"As I said, after thinking the matter over, I thought it would be policy to pay him," answered the witness, trying to evade the point. "But you have not answered the question. Did he, or did he not, make any sort of a threat which caused you to change your mind?" demanded Mr. Farrington. "Well, yes, in a certain sense." "In what sense?" "He threatened to make false statements about my business." "Would these statements have injured you?" "They might have, for a time." "You are sure the statements he threatened to make were false, with no foundation of truth," asked Mr. Farrington. The witness hesitated. He saw Fred looking him square in the eye, and he shrank from answering, for he realized that the truth would probably be brought out by his former clerk. "Yes, sir, I am sure they were false," he finally answered, while inwardly anathematizing himself at being caught in such a trap. He felt that Fred was getting the better of the case, and that, too, by his own testimony. "In your testimony, Mr. Rexford, you said Fred Worthington impressed you at the time of his discharge with the idea that he would do you some subsequent harm. Was that impression founded upon his attitude of self defense?" asked Judge Plummer, in his slow, thoughtful way. "No, sir, not that." "Will you state, then, what caused you to form such an opinion?" "Of course I could not tell his thoughts, but the deep study he seemed to be in convinced me that he was revolving in his mind some plot to be revenged on me for discharging him." "This cannot be considered evidence," replied the judge. "His thoughts might have run upon an entirely different subject." XX. The testimony so far had very little weight, and really told against the merchant more than it did against our young friend. The track in the sawdust, however, which was measured, and which was found to be the same size as Fred's shoe and of the same general shape, was very good evidence, and being testified to by both Mr. Rexford and the sheriff, went far toward bringing our hero under suspicion of having committed the crime. The merchant's lawyer grew eloquent over this point, but his spread eagle style failed to impress the quiet, thoughtful judge to any great extent. The testimony for the prosecution now being all in, Fred was put upon the stand, and testified that he was at home the night of the fire, had been at home all the evening, and was in bed when the cry of fire was sounded. "How long had you been in bed?" asked attorney Ham. "About two hours, I think," answered Fred. "Are you sure about that?" "I can't say it was exactly two hours, but I know it was not far from nine o'clock when I retired, and it was about eleven when the alarm of fire awoke me." "Were you asleep when the alarm was started?" "I was." "I have no more questions at present to ask the witness," said the lawyer to the judge.