xcitement in the court no language which I can employ
would convey an adequate impression of. As soon as calm was partially
restored, Mrs. Bourdon was taken into custody: the prisoner was removed;
and the court adjourned, of course without passing sentence.

It was even as his mother said! Subsequent investigation, aided by her
confessions, amply proved that the fearful crime was conceived and
perpetrated by her alone, in the frantic hope of securing for her
idolized son the hand and fortune of Miss Armitage. She had often been
present with him in his laboratory, and had thus become acquainted with
the uses to which certain agents could be put. She had purloined the key
of the recess; and he, unfortunately too late to prevent the perpetration
of the crime, had by mere accident discovered the abstraction of the
poison. His subsequent declarations had been made for the determined
purpose of saving his mother's life by the sacrifice of his own!

The wretched woman was not reserved to fall before the justice of her
country. The hand of God smote her ere the scaffold was prepared for
her. She was smitten with frenzy, and died raving in the Metropolitan
Lunatic Asylum. Alfred Bourdon, after a lengthened imprisonment, was
liberated. He called on me, by appointment, a few days previous to
leaving this country forever; and I placed in his hands a small
pocket-Bible, on the fly-leaf of which was written one word--"Ellen!"
His dim eye lighted up with something of its old fire as he glanced at
the characters; he then closed the book, placed it in his bosom, and
waving me a mute farewell--I saw he durst not trust himself to
speak--hastily departed. I never saw him more!

"THE WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS."

In the month of February of the year following that which witnessed the
successful establishment of the claim of Sir Harry Compton's infant son
to his magnificent patrimony, Mr. Samuel Ferret was traveling post with
all the speed he could command towards Lancashire, in compliance with a
summons from Lady Compton, requesting, in urgent terms, his immediate
presence at the castle. It was wild and bitter weather, and the roads
were in many places rendered dangerous, and almost impassable, by the
drifting snow. Mr. Ferret, however, pressed onwards with his habitual
energy and perseverance; and, spite of all elemental and postboy
opposition, succeeded in accomplishing his journey in much less time
than, under the circumstances, co