killed him to a certainty. No, my lad, we can prove
nothing; we simply take the ground that you didn't do it; that he was a
threatened man and unpopular with his hands; and there is not a shadow
of proof against you except the fact that he had ill treated you just
before."

"And that I was known to bear him ill will," Ned said sadly.

"Yes, of course that's unfortunate," the lawyer said uneasily. "Of
course they will make a point of that, but that proves nothing. Most
boys of your age do object to a stepfather. Of course we shall put it
to the jury that there is nothing uncommon about that. Oh! no, I do not
think they have a strong case; and Mr. Grant, who is our leader, and who
is considered the best man on the circuit, is convinced we shall get a
verdict."

"But what do people think at Marsden, Mr. Wakefield? Do people generally
think I am guilty?"

"Pooh! pooh!" Mr. Wakefield said hastily. "What does it matter what
people think? Most people are fools. The question we have to concern
ourselves with is what do the jury think, or at any rate with what they
think is proved, and Mr. Grant says he does not believe any jury could
find you guilty upon the evidence. He will work them up. I know he is a
wonderful fellow for working up."

Mr. Grant's experience of juries turned out to be well founded. Ned, as
he stood pale, but firm and composed in the dock, felt that his case was
well nigh desperate when he heard the speech for the prosecution: his
long and notorious ill will against the deceased, "one of the most
genial and popular gentlemen in that part of the great county of
Yorkshire," was dwelt upon. Evidence would be brought to show that even
on the occasion of his mother's marriage the happiness of the
ceremonial was marred by the scowls and menacing appearance of this most
unfortunate and ill conditioned lad; how some time after the marriage
this young fellow had violently assaulted his stepfather, and had used
words in the hearing of the servants which could only be interpreted as
a threat upon his life. This indeed, was not the first time that this
boy had been placed in the dock as a prisoner. Upon a former occasion
he had been charged with assaulting and threatening the life of his
schoolmaster, and although upon that occasion he had escaped the
consequences of his conduct by what must now be considered as the ill
timed leniency of the magistrates, yet the facts were undoubted and
undenied.

Then the counse