ou,
I've heard a lot of complaints about it. You know what Paul said after
he were condemned? He said as 'ow the judge's summing up might have
been another speech by the counsel for the prosecution; and I watched
the judge's face when he said it, and I tell you he went as white as a
sheet. But theer, 'tis done, and tomorrow morning he'll have to stand
afore the Judgment Seat of God!"

"'Twould be terrible, wouldn't it, if he didn't do it after all?
S'posing it should turn out that someone else did it!"

"But how could it be, man? 'Twere that knife. Who could ha' got it?
Paul never allowed onybody to get into the office. The door was
locked, the window was locked. No, no! Ay, but it's terrible!"

"Haaf-past seven, as I've heerd, it's going to take place," said
another.

"Nay, haaf-past eight."

"I wonder if he's made his peace with God?"

"Perhaps; we shall never know. Paul was never a chap to say much about
that kind of thing."

"I've just come from a prayer-meeting at Hanover Chapel. Never was
there such a prayer-meeting before. Paul never went to chapel, but,
but there----"

"Well, God Almighty knows if he's innocent," said another.

"Yes," was the reply. "And it's a good thing, too, that his mother'll
know nothing about it. I've heerd as 'ow Dr. White says that even if
she lives her mind'll never come back to her again."

"I suppose Judge Bolitho's still in th' town?"

"Ay; I hear he's been writing to th' Home Secretary. I know he's been
to London more nor once."

"The nurse up at Paul's house say as 'ow he hasn't slept for three
nights, and he's acted fair and strange, too. I wonder if there's
onything in his mind?"

"I never thowt," said another, "as 'ow they would have ever hanged him
when it coom to be known that Paul's feyther was a judge. I wonder 'ow
it'll turn out."

And so they gossiped. Even in the public-houses a kind of solemn awe
was present. No jokes were passed, even among those who were drunken.
It seemed as though the Angel of Death were hovering over the town in
which Paul had lived for so many years.

When midnight came, a messenger went from Brunclough Lane to Dr.
Wilson's house. It was a neighbour of Mrs. Dodson's, who had been
aroused from his sleep, and who had been requested to fetch the doctor,
as her daughter was worse.

There was a communication by means of a tube between the front door and
the doctor's bedroom.

"Hallo, Dr. White!"

"Yes, who ar