His hands fell; an indefinable change had come over his aspect; he
bowed and seemed about to utter an ironic apology. She felt
puzzled and unconsciously she began to think. What was lacking in
her statement? Something. Could she remember what? Something which
he had expected; something which as presiding judge over John's
trial he had been made aware of and now recalled to render her
story futile. It couldn't be that one little thing--But yes, it
might be. Nothing is little where a great crime is concerned. She
smiled a dubious smile, then she said:

"It seems too slight a fact to mention, and, in-deed, I had
forgotten it till you pressed me, but after we had passed the
gates and were well out on the highway, I found that Reuther had
left her little pail behind her here, and we came back and got it.
Did you mean that, sir?"

"I meant nothing; but I felt sure you had not told all you could
about that fatal ten minutes. You came back. It is quite a walk
from the road. The man whose shadow you saw must have reached the
bridge by this time. What did you see then or--hear?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing, judge. I was intent on finding the
baby's pail, and having found it I hurried back home all the
faster."

"And tragedy was going on or was just completed, in plain sight
from this gap!"

"I have no doubt, sir; and if I had looked, possibly John might
have been saved."