s friend Mr. Mason. Mr.
Dockwrath was a great man as far as this day was concerned, and could
command admittance from the doorkeepers and others about the court.
But for the outer world, for men and women who were not lucky enough
to be lawyers, witnesses, jurymen, or high sheriff, there was no
means of hearing and seeing the events of this stirring day except
what might be obtained by exercise of an almost unlimited patience.

There had been much doubt as to what arrangement for her attendance
at the court it might be best for Lady Mason to make, and some
difficulty too as to who should decide as to these arrangements.
Mr. Aram had been down more than once, and had given a hint that it
would be well that something should be settled. It had ended in his
settling it himself,--he, with the assistance of Mrs. Orme. What
would Sir Peregrine have said had he known that on any subject these
two had been leagued in council together?

"She can go from hence in a carriage--a carriage from the inn," Mrs.
Orme had said.

"Certainly, certainly; a carriage from the inn; yes. But in the
evening, ma'am?"

"When the trial is over?" said Mrs. Orme, inquiring from him his
meaning.

"We can hardly expect that it shall be over in one day, ma'am. She
will continue to be on bail, and can return home. I will see that she
is not annoyed as she leaves the town."

"Annoyed?" said Mrs. Orme.

"By the people I mean."

"Will there be anything of that, sir?" she asked, turning pale at the
idea. "I shall be with her, you know."

"Through the whole affair, ma'am?"

"Yes, through the whole affair."

"They'll want to have a look at her of course; but,--Mrs. Orme, we'll
see that you are not annoyed. Yes; she had better come back home the
first day. The expense won't be much; will it?"

"Oh no," said Mrs. Orme. "I must return home, you know. How many days
will it be, sir?"

"Well, perhaps two,--perhaps three. It may run on all the week. Of
course you know, Mrs. Orme--"

"Know what?" she asked.

"When the trial is over, if--if it should go against us,--then you
must return alone."

And so the matter had been settled, and Mr. Aram himself had ordered
the carriage from the inn. Sir Peregrine's carriage would have been
at their disposal,--or rather Mrs. Orme's own carriage; but she had
felt that The Cleeve arms on The Cleeve panels would be out of place
in the streets of Hamworth on such an occasion. It would of course be
impossible th