“Stand there,” he said, placing her so that her back was toward the man who sought to signal silence.  “Officer, swear her.  Now,” he resumed severely, “any deviation from the truth, and the whole truth, will be perjury, which, you know, is a State-prison offence.  I can assure you most honestly that it will be better for you, in all respects, to hide nothing, for you will soon discover that I know something about this affair.”

After the preliminary questions, which were asked with impressive solemnity, he demanded, “Did you not leave the shop on Tuesday evening, and pass up the Avenue to——­Street?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Did you not look back twice, to see if you were followed?”

“I may have looked back.”

“You don’t deny it, then?”

“No, sir.”

“Did not Mr. Bissel, the floor-walker, join you in——­Street, before you had gone very far?”

“Ye—­yes, sir,” with a start.

“Did he not say something that agitated you very much?”

“He may have frightened me,” she faltered.

“Yes, he probably did; but why?  Did you not make a strong gesture of protest against what he said?”

“Yes, sir,” with a troubled stare at the judge.

“Did you not go on with him very quietly and submissively, after a moment or two?”

“Yes, sir,” and her face now was downcast, and she began to tremble.

“Did you not enter a covered alley-way, that led to tenements in the rear?”

“Yes, sir,” with increasing agitation.

“Well, what did you do there?”

“Has he told on me, your Honor?” she gasped, with a sudden flood of tears.

“What he has done is no concern of yours.  You are under oath to tell the whole truth.  There was a single gas-jet burning in the covered passage-way, was there not?”

“Yes, sir,” sobbing violently.

“Has Miss Mildred Jocelyn ever wronged you?”

“N—­no, sir, not that I know of.”

“Now tell me just what occurred under that gas-jet.”

“I’ll tell your Honor the whole truth,” the girl burst out, “if your Honor’ll let me off this time.  It’s my first offence, and we’re poor, and I was driven to it by need, and he promised me that Miss Jocelyn wouldn’t suffer anything worse than a warning to find another place.”

Believing that her accomplice had betrayed her, she told the whole story without any concealment, fully exonerating Mildred.  Although the judge maintained his stern, impassive aspect throughout the scene, he hugely enjoyed the floor-walker’s dismay and confusion, and his tortured inability to warn the girl to deny everything.

“Please, your Honor, forgive me this time,” sobbed the trembling witness in conclusion, “and I’ll never do wrong again.”

“I have no right or power to punish you,” replied the judge; “it rests wholly with your employers whether they will prosecute you or not.  Send that floor-walker here” (to an officer).  “Well, sir, what have you to say to this testimony?” he asked, as the fellow shuffled forward, pale and irresolute.  “Remember, you are still under oath.”