“Go on.”

“In my flight I came upon Bethel.  I knew that if he had gone toward the cottage after the shot was fired, he must have encountered Thorn flying from it.  He denied that he had; he said he had only gone along the path for a few paces, and had then plunged into the wood again.  I believed him and departed.”

“Departed from West Lynne?”

“That night I did.  It was a foolish, fatal step, the result of cowardice.  I found the charge was laid to me, and I thought I would absent myself for a day or two, to see how things turned out.  Next came the inquest and the verdict against me, and I then left for good.”

“This is the truth, so far as you are cognizant of it?”

“I swear that it is truth, and the whole truth, so far as I am cognizant of it,” replied Richard Hare, with emotion.  “I could not assert it more solemnly were I before God.”

He was subjected to a rigid cross-examination, but his testimony was not shaken in the least.  Perhaps not one present but was impressed with its truth.

Afy Hallijohn was recalled, and questioned as to Richard’s presence at her father’s house that night.  It tallied with the account given by Richard; but it had to be drawn from her.

“Why did you decline to receive Richard Hare into the cottage, after appointing him to come?”

“Because I chose,” returned Afy.

“Tell the jury why you chose.”

“Well, I had got a friend with me—­it was Captain Thorn,” she added, feeling that she should only be questioned on this point, so might as well acknowledge it.  “I did not admit Richard Hare, for I fancied they might get up a quarrel if they were together.”

“For what purpose did Richard Hare bring down his gun—­do you know?”

“It was to lend to my father.  My father’s gun had something the matter with it, and was at the smith’s.  I had heard him, the previous day, ask Mr. Richard to lend him one of his, and Mr. Richard said he would bring one, as he did.”

“You lodged the gun against the wall—­safely?”

“Quite safely.”

“Was it touched by you, after placing it there, or by the prisoner?”

“I did not touch it; neither did he, that I saw.  It was that same gun which was afterward found near my father, and had been discharged.”

The next witness called was Otway Bethel.  He also held share in the curiosity of the public, but not in equal degree with Afy, still less with Richard Hare.  The substance of his testimony was as follows:—­

“On the evening that Hallijohn was killed, I was in the Abbey Wood, and I saw Richard Hare come down the path with a gun, as if he had come down from his own home.”

“Did Richard Hare see you?”