friend of the law, or its adversary, Depend
upon it that, wherever there are laws at all, there will be laws against
such people as you and me. Either therefore we all of us deserve the
vengeance of the law, or law is not the proper instrument for correcting
the misdeeds of mankind. I tell you this, because I would fain have you
aware, that an informer or a king's evidence, a man who takes advantage
of the confidence of another in order to betray him, who sells the life
of his neighbour for money, or, coward-like, upon any pretence calls in
the law to do that for him which he cannot or dares not do for himself,
is the vilest of rascals. But in the present case, if your reasons were
the best in the world, they do not apply."

While Mr. Raymond was speaking, the rest of the gang came into the room.
He immediately turned to them, and said,--

"My friends, here is a piece of intelligence that Larkins has just
brought in which, with his leave, I will lay before you."

Then unfolding the paper he had received, he continued: "This is the
description of a felon, with the offer of a hundred guineas for his
apprehension. Larking picked it up at ----. By the time and other
circumstances, but particularly by the minute description of his
person, there can be no doubt but the object of it is our young friend,
whose life I was a while ago the instrument of saving. He is charged
here with having taken advantage of the confidence of his patron and
benefactor to rob him of property to a large amount. Upon this charge he
was committed to the county jail, from whence he made his escape about a
fortnight ago, without venturing to stand his trial; a circumstance
which is stated by the advertiser as tantamount to a confession of his
guilt.

"My friends, I was acquainted with the particulars of this story some
time before. This lad let me into his history, at a time that he could
not possibly foresee that he should stand in need of that precaution as
an antidote against danger. He is not guilty of what is laid to his
charge. Which of you is so ignorant as to suppose, that his escape is
any confirmation of his guilt? Who ever thinks, when he is apprehended
for trial, of his innocence or guilt as being at all material to the
issue? Who ever was fool enough to volunteer a trial, where those who
are to decide think more of the horror of the thing of which he is
accused, than whether he were the person that did it; and where the
nature of our