lized by this time that something in the case turned upon a
latchkey.

No further questions were put to the witness by Tressamer, and Pollard
saw no opening for cross-examination. The former, therefore, at once
began his speech.

'May it please your lordship: Gentlemen of the jury----'

The counsel paused a moment, shook his robe out of his way, clenched
his fists upon the table in front of him, and bent forward towards the
jury with stern and solemn brow.

'I shall not weary you with the platitudes usual on occasions like
this. I shall say nothing to you about banishing from your minds all
you may have heard or read in the newspapers about this case, for I am
sure it is unnecessary.

'Nor shall I say anything about the weight of responsibility which
rests upon my shoulders, because, after all, what is my responsibility
to yours? If I make any mistake, if I fail after doing my best, I
shall have the consolation of knowing that I am in no way to blame, I
have not to answer for the result.

'But you have! In your hands are life and death! The hangman is your
instrument; the judge upon the bench is but your assistant. Seek not
to shirk your liability; do not trust to others to shield you. On
the way in which you discharge your duty to-day depends the most
solemn and awful of all considerations--a human life. If you by any
prejudice, by any weakness, by any deference to superstition or
authority, give an innocent fellow-creature to the tomb, it had been
better for you that you had never been born!'

The twelve men in the box shifted themselves uneasily under this
indignant apostrophe. They had expected to be cajoled. They found
themselves threatened. The rest of those present looked on amazed, and
held their breath to listen. The speaker seemed perfectly indifferent
to the impression he was creating around him. He glanced at neither
the judge nor the prisoner, but fixed his searching eye upon the dozen
men he was addressing.

'You know your duty as well as I do. You know you must not give a
verdict upon suspicion, no, not though that suspicion were as dark
as Erebus, as heavy as lead. You must have proof. You must have
certainty. You must know how this crime was done, and why and
wherefore, or you must acquit the prisoner.'

It is only under great provocation that a judge will interrupt the
counsel for the defence in a case of life and death, but Sir Daniel
Buller frowned and fidgeted as he listened to this extr