He found that Donovan in his roving sailor's life
had played the crippled sea beggar in the streets of British cities,
tying up his natural leg and fitting a wooden leg to the knee--a trick
well known to British ballad singers. That leg was in Donovan's
sea-chest, as it had been left in this city, and also the crutch
necessary to walk with it. Mr. Zane and Donovan had exchanged the leg
and crutch, and the former matched his fellow with a wig and patches.
Thus convertible, they had for a little while deceived everybody, but
for further convenience Mr. Zane ensconced himself as a tenant in a
neighboring house, and when the apparatus was in request by Donovan, he
crossed on the roofs between the trap-doors, and still was master of his
residence."
"What does all this disclose but the intrigue of despairing guilt?"
exclaimed young Van de Lear. "He had destroyed the purity of a lady and
abandoned her, and was afraid to show his real face in Kensington."
"We will see as to that," replied Duff Salter. "I had hoped to respect
the lady's privacy, but Mr. Zane has refused to testify. Call Agnes
Wilt."
All in the magistrate's office rose at the mention of this name, only
Andrew Zane keeping his seat amid the crowd. Calvin Van de Lear
officiously sought to assist the witness in, but Duff Salter pressed him
back and gave the sad and beautiful woman his arm.
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