"But you have given your evidence: Wayland is our only chance left.
Don't you see how they'll clinch it?"
"Hold y'r head shut," ordered Matthews.
Wayland was giving his evidence, as little as he could possibly give, it seemed to Eleanor, from the time he had telephoned down to her father to come and take corroborative proof of the value of the coal mines.
"You did not anticipate any trouble about the examination?"
"None whatever," answered Wayland. He had described the examination of the two tunnels and the preparation to go down the shaft when the Sheriff again whispered to the coroner.
"When MacDonald seemed to change his mind about going down the shaft, was there anyone visible except the Sheriff?"
"Not that I saw," answered Wayland; and he went on to describe the cutting of the cable and the climb up the side of the shaft.
Eleanor became suddenly conscious that tense stillness reigned in the county court room. Some man standing behind the back benches shuffled his feet and cleared his throat with an offensive "hem." The roomful of people looked back angrily. The attorney had pencilled a line on a scrap of paper and shoved it across in front of the coroner. Through the open windows, Eleanor could see that a great concourse of people was gathering outside.
"When you found the body, was anyone else present at the top of the shaft?"
For the fraction of a second, Eleanor wondered if they meant to cast suspicion on the Ranger.