or important rebuff.

Was the accused utterly callous, or paralyzed by consciousness of her
crime; or biding her time for a dramatic outburst of vindicating
testimony? To her sensitive nature, the ordeal of sitting day after day
to be stared at by a curious and prejudiced public, was more torturing
than the pangs of Marsyas; and she wondered whether a courageous Roman
captive who was shorn of his eyelids, and set under the blistering sun
of Africa, suffered any more keenly; but motionless, apparently
impassive as a stone mask, on whose features pitiless storms beat in
vain, she bore without wincing the agony of her humiliation. Very white
and still, she sat hour by hour with downcast eyes, and folded hands;
and those who watched most closely could detect only one change of
position; now and then she raised her clasped hands, and rested her
lips a moment on the locked fingers, then dropped them wearily on her
lap.

Even when a juryman asked two searching questions of a witness, she
showed no sign of perturbation, and avoided meeting the eyes in the
jury-box, as though they belonged to basilisks. Was it only three days
since the beginning of this excruciating martyrdom of soul; and how
much longer could she endure silently, and keep her reason?

At times, Sister Serena's hand forsook the knitting, to lay a soft,
caressing touch of encouragement and sympathy on the girl's shoulder;
and Dyce's burning indignation vented itself in frequent audible
grating of her strong white teeth. So passed Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, in the examination of witnesses who recapitulated all that
had been elicited at the preliminary investigation; and each nook and
cranny of recollection in the mind of Anthony Burk, the station agent;
of Belshazzer Tatem, the lame gardener; of lean and acrid Miss
Angeline, the seamstress, was illuminated by the lurid light of Mr.
Churchill's adroit interrogation. Thus far, the prosecution had been
conducted by the District Solicitor, with the occasional assistance of
Mr. Wolverton, who, in conjunction with Mr. Dunbar, had appeared as
representative of the Darrington estate, and its legal heir, Prince;
and when court adjourned on Wednesday, the belief was generally
entertained that no defence was possible; and that at the last moment,
the prisoner would confess her crime, and appeal to the mercy of the
jury. As the deputy sheriff led his prisoner toward the rear entrance,
where stood the dismal funereal black