"Though in the best of health myself,"-- he beamed round the court, a now amused, attentive court--"it is my fate to be surrounded by sick people, to have only ailing friends.

I have to trouble you with my private affairs, Mr.Coroner, in order to explain why I happened to be out at so undue an hour as one o'clock in the morning--" Again a titter ran through the court.

Even the jury broke into broad smiles.
"Yes," went on the witness solemnly, "I was with a sick friend--in fact, I may say a dying friend, for since then he has passed away.
I will not reveal my exact dwelling-place; you, sir, have it on my notepaper.

It is not necessary to reveal it, but you will understand me when I say that in order to come home I had to pass through a portion of the Regent's Park; and it was there--to be exact, about the middle of Prince's Terrace--when a very peculiar-looking individual stopped and accosted me." Mrs.Bunting's hand shot up to her breast.

A feeling of deadly fear took possession of her.
"I mustn't faint," she said to herself hurriedly.