yet
spoken, '"nothing could hurt him for what he had not done." I don't
know whether she knows what--what is in store. At least she is not
shaken yet, dear child.'

'And Ave--how did you manage with her through all the day?'

'Oh! we did as we could. We tried reading the things Mr. Wilmot had
marked, but she was too restless; her hands would wander off to the
letters, caressing them, and she would go back to talk of him--all his
ways from a baby upwards. I hope there was no harm in letting her do
it, for if there is anything to do one good, it is his noble spirit.'

'If you had only seen his face to-day,' exclaimed the Doctor, half
angrily, 'you would not feel much comfort in the cutting off such a
fellow. No, no, it won't be. We'll petition--petition--petition--and
save him, we will! Minna will be right yet! They shall not hurt him!'

'Is there really hope in that way?' said Ethel, and a quiver of relief
agitated her whole frame.

'Every hope! Every one I have seen, or Tom either, says so. We have
only to draw up a strong enough representation of the facts, his
character, and all that; and there's his whole conduct before and since
to speak for itself. Why, when it was all over, George heard every one
saying, either he was a consummate hypocrite, or he must be innocent.
Harvey Anderson declares the press will take it up. We shall certainly
get him off.'

'You don't mean pardoned!'

'Commutation of the penalty. Come on,' said the Doctor, hurrying at
his headlong pace, 'there's no time to be lost in getting it drawn up.'

Ethel was dragged on so fast, that she could not speak; but it was with
willing haste, for this was the sort of suspense in which motion and
purpose were a great relief after the day's weary waiting. Gertrude,
quite spent with excitement and tears, had wisely betaken herself to
bed; and it would have been well had Aubrey followed her example,
instead of wandering up and down the room in his misery, flushed though
wan, impetuously talking treason against trial by jury, and abusing
dignitaries. They let him have it out, in all its fury and violence,
till he had tired out his first vehemence, and could be persuaded to
lie on the sofa while the rough draught of the petition was drawn up,
Tom writing, and every one suggesting or discussing, till the Doctor,
getting thorough mastery over the subject, dictated so fluently and
admirably, that even Tom had not a word to gainsay, but observ