Interest had now reached its climax. A universal cry swept through
the room, "Is it loaded?"

The coroner, frowning on the assembly, with a look of great dignity,
remarked:

"I was about to ask that question myself, but first I must request
order."

An immediate calm followed. Every one was too much interested to
interpose any obstacle in the way of gratifying his curiosity.

"Now, sir!" exclaimed the coroner.

The clerk from Bonn's, taking out the cylinder, held it up. "There
are seven chambers here, and they are all loaded."

A murmur of disappointment followed this assertion.

"But," he quietly added after a momentary examination of the face
of the cylinder, "they have not all been loaded long. A bullet has
been recently shot from one of these chambers."

"How do you know?" cried one of the jury.

"How do I know? Sir," said he, turning to the coroner, "will you
be kind enough to examine the condition of this pistol?" and he
handed it over to that gentleman. "Look first at the barrel; it is
clean and bright, and shows no evidence of a bullet having passed out