n, possibly hoping, with the blind trust of her sex, that Mr.
Hildreth would be released without her interference. But Mr. Hildreth
was not released, and her anxiety was fast becoming unendurable, when
that decoy letter sent by Hickory reached her, awakening in her breast
for the first time, perhaps, the hope that Mansell would show himself to
be a true man in this extremity, and by a public confession of guilt
release her from the task of herself supplying the information which
would lead to his commitment.

"And, perhaps, if it had really fallen to the lot of Mansell to confront
her in the hut and listen to her words of adjuration and appeal, he
might have been induced to consent to her wishes. But a detective sat
there instead of her lover, and the poor woman lived to see the days go
by without any movement being made to save Mr. Hildreth. At last--was it
the result of the attempt made by this man upon his life?--she put an
end to the struggle by acting for herself. Moved by a sense of duty,
despite her love, she sent the letter which drew attention to her lover,
and paved the way for that trial which has occupied our attention for so
many days. But--mark this, for I think it is the only explanation of her
whole conduct--the sense of justice that upheld her in this duty was
mingled with the hope that her lover would escape conviction if he did
not trial. The one fact which told the most against him--I allude to his
flight from his aunt's door on the morning of the murder, as observed by
her through the telescope--was as yet a secret in her own breast, and
there she meant it to remain unless it was drawn forth by actual
question. But it was not a fact likely to be made the subject of
question, and drawing hope from that consideration, she prepared herself
for the ordeal before her, determined, as I actually believe, to answer
with truth all the inquiries that were put to her.

"But in an unexpected hour she learned that the detectives were anxious
to know where she was during the time of the murder. She heard Hickory
question Professor Darling's servant-girl, as to whether she was still
in the observatory, and at once feared that her secret was discovered.
Feared, I say--I conjecture this,--but what I do not conjecture is that
with the fear, or doubt, or whatever emotion it was she cherished, a
revelation came of the story she might tell if worst came to worst, and
she found herself forced to declare what she saw when