r; she notices
nothing, but comes in, closes and fastens the door behind her, and
retires to rest. And there she sleeps the sleep of innocence, knowing
nothing, dreaming nothing, of the dark shadow which hangs over her
head, nothing of the foul deed which has so recently been perpetrated
under that roof, nothing of the frightful stain upon the empty bed
next door, nothing of that yet more appalling stain which will meet
her eyes when she attempts to pass out of her own room into that.

'The next morning she awakes. Just as she is dressed, the servants
rush up; the whole horror bursts upon her. She is stunned. She does
not realise what has happened, or how it concerns her. She finds
herself seized and dragged away by this devoted nephew and his
creatures. And thus, gentlemen, in that state of darkness and
bewilderment, has she rested ever since, and must rest till your just
verdict sends her forth once more into the light of day, and the
verdict of another jury, not less courageous and righteous than
yourselves, sends the real author of this hidden tragedy to the doom
he has now doubly deserved.'

He sat down. But there was no applause in court, as happens so often
at the end of a speech on the prisoner's behalf. All present felt that
they had listened not so much to a plea for Eleanor Owen as to an
accusation against John Lewis. The barrister had put it too plainly
for any man to be deceived. It was not a mere question of guilt or
innocence. The issue now before the jury was--which of these two is
guilty?

CHAPTER IX.

THE JUDGE.

When evidence is called on behalf of the prisoner, counsel for the
prosecution enjoys the right of reply. This right young Pollard rose
to exercise, and, as is often the case with beginners at the Bar, he
did much better as a speaker than he had done as an examiner.

As soon as he was fairly on his feet, his leader came into court and
took his seat. The other case in which he had been engaged had come to
an end shortly before this, but Prescott had purposely lingered
outside, so as to avoid the duty of replying, which would have been
assigned to him had he returned in time. As he had heard nothing of
the case, nor of Tressamer's defence, the course he adopted was the
best even for the interests of the prosecution--in fact, it was the
course usually followed under parallel circumstances.

The first part of Pollard's reply was simply a recapitulation of the
evidence. Afterwards