better--much better." And then no further word was
spoken by any of them till the carriage drove up to the court-house
door. It may be hoped that the journey was less painful to Mr. Aram
than to the others, seeing that he solaced himself on the coach-box
with a cigar.

There was still a great crowd round the front of the court-house when
they reached it, although the doors were open, and the court was
already sitting. It had been arranged that this case--the great case
of the assize--should come on first on this day, most of the criminal
business having been completed on that preceding; and Mr. Aram
had promised that his charge should be forthcoming exactly at ten
o'clock. Exactly at ten the carriage was driven up to the door,
and Mr. Aram jumping from his seat directed certain policemen and
sheriff's servants to make a way for the ladies up to the door, and
through the hall of the court-house. Had he lived in Alston all his
life, and spent his days in the purlieus of that court, he could not
have been more at home or have been more promptly obeyed.

"And now I think we may go in," he said, opening the door and letting
down the steps with his own hands.

At first he took them into a small room within the building, and
then bustled away himself into the court. "I shall be back in half a
minute," he said; and in half a dozen half-minutes he was back. "We
are all ready now, and shall have no trouble about our places. If you
have anything to leave,--shawls, or things of that sort,--they will
be quite safe here: Mrs. Hitcham will look after them." And then
an old woman who had followed Mr. Aram into the room on the last
occasion curtsied to them. But they had nothing to leave, and their
little procession was soon made.

Lucius at first offered his arm to his mother, and she had taken it
till she had gone through the door into the hall. Mr. Aram also had,
with some hesitation, offered his arm to Mrs. Orme; but she, in spite
of that touch of sympathy, had managed, without speaking, to decline
it. In the hall, however, when all the crowd of gazers had turned
their eyes upon them and was only kept off from pressing on them by
the policemen and sheriff's officers, Lady Mason remembered herself,
and suddenly dropping her son's arm, she put out her hand for Mrs.
Orme. Mr. Aram was now in front of them, and thus they two followed
him into the body of the court. The veils of both of them were down;
but Mrs. Orme's veil was not m