THE SMUGGLER. 419 



moment after he had done, while Lay ton, who had been stand- 

 ing close beside him, bore a strange, almost sarcastic smile 

 upon his lip, which strongly contrasted with the sad and solemn 

 expression of Mr. Croyland's countenance. 



" What is this great red blot just below the man's name?" 

 asked the old gentleman, at length, looking to Mr. Radforcl. 



" That, sir," replied the prisoner, in a calm, grave tone, 

 which had much effect upon the hearers, "is the poor fellow's 

 own blood, as I held him up to sign the declaration. He had 

 been pressing his right hand upon the wound, and where it 

 rested on the paper it gave that bloody witness to the authen- 

 ticity of the document." 



There was something too fine in the reply, and Mr. Croy- 

 land repeated, "Bloody witness! authenticity of the docu- 

 ment!" 



But Layton stretched out his hand, saying, " will you allow 

 me to look at the paper, Mr. Croyland?" and then added, as 

 soon as he received it, " Can any one tell me whether William 

 Clare was left-handed?" 



"Nol" replied Sir Robert Croyland, suddenly raising his 

 head, " no, he was not. Why do you ask?" 



" That I can answer for," said the constable, coming for- 

 ward, "for he carved the stock of a gun for me; and I know 

 he never used his left hand when he could use his right one." 



" Why do you ask, Harry? why do you ask?" exclaimed 

 Mr. Croyland. 



"Because, my dear sir, 5 ' answered Layton, aloud and clear, 

 " this is the print of the thumb of a man's right hand. To 

 have made it at all, he must have held the paper with his right, 

 while he signed with his left, and even then, he could have done 

 it with difficulty, as it is so near the signature that his fingers 

 would not have room to move;'' and as he ended, he fixed his 

 eyes sternly on Mr. Radford's face. 



The prisoner's countenance had changed several times while 

 Sir Henry Layton spoke, first becoming fiery red, then deadly 

 pale, then red again. 



" However it happened, so it was," he said, doggedly. 



"Well!" exclaimed Mr. Croyland, sharply, " your evidence 

 will fetch what it is worth! I hope, clerk, you have got down 

 Mr. Radford's statement." 



"He has written the same down here, your worship," re- 



