serious purpose, as I
feared, lay back of their presence here to-day. Curiosity alone explained
it; and as I realised what this meant, and how little understanding it
betokened of the fierce struggle then going on in the timid breast of
their distracted child, a sickening sense of my own responsibility drove
Carmel's beauty, and Carmel's claims temporarily from my mind, and
following the direction of Ella's thoughts, if not her glances, I sought
in the face of the prisoner a recognition of her presence, if not of the
promise this presence brought him.

His eye had just fallen on her. I was assured of this by the sudden
softening of his expression--the first real softening I had ever seen
in it. It was but a momentary flash, but it was unmistakable in its
character, as was his speedy return to his former stolidity. Whatever
his thoughts were at sight of his little sweetheart, he meant to hide
them even from his counsel--most of all from his counsel, I decided
after further contemplation of them both. If Mr. Moffat still showed
nervousness, it was for some other reason than anxiety about this
little body hiding from sight behind the proudly held figures of father
and mother.

The opening testimony of the day, while not vital, was favourable to the
prosecution in that it showed Arthur's conduct since the murder to have
been inconsistent with perfect innocence. His belated return at noon the
next day, raging against the man who had been found in an incriminating
position on the scene of crime, while at the same time failing to betray
his own presence there till driven to it by accumulating circumstances
and the persistent inquiries of the police; the care he took to avoid
drink, though constant tippling was habitual to him and formed the great
cause of quarrel between himself and the murdered Adelaide; his haunting
of Carmel's door and anxious listening for any words she might let fall
in her delirium; the suspicion which he constantly betrayed of the nurse
when for any reason he was led to conclude that she had heard something
which he had not; his behaviour at the funeral and finally his action in
demanding to have the casket-lid removed that he might look again at the
face he had made no effort to gaze upon when opportunity offered and time
and place were seemly: these facts and many more were brought forward in
grim array against the prisoner, with but little opposition from his
counsel and small betrayal of feeling on