nts you in drawing and in holding till
you have some satisfactory evidence to rebut it--that the person who
obtains access to a house or any other building secured by a lock of
this description must have in his or her possession a key which is
capable of opening that lock.'

Continued approval of the jury. They find his lordship a little
tedious perhaps, but sound. At last there seems a fair prospect of
light being thrown upon the case.

'Now, that there were in existence keys which fitted this particular
lock cannot, I think, be seriously doubted by anyone who has listened
carefully to the evidence which has been put forward both by the
prosecution and by the defence in this case.' (Gratification of jury.
How simple it all seems when a master-mind is at work upon the
apparent mystery!) 'The only question left for you to decide, so far
as I can discover, and if I am wrong it is not for want of careful
consideration, is this: whether on that night into which we are
inquiring the prisoner had or had not a latchkey, and, if so, whether
she used it, and in either case, whether any other person had a
similar key, which he also employed in opening the door of this
house.' (Jury getting slightly fogged again. But they no longer sorrow
as one who hath no hope. They rely on his lordship to pull them
through.)

'It is perhaps a circumstance worth noting, though the explanation
may be very simple, that neither side has produced a latchkey
purporting to be one of those belonging to the latch in question.'
(The explanation _was_ simple. Neither side had thought of it.) 'But
in the absence of any ocular demonstration one way or the other, we
are, I think, justified in assuming that the keys in question were
small, portable articles, such as could conveniently be carried in the
pocket. In saying this I merely appeal to your own experience as men
of business and householders, who are most of you probably in the
constant habit of carrying articles of this kind yourselves.' (Jury in
smooth water again. How could they ever have thought this matter
presented difficulties?) 'There, gentlemen, I must leave you. I can
throw no farther light upon the hidden circumstances of that night,
and must leave you to decide for yourselves on a calm and deliberate
review of the evidence whether, in your opinion, such a key as I have
indicated was, or was not, in the possession of the prisoner at the
bar, or of any other individual whose name has or h