m with conspiring to subvert the King's authority.
He threw himself on the mercy of his Sovereign, and claimed the
benefit of the pardon. And why? To save himself from indictment on the
capital charge; at the price, peradventure, of a fine or a year's
imprisonment to save himself from the gallows. Thus he tried to
hoodwink the law; but, my lords,"--and counsel lifted himself to his
utmost height,--"the law is not to be hoodwinked."

"God forfend else!" echoed Justice Millet, shifting in his seat and
nodding his head with portentous gravity.

"I was loath to interrupt you," said Justice Hide, speaking calmly and
for the first time, "or I should have pointed out wherein your
statement did not correspond with the facts of the prisoner Ray's
conduct as I know it. Let us without delay hear the witnesses."

The first witness called was a woman thinly and poorly clad, who came
to the box with tears in her eyes, and gave the name of Margaret
Rushton. Ralph recognized her as the young person who had occasioned a
momentary disturbance near the door towards the close of the previous
trial. Sim recognized her also, but his recollection dated farther
back.

She described herself as the wife of a man who had been outlawed, and
whose estates had been sequestered. She had been living the life of a
vagrant woman.

"Was your husband named John Rushton?" asked Ralph.

"Yes," she replied meekly, and all but inaudibly.

"John Rushton of Aberleigh!"

"The same."

"Did you ever hear him speak of an old comrade--Ralph Ray?"

"Yes, yes," answered the witness, lifting her hands to her face and
sobbing aloud.

"The prisoner wastes the time of the court. Let us proceed."

Ralph saw the situation at a glance. The woman's evidence--whatever it
might be--was to be forced from her. "Have you seen these prisoners
before?"

"Yes, one of them."

"Perhaps both?"

"Yes, perhaps both."

"Pray tell my lords and the jury what you know concerning them."

The woman tried to speak and stopped, tried again and stopped.

Counsel, coming to her relief, said,--

"It was in Wythburn you saw them; when was that?"

"I passed through it with my two children at Martinmas," the witness
began falteringly.

"Tell my lords and the jury what happened then."

"I had passed by the village, and had come to a cottage that stood at
the angle of two roads. The morning was cold, and my poor babies were
crying. Then it came on to rain. So I knocked at th