“If you please, sir,” said the girl, “not long after the balloon ascended by moonlight, and the gentleman was shot at, a little man came to Doctor Peters’s house to ask for the medicine that was made up for him. I was not aware that anything had been prepared for him, and while I was asking a question I noticed that he held a handkerchief in his hand which smelt of something strong. I just recollect his going upstairs, and then I must have become insensible. When I came to he had disappeared and the front door was closed. I did not say anything to the doctor about it, as I thought he might say I was hysterical and that my head was full of fancies, but when I heard the evidence at the last meeting, I thought it my duty to state what had happened.”
“Another far-fetched delusion, squire,” cried Doctor Peters. “Young girls are given to go on that way.”
“And so are old gentlemen,” replied the magistrate. “Anyway, I cannot blame your servant for declaring herself as she has done; and at no distant date, perhaps, we shall be able to judge whether this item of evidence should be regarded as a dream or something worth listening to.”
“Nothing in it, squire, take my word for that,” replied the doctor.
“I hope it will turn out so,” retorted Maria, smiling with an air of confidence, however, for she had elicited the fixed attention and sympathy of those who were present.
It was noticed that although the doctor pooh-poohed his servant’s statement, it seemed that he did so very half-heartedly, and several times showed signs of being ill at ease.
At this juncture Warner stepped up to Mr Goodall and gave him a letter, stating that it had been left with him for the aeronaut just as he rose from the Crystal Palace in his balloon, and that he had not had an opportunity before this of delivering it.
Having perused the letter, the aeronaut stated that he would read it aloud, as it had considerable bearing on the case into which they were inquiring, although it was from his uncle.
“Is your uncle an aeronaut?” asked his worship.
“Oh, dear no, Squire Dove.”