For a moment I hesitated, half inclined to relate the whole story of the mysterious theft of the secret convention; but risking perjury rather than an exposure of facts that I saw must remain hidden, I answered as calmly as I could,-- "No other incident occurred." "Have you any reason to suspect that he was a victim of foul play?" the Coroner continued, looking at me rather suspiciously, I thought. At that moment I glanced at Ella, and was astounded to see how intensely excited she appeared, with her white face upturned, her mouth half open, her eyes staring, eagerly drinking in every word that fell from my lips. Her whole attitude was of one who dreaded that some terrible truth might be brought to light. "I have no reason to suspect he was murdered," I answered in a low tone, and as I surreptitiously watched the face of the woman I loved I saw an instant transformation. Her breast heaved with a heavy sigh of relief as across her countenance there passed a look of satisfaction she was unable to disguise. She was in deadly fear of something, the nature of which I could not conjecture. "You have no suspicion whatever that the deceased had an enemy?" asked the foreman of the jury, who had the appearance of a local butcher. "None whatever," I answered. "I frequently saw Mr Ogle on the river of an afternoon with Miss Laing," the man observed. "Was there, as far as you are aware, any affection between them?" Glancing at Ella, I saw she had turned even paler than before, and was trembling. The question nonplussed me. In my heart I strongly suspected that some attachment existed between them; but resenting this impertinent question from a man who struck me as a local busybody, I made a negative reply. "Then jealousy, it would appear, was not the cause of the crime," the foreman observed to his fellow-jurymen. The Coroner, however, quickly corrected him, pointing out that they had not yet ascertained whether death had, or had not, been due to natural causes. Turning to me, he said,-- "I believe I am right in assuming that you are engaged to be married to Miss Laing, am I not?" "I was engaged to her," I replied hoarsely. "Then you are not engaged at the present moment? Why was the match broken off?" I hesitated for several moments, trying to devise some means to avoid answering this abrupt question. The bitter thought of Ella's double dealing occurred to me, and with foolish disregard for consequences I resolved not to spare her. "Because of a confession she made to me," I said. "A confession! What of?" "Of unworthiness." "She acknowledged herself unfaithful to you, I presume?" observed one of the jurymen who had not before spoken; but to this I made no reply. "Now, have you any suspicion that any secret affection existed between her and the deceased?" the Coroner asked, in a dry, distinct voice, that could be heard all over the room. "I--I cannot say," I faltered.