nished her sweetly, "because we must
observe the common and usual methods of trial in your case I must
interrupt you now." And upon that he promised that she should be fully
heard in her own defence at the proper time, and that himself he would
instruct her in the forms of law to her advantage. He reassured her
by reverent allusions to the great Judge of Heaven and Earth, in whose
sight they stood, that she should have justice. "And as to what you say
concerning yourself," he concluded, "I pray God with all my heart you
may be innocent."

He was benign and reassuring. But she had the first taste of his true
quality in the examination of Dunne--a most unwilling witness.

Reluctantly, under the pressure put upon him, did Dunne yield up the
tale of how he had conducted the two absconders to my lady's house with
her consent, and it was sought to prove that she was aware of their
connection with the rebellion. The stubbornly evasive Dunne was asked at
last:

"Do you believe that she knew Mr. Hicks before?"

He returned the answer that already he had returned to many questions of
the sort.

"I cannot tell truly."

Jeffreys stirred in his scarlet robes, and his wistful eyes grew
terrible as they bent from under beetling brows upon the witness.

"Why," he asked, "dost thou think that she would entertain any one she
had no knowledge of merely upon thy message? Mr. Dunne, Mr. Dunne! Have
a care. It may be more is known to me of this matter than you think
for."

"My lord, I speak nothing but the truth!" bleated the terrified Dunne.

"I only bid you have a care," Jeffreys smiled; and his smile was more
terrible than his frown. "Truth never wants a subterfuge; it always
loves to appear naked; it needs no enamel nor any covering. But lying
and snivelling and canting and Hicksing always appear in masquerade.
Come, go on with your evidence."

But Dunne was reluctant to go on, and out of his reluctance he lied
foolishly, and pretended that both Hicks and Nelthorp were unknown to
him. When pressed to say why he should have served two men whom he had
never seen before, he answered:

"All the reason that induced me to it was that they said they were men
in debt, and desired to be concealed for a while."

Then the thunder was heard in Jeffreys' voice.

"Dost thou believe that any one here believes thee? Prithee, what trade
art thou?"

"My lord," stammered the unfortunate, "I--I am a baker by trade."

"And wilt thou bake