t consider a case
in which he had no immediate concern, I studied their faces while one
by one they filed into the box. The anxiety had been so great and so
prolonged that I rejoiced it was at length coming to its end, whatever
that end might be.

The judge having returned to his seat on the bench, in the midst of the
most intense silence the clerk asked the jury whether they found the
prisoner guilty or not guilty. Rising to his feet, the foreman, a dapper
little man with a rapid utterance, said, or rather read from a piece of
paper, "_Not guilty_, but we hope that in future Dr. Therne will be more
careful about conveying infection."

"That is a most improper verdict," broke in the judge with irritation,
"for it acquits the accused and yet implies that he is guilty. Dr.
Therne, you are discharged. I repeat that I regret that the jury should
have thought fit to add a very uncalled-for rider to their verdict."

I left the dock and pushed my way through the crowd. Outside the
court-house I came face to face with Sir Thomas Colford. A sudden
impulse moved me to speak to him.

"Sir Thomas," I began, "now that I have been acquitted by a jury----"

"Pray, Dr. Therne," he broke in, "say no more, for the less said the
better. It is useless to offer explanations to a man whose wife you have
murdered."

"But, Sir Thomas, that is false. When I visited Lady Colford I knew
nothing of my wife's condition."

"Sir," he replied, "in this matter I have to choose between the word of
Sir John Bell, who, although unfortunately my wife did not like him as
a doctor, has been my friend for over twenty years, and your word, with
whom I have been acquainted for one year. Under these circumstances, I
believe Sir John Bell, and that you are a guilty man. Nine people out
of every ten in Dunchester believe this, and, what is more, the jury
believed it also, although for reasons which are easily to be understood
they showed mercy to you," and, turning on his heel, he walked away from
me.

I also walked away to my own desolate home, and, sitting down in the
empty consulting-room, contemplated the utter ruin that had overtaken
me. My wife was gone and my career was gone, and to whatever part of the
earth I might migrate an evil reputation would follow me. And all this
through no fault of mine.

Whilst I still sat brooding a man was shown into the room, a smiling
little black-coated person, in whom I recognised the managing clerk of
the firm