Finally, he stepped down the side-passage and entered the door which led to the compartments into which people turned who took things to pledge. He, Hollinshaw, remained at his shop door for some minutes after that--in fact, until the last witness came along. He saw Ayscough enter Multenius's front door and immediately pause--then the door was shut, and he himself went back into his own shop, his wife just then calling him to tea. "You saw the young man you speak of quite clearly?" asked the Coroner. "As clearly as I see you, sir," replied the witness. "Do you see him here?" Hollinshaw turned instantly and pointed to Lauriston. "That's the young man, sir," he answered, with confidence. Amidst a general craning of necks, Melky whispered to Lauriston. "You'd ought to ha' had a lawyer, mister!" he said. "S'elp me, I'm a blooming fool for not thinking of it! Be careful--the Coroner's a-looking at you!" As a matter of fact, every person in the court was staring at Lauriston, and presently the Coroner addressed him. "Do you wish to ask this witness any questions?" he enquired. Lauriston rose to his feet. "No!" he replied. "What he says is quite correct. That is, as regards myself." The Coroner hesitated a moment; then he motioned to Hollinshaw to leave the box, and once more turned to Lauriston. "We will have your evidence now," he said. "And--let me warn you that there is no obligation on you to say anything which would seem to incriminate you." CHAPTER NINE WHOSE WERE THOSE RINGS? Paying no attention to another attempted murmur of advice from Melky, who seemed to be on pins and needles, Lauriston at once jumped to his feet and strode to the witness-box. The women in the public seats glanced at him with admiring interest--such a fine-looking young fellow, whispered one sentimental lady to another, to have set about a poor old gentleman like Mr. Multenius! And everybody else, from the Coroner to the newspaper reporter--who was beginning to think he would get some good copy, after all, that morning--regarded him with attention. Here, at any rate, was the one witness who had actually found the pawnbroker's dead body.