must have had several business acquaintances at that time who knew you both!” “Possibly—at that time. But when I returned to England my business and my life lay in different directions to those of that time. I don’t know of anybody who knew Marbury then—anybody.” The Counsel turned to a clerk who sat behind him, whispered to him; Spargo saw the clerk make a sidelong motion of his head towards the door of the court. The Counsel looked again at the witness. “One more question. You told the court a little time since that you parted with Marbury on the evening preceding his death at the end of Waterloo Bridge—at, I think you said, a quarter to twelve.” “About that time.” “And at that place?” “Yes.” “That is all I want to ask you, Mr. Aylmore—just now,” said the Counsel. He turned to the Coroner. “I am going to ask you, sir, at this point to call a witness who has volunteered certain evidence to the police authorities this morning. That evidence is of a very important nature, and I think that this is the stage at which it ought to be given to you and the jury. If you would be pleased to direct that David Lyell be called—” Spargo turned instinctively to the door, having seen the clerk who had sat behind the Treasury Counsel make his way there. There came into view, ushered by the clerk, a smart-looking, alert, self-confident young man, evidently a Scotsman, who, on the name of David Lyell being called, stepped jauntily and readily into the place which the member of Parliament just vacated. He took the oath—Scotch fashion—with the same readiness and turned easily to the Treasury Counsel. And Spargo, glancing quickly round, saw that the court was breathless with anticipation, and that its anticipation was that the new witness was going to tell something which related to the evidence just given by Aylmore. “Your name is David Lyell?” “That is my name, sir.” “And you reside at 23, Cumbrae Side, Kilmarnock, Scotland?” “I do.” “What are you, Mr. Lyell?” “Traveller, sir, for the firm of Messrs. Stevenson, Robertson & Soutar, distillers, of Kilmarnock.” “Your duties take you, I think, over to Paris occasionally?” “They do—once every six weeks I go to Paris.” “On the evening of June 21st last were you in London on your way to Paris?” “I was.” “I believe you stayed at De Keyser’s Hotel, at the Blackfriars end of the Embankment?” “I did—it’s handy for the continental trains.”