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a lawyer。''
The magistrate's eyes twinkled； but he sobered instantly to say； ‘‘I
warn you that the case against you looks grave。 You had better have
legal help。''
Hilda looked at him bravely。 ‘‘I've only the truth to tell；'' she insisted。
‘‘I don't want a lawyer。''
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
‘‘We'll see；'' said the magistrate； giving her an encouraging smile。
‘‘If it is as you say； you certainly won't need counsel。 Your rights are
secure here。'' He looked at Captain Hanlon； who was also on the
platform。 ‘‘Captain；'' said he； ‘‘your first witnessthe man who found
the body。''
‘‘Meinert；'' said the captain in a low tone to a court officer； who called
loudly； ‘‘Meinert！ Meinert！''
A man stood up in the crowd。 ‘‘You don't want me！'' he shouted； as if
he were trying to make himself heard through a great distance instead of a
few feet。
‘‘You want''
‘‘Come forward ！'' commanded the magistrate sharply； and when
Meinert stood before him and beside Hilda and had been sworn； he said；
‘‘Now； tell your story。''
‘‘The manFeuerstein；'' began Meinert； ‘‘came into my place about
half…past one yesterday。 He looked a little wild as if he'd been drinking
or was in trouble。 He went back into the sitting…room and I sent in to him
and''
‘‘Did you go in？''
‘‘No； your Honor。''
‘‘When did you see him again？''
‘‘Not till the police came。''
‘‘Stand down。 I want evidence； not gossip。 Captain Hanlon； who
found the body？ Do you know？''
‘‘Your Honor； I understood that Mr。 Meinert found it。''
The magistrate frowned at him。 Then he said； raising his voice；
‘‘Does ANY ONE know who found the body？''
‘‘My man Wielert did；'' spoke up Meinert。
A bleached German boy with a cowlick in the center of his head just
above his forehead came up beside Hilda and was sworn。
‘‘You found the body？''
‘‘Yes；'' said Wielert。 He was blinking stupidly and his throat was
expanding and contracting with fright。
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
‘‘Tell us all you saw and heard and did。''
‘‘I take him the brandy in。 And he sit and talk to himself。 And he
ask for paper and ink。 And then he write and look round like crazy。
And he make luny talk I don't understand。 And he speak what he write''
Captain Hanlon was red and was looking at Wielert in blank
amazement。
‘‘What did he write？'' asked the magistrate。
‘‘A letter；'' answered Wielert。 ‘‘He put it in a envelope with a stamp
on it and he write on the back and make it all ready。 And then I watch
him； and he take out a knife and feel it and speak with it。 And I go in and
ask him for money。''
‘‘Your Honor； this witness told us nothing of that before；'' interrupted
Hanlon。 ‘‘I understood that the knife''
‘‘Did you question him？'' asked the magistrate。
‘‘No；'' replied the captain humbly。 And Casey and O'Rourke shook
their big； hard…looking heads to indicate that they had not questioned him。
‘‘I am curious to know what you HAVE done in this case；'' said the
magistrate sternly。 ‘‘It is a serious matter to take a young girl like this
into custody。 You police seem unable to learn that you are not the rulers；
but the servants of the people。''
‘‘Your Honor'' began Hanlon。
‘‘Silence！'' interrupted the magistrate； rapping on the desk with his
gavel。 ‘‘Proceed； Wielert。 What kind of knife was it？''
‘‘The knife in his throat afterward；'' answered Wielert。 ‘‘And I hear a
sound like steam out a pipeand I go in and see a lady at the street door。
She peep through the crack and her face all yellow and her eye big。 And
she go away。''
Hilda was looking at him calmly。 She was the only person in the
room who was not intensely agitated。 All eyes were upon her。 There
was absolute silence。
‘‘Is that lady here？'' asked the magistrate。 His voice seemed loud and
strained。
‘‘Yes；'' said Wielert。 ‘‘I see her。''
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
Otto instinctively put his arm about Hilda。 Her father was like a leaf
in the wind。
Wielert looked at Hilda earnestly； then let his glance wander over the
still courtroom。 He was most deliberate。 At last he said； ‘‘I see her
again。''
‘‘Point her out；'' said the magistrate it was evidently with an effort
that he broke that straining silence。
‘‘That lady there。'' Wielert pointed at a woman sitting just outside the
inclosure； with her face half…hid by her hand。
A sigh of relief swelled from the crowd。 Paul Brauner sobbed。
‘‘Why； she's our witness！'' exclaimed Hanlon； forgetting himself。
The magistrate rapped sharply； and； looking toward the woman； said；
‘‘Stand up； Madam。 Officer； assist her！''
The court officer lifted her to her feet。 Her hand dropped and
revealed the drawn； twitching face of Sophie Liebers。
‘‘Your Honor；'' said Hanlon hurriedly； ‘‘that is the woman upon whose
statement we made our case。 She told us she saw Hilda Brauner coming
from the family entrance just before the alarm was given。''
‘‘Are you sure she's the woman you saw？'' said the magistrate to
Wielert。 ‘‘Be careful what you say。''
‘‘That's her；'' answered Wielert。 ‘‘I see her often。 She live across
the street from Meinert's。''
‘‘Officer； bring the woman forward；'' commanded the magistrate。
Sophie； blue with terror； was almost dragged to the platform beside
Hilda。 Hilda looked stunned； dazed。
‘‘Speak out！'' ordered the magistrate。
‘‘You have heard what this witness testified。''
Sophie was weeping violently。 ‘‘It's all a mistake；'' she cried in a low；
choked voice。 ‘‘I was scared。 I didn't mean to tell the police Hilda was
there。 I was afraid they'd think I did it if I didn't say something。''
‘‘Tell us what you saw。'' The magistrate's voice was severe。