A QUESTION OP LAW. 495

* Yes, in this town.*

«Well, go on—I won't say a single word.*

'"Well, then, suppose you forgot to tell him to be careful with it,
because it was loaded, and he went off and shot himself with that
pistol—fooling with it, you know, and probably doing it by accident*
being drunk. "Well, would it be murder I'

* No—suicide.'

< No, no. I don*t mean his act, I mean yours : would yon be a
murderer for letting him have that pistol ?'
After deep thought came this answer—

* Well, I should think I was guilty of something—maybe murder
—yes, probably murder, but I don't quite know.'

This made me very uncomfortable. However, it was not a decisive
verdict. I should have to set out the real case—there seemed to be
no other way. But I would do it cautiously, and keep a watch oat
for suspicious effects. I said—

* I was supposing a case, but I am coming to the real one BOW
Do you know how the man came to be burned up in the calaboose! *

•No.'

* Haven't you the least idea \'
«Not the least.'

* Wish you may die in your tracks if you have ? *

* Yes, wish I may die in my tracks.'

* Well, the way of it' was this. The man wanted some matches to
light his pipe. A boy got him some. The man set fire to the cala-
boose with those very matches, and burnt himself up.'

' Is that so f*

* Yes, it is. Now, is that boy a murderer, do you think I *
1 Let me see. The man was drunk \ *

* Yes, he was drunk.*
« Very drunk I'

'And the boy knew itl*
* Yes, he knew it/
There was a long pause. Then came this heavy verdict—
* If the man was drunk, and the boy knew it, the boy murdered
that man. This is certain.*
Faint, sickening sensations crept along all the fibres of my body