The assizes were approaching near at this time, and about a fortnight
after, he was brought to trial; not all the skill of counsellor Twistem,
however, nor the excellent character which Mr. Shanks tried to procure
for him, had any effect; his reputation was too well established to be
affected by any scandalous reports of his being a peaceable and orderly
man. His violence and irregular life were too well known for the jury to
come to any other conclusion than that it would be a good thing to rid
the country of him, and whether very legally or not, I cannot say, they
brought in a verdict of wilful murder without quitting the box. His
defence, however, established for him the name of a very clever fellow,
and one portion of it certainly sent Sir Philip Hastings from the Court
thoughtful and gloomy. Nevertheless, no recommendation to mercy having
issued from the Judge, Tom Cutter was hanged in due form of law, and to
use his own words, "died game."

CHAPTER XXIV.

We must go back a little, for we have somewhat anticipated our tale.
Never did summons strike more joyfully on the ear of mortal than came
that of her recall home to Emily Hastings. As so often happens to all in
life, the expected pleasure had turned to ashes on the lip, and her
visit to Mrs. Hazleton offered hardly one point on which memory could
rest happily. Nay, more, without being able definitely to say why, when
she questioned her own heart, the character of her beautiful hostess had
suffered by close inspection. She was not the same in Emily's esteem as
she had been before. She could not point out what Mrs. Hazleton had said
or done to produce such an impression; but she was less amiable,--less
reverenced. It was not alone that the trappings in which a young
imagination had decked her were stripped off; but it was that a baser
metal beneath had here and there shown doubtfully through the gilding
with which she concealed her real character.

If the summons was joyful to Emily, it was a surprise and an unpleasant
one to Mrs. Hazleton. Not that she wished to keep her young guest with
her long; for she was too keen and shrewd not to perceive that Emily
would not be worked upon so easily as she had imagined; and that under
her very youthfulness there was a strength of character which must
render one part of the plans against her certainly abortive. But Mrs.
Hazleton was taken by surprise. She could have wished to guard against
construction of some parts