the outside stairway at all, his chances would have been much
brighter, for people might have believed that the maid was mistaken. But
he _acknowledges the stairway_, and then denies the rest.

"HIS MOTIVE.

"But how can poor finite man detect so obscure a thing as motive? He
must hide his face and acknowledge his feebleness when he stands before
this inscrutable, heavy-browed, silent Fate. In this case, two solutions
are offered. One, that the wife's large fortune was left by will
unconditionally to her husband; the other, that Mrs. Bagshot will
testify that there was jealousy and ill feeling between these two,
linked together by God's holy ordinance, and that this ill feeling was
connected with a third person, and that person--a woman."

EXTRACT FROM THE NEW YORK "ZEUS."

"Mrs. Heathcote was apparently murdered while asleep. When found, her
face wore a natural and sweet expression, as though she had passed from
slumber into death without even a sigh. The maid testifies that her
mistress always removed her rings at night; it is probable, therefore,
that they, together with her purse and watch, were on the bureau where
the marks of the finger-tips were found.

"We refrain at present from comment upon the close circumstantial
evidence which surrounds this case; the strong hand of the law will take
hold of it at the proper time, and sift it thoroughly. Meanwhile the
attitude of all right-minded persons should be calm and impartial, and
the accused man should be held innocent until he is proven guilty. Trial
by newspaper is one of the notable evils of our modern American system,
and should be systematically discountenanced and discouraged; when a
human life is trembling in the balance, the sensation-monger should be
silenced, and his evil wares sternly rejected."

* * * * *

This negative impartiality was the nearest approach to friendliness
which the accused man received from the combined newspaper columns of
New York, Baltimore, and Washington.

The body of poor Helen was brought home, and Miss Teller herself arrayed
her darling for her long repose. Friends thronged to see her as she lay
in her luxurious drawing-room; flowers were placed everywhere as though
for a bridal--the bridal of death. Her figure was visible from head to
foot; she seemed asleep. Her still face wore a gentle expression of rest
and peace; her small hands were crossed upon her breast; her unbound
hair fell