ho did do
it had fled, and, as the carrier had recognized him as in the party, he
had been arrested.

The mail-bag had been found, as well as the letters. Those letters from
which money had been taken, were kept, by order of the officers, and
duplicates sent to the various persons, to whom they were directed,
announcing the particulars. These letters had been given me for
examination, and I had then returned them to the prosecuting attorney.

I got through with my private preliminaries about noon, and as the case
would not come up before the next day, I went into the court in the
afternoon, to see what was going on. The first case which came up was
one of theft, and the prisoner was a young girl, not more than seventeen
years of age, named Elizabeth Madworth. She was very pretty, and bore
that mild, innocent look, which we seldom find in a culprit.

The complaint against her set forth that she had stolen one hundred
dollars from a Mrs. Naseby; and as the case went on, I found that this
Mrs. Naseby was her mistress, she (Mrs. N.) being a wealthy widow,
living in the town. The poor girl declared her innocence in the wildest
terms, and called on God to witness that she would rather die than
steal. But circumstances were hard against her. A hundred dollars, in
bank notes had been stolen from her mistress's room, and she was the
only one who had access there.

At this juncture, while the mistress was upon the witness stand, a young
man came and caught me by the arm.

"They tell me you are a good lawyer?" he whispered.

"I am a lawyer," I answered.

"Then--oh!--save her! You can certainly do it, for she is innocent."

"Has she no counsel?" I asked.

"None that's good for anything--nobody that'll do anything for her. Oh,
save her, and I'll pay you all I've got. I can't pay you much, but I can
raise something."

I reflected for a moment. I cast my eyes toward the prisoner, and she
was at that moment looking at me. She caught my eye, and the volume of
humble, prayerful entreaty I read in those large, tearful orbs, resolved
me in a moment. I arose and went to the girl, and asked her if she
wished me to defend her. She said yes. Then I informed the court that I
was ready to enter into the case, and I was admitted at once.

I asked for a moment's cessation, that I might speak with my client. I
went and sat down by her side, and asked her to state candidly the whole
case. She told me she had lived with Mrs. Naseby nearl