And sharply the coroner bade Lizzie Cole stand down.
Far more credence was given to the evidence of the next witness.
This was an older, quieter-looking woman, decently dressed in black.
Being the wife of a night watchman whose work lay in a big warehouse situated about a hundred yards from the alley or passage where the crimes had taken place, she had gone out to take her husband some food he always had at one in the morning.

And a man had passed her, breathing hard and walking very quickly.

Her attention had been drawn to him because she very seldom met anyone at that hour, and because he had such an odd, peculiar look and manner.
Mrs.Bunting, listening attentively, realised that it was very much from what this witness had said that the official description of The Avenger had been composed--that description which had brought such comfort to her, Ellen Bunting's, soul.
This witness spoke quietly, confidently, and her account of the newspaper parcel the man was carrying was perfectly clear and positive.
"It was a neat parcel," she said, "done up with string." She had thought it an odd thing for a respectably dressed young man to carry such a parcel--that was what had made her notice it.

But when pressed, she had to admit that it had been a very foggy night -- so foggy that she herself had been afraid of losing her way, though every step was familiar.
When the third woman went into the box, and with sighs and tears told of her acquaintance with one of the deceased, with Johanna Cobbett, there was a stir of sympathetic attention.

But she had nothing to say throwing any light on the investigation, save that she admitted reluctantly that "Anny" would have been such a nice, respectable young woman if it hadn't been for the drink.
Her examination was shortened as much as possible; and so was that of the next witness, the husband of Johanna Cobbett.