"It happened fortunately that this second policeman and our reporter were old acquaintances, and had spent many an hour together in the still watches of the night. A few words whispered in the ear of the first policeman settled his doubts. "'I beg your pardon, sir,' he said, apologetically, 'but mistakes will happen in the best regulated families.' A remark which denoted that the worthy and zealous officer was not deficient in a sense of humor. "'A mistake has happened here,' said our reporter. 'I presume that you do not now intend to charge me with aiding and abetting.' "'Not a bit of it, sir. It was only my joke.' "'You have a queer way of airing your jokes, but I cannot reasonably complain; you had grounds for suspicion. And now about this lady.' "'Don't ask me to neglect my duty, sir. I must take her to the station.' "'She denies that she has done anything wrong.' "'They all do that, sir.' "'Do you persist in your charges against her?' "'Well, sir, about the baby I won't be sure now; it's as likely as not I was mistaken in thinking I heard it scream; but we'll try to prove the rights of the thing. I don't give way, sir, in my belief that she attempted to commit suicide.' "'I am a properly qualified solicitor,' said our reporter, 'and I shall appear for her, and shall also offer myself as an eye-witness of the affair. I shall support her in her statement that she had no intention of committing suicide.' "'I can't help that, sir,' said the policeman, with respectful pertinacity, 'I can only report what I saw, and I must do my duty. She nearly fell into the river; I hope you won't deny that, sir.' "'I will not deny it. You are speaking now quite fairly and temperately, and I hope to bring you round to my view.' "'To let her off, sir?' "'Yes.' "'I can't do it, sir.' "'But listen to reason. She accidentally lost her balance----' "'And,' interposed the policeman, 'would have fallen in had it not been for us.' "'That does not establish a charge of an attempt at suicide.' "'It must be looked into, sir,' said the policeman, stiffly. "'It seems to me,' said the second policeman, 'that it all depends upon what it was she threw into the river.'