But who in all this world could say that when the body was taken it was not dead?
Clearly but one man--he that administered the poison.

And, I ask your Excellency, would he be likely to tell the world what he had done ?" He might have answered me: "I am that man." But he did not.

Instead, he hung his head, as if pondering the words of wisdom I had uttered--words meant to convince him of my own innocence in the matter; and this they achieved, at least in part.

He flashed me a look of sudden suspicion, it is true; but it faded almost as soon as it shone from his brooding eye.
"Maybe I am a fool that I do not string you up and test the truth of what you say," he grumbled.

"But I incline to believe you, and you are a merry rogue.