hould prepare to go. Mrs.
Orme thinks it better that I should not accompany you."

"No, Lucius, no; you must not hear them proclaim my guilt in court."

"That would make but little difference. But nevertheless I will not
go. Had I known this before I should not have gone there. It was to
testify my belief in your innocence; nay, my conviction--"

"Oh, Lucius, spare me!"

"Well, I will speak of it no more. I shall be here to-night when you
come back."

"But if they say that I am guilty they will take me away."

"If so I will come to you,--in the morning if they will let me. But,
mother, in any case I must leave this house to-morrow." Then again
he gave her his hand, but he left her without touching her with his
lips.

When the two ladies appeared in court together without Lucius Mason
there was much question among the crowd as to the cause of his
absence. Both Dockwrath and Joseph Mason looked at it in the right
light, and accepted it as a ground for renewed hope. "He dare not
face the verdict," said Dockwrath. And yet when they had left the
court on the preceding evening, after listening to Mr. Furnival's
speech, their hopes had not been very high. Dockwrath had not
admitted with words that he feared defeat, but when Mason had gnashed
his teeth as he walked up and down his room at Alston, and striking
the table with his clenched fist had declared his fears, "By heavens
they will escape me again!" Dockwrath had not been able to give him
substantial comfort. "The jury are not such fools as to take all
that for gospel," he had said. But he had not said it with that tone
of assured conviction which he had always used till Mr. Furnival's
speech had been made. There could have been no greater attestation
to the power displayed by Mr. Furnival than Mr. Mason's countenance
as he left the court on that evening. "I suppose it will cost me
hundreds of pounds," he said to Dockwrath that evening. "Orley Farm
will pay for it all," Dockwrath had answered; but his answer had
shown no confidence. And, if we think well of it, Joseph Mason was
deserving of pity. He wanted only what was his own; and that Orley
Farm ought to be his own he had no smallest doubt. Mr. Furnival had
not in the least shaken him; but he had made him feel that others
would be shaken. "If it could only be left to the judge," thought Mr.
Mason to himself. And then he began to consider whether this British
palladium of an unanimous jury had not in it more of