I came forward before the case for the Crown finished." "Quite so.

But Mrs.Ballantyne's counsel did cross-examine the witnesses for the prosecution--we must not forget that, Mr.Thresk--and from the cross-examination it is quite clear what answer he was going to make.

He was going--not to deny that Mrs.Ballantyne shot her husband--but to plead that she shot him in self-defence." "Oh ?" said Thresk, "and where do you find that ?" He had no doubt himself in what portion of the report of the trial a proof of Pettifer's statement was to be discovered, but he made a creditable show of surprise that any one should hold that opinion at all.
Pettifer selected a column of newspaper from his cuttings.
"Listen," he said.

"Mr.Repton, a friend of Mrs.Ballantyne, was called upon a subpoena by the Crown and he testified that while he was a Collector at Agra he went up with his wife from the plains to the hill-station of Moussourie during a hot weather.

The Ballantynes went up at the same time and occupied a bungalow next to Repton's.