It was really to hear him I came." But before Dr.Gaunt had time even to get up from the seat with which he had been accommodated close to the coroner, there came a stir among the general public, or, rather, among those spectators who stood near the low wooden door which separated the official part of the court from the gallery.
The coroner's officer, with an apologetic air, approached the coroner, and handed him up an envelope.

And again in an instant, there fell absolute silence on the court.
Looking rather annoyed, the coroner opened the envelope.

He glanced down the sheet of notepaper it contained.

Then he looked up.
"Mr.--" then he glanced down again.

"Mr .-- ah--Mr .-- is it Cannot ?" he said doubtfully, "may come forward." There ran a titter though the spectators, and the coroner frowned.
A neat, jaunty-looking old gentleman, in a nice fur-lined overcoat, with a fresh, red face and white side-whiskers, was conducted from the place where he had been standing among the general public, to the witness-box.
"This is somewhat out of order, Mr .-- er--Cannot," said the coroner severely.