r bonnet.

Captain Pendleton, meantime, was taken care of by Mr. Berners.

"Clement!" said the latter, when he had taken his guest to his
dressing-room, "we are old, tried friends, and need not fear to speak
the truth to each other. Tell me now, frankly, has not the action of the
judge, in admitting Sybil to bail, been very much censured? Will it not
injure him and affect his position, even to the risk of impeachment?"

"Oh, no! There is a great deal of talk, to be sure. Malcontents complain
that he has exceeded his prerogative, that he has overstepped the law,
that he has tried to establish a dangerous precedent, and so on, and so
on."

"And what does Judge Ruthven say to all this?"

"Nothing, nothing whatever! Do you suppose for an instant he is going to
condescend to defend himself to such asses? He says nothing."

"But his friends! his friends! surely _they_ defend him?"

"They do. They tell the donkeys that a judge has certain discretionary
powers to modify the severity of the law when justice requires it; that
these modifications become precedents for other judges to follow, and
finally they become laws that none may dispute; that in this case Judge
Ruthven has followed the spirit of the law, if not its letter; that he
based his act upon the fact that the accused lady, being perfectly safe
from the officers of the law at the time, voluntarily came forward,
delivered herself up, and challenged a trial; and that therefore she was
a worthy object of the privilege of bail."

Honest Clement Pendleton was no lawyer, and he had spoken a trifle
unprofessionally; but it was no matter. Lyon Berners understood him, and
was satisfied.

Sybil and Beatrix came down to join them; and then they all adjourned to
the dining-room, where they had luncheon.

Then Captain Pendleton went home, leaving Beatrix with Sybil.

A few days after this the Court adjourned, and Sybil knew that she
would not be brought to trial until the spring term. In that long
interval, what discoveries might not be made to save her? Her hopes rose
high.

"But oh!" she thought, with a shudder, "if these months had to be passed
in prison!" And in the depths of her grateful heart she again thanked
Providence and Judge Ruthven for her restoration to home and friends.

Then Christmas came. Under the circumstances they preferred to spend it
very quietly. Beatrix was still with them, and Clement was invited to
come and dine on Christmas-day.

Sybil t